Court Advocate
About The Position
The Manhattan Court Advocate works with court stakeholders to assess and screen individuals for placement in The Fortune Society’s Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) programs, advocates for clients, and reports to the court on their participation. The role splits time between court advocacy and managing a caseload of current clients and potential referrals. The position is based at Manhattan Court, 100 Centre Street, and works Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is a regular, full-time, non-exempt position represented by OPEIU Local 153. The Fortune Society supports successful reentry from incarceration and promotes alternatives to incarceration. Its services include employment and education, alternatives to incarceration, supervised release, discharge planning, substance use and mental health treatment, housing, benefits assistance, care management, HIV services, food and nutrition, and arts programming. The Court Advocate must communicate effectively with participants and court stakeholders, manage a high-volume and changing caseload, take ownership of referrals and cases, and coordinate with internal teams. The role requires sound judgment, discretion, timely documentation and follow-up, and a person-centered, non-judgmental approach to working with people impacted by the criminal legal system.
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED/HSE required.
- Ability to obtain and maintain required clearance and access to New York State court facilities, including an Office of Court Administration Secure Pass where applicable.
- Knowledge of the structure and procedures of the Criminal Justice System and its legal terminology required.
- Experience with electronic databases or case management systems and timely, accurate documentation of client and case information.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to independently manage a high-volume caseload, competing deadlines, multiple court appearances, and required follow-up.
- Strong follow-through, attention to detail, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams.
- Sound professional judgment and discretion, including the ability to identify issues requiring supervisory consultation or escalation.
Nice To Haves
- MSW or LMSW.
- Previous court advocacy experience.
- Experience with ATD and ATI programs.
- Experience working with people impacted by the criminal legal system using a person-centered, non-judgmental approach.
- Bilingual English/Spanish.
- Relevant personal experience.
Responsibilities
- Screen court calendars and related documents to identify candidates eligible for Fortune’s ATI program.
- Liaise with defense attorneys, prosecutors, judges, resource coordinators, and other court stakeholders.
- Interview prospective clients in custody and in the community.
- Advocate before the court for clients’ release to Fortune’s ATD/ATI programs.
- Present written and verbal reports to the court about clients’ enrollment, participation, progress, attendance, compliance concerns, and other relevant developments in programming.
- Collaborate with counselors, case managers, clinical staff, housing, employment, treatment, and other internal programs to coordinate services, address barriers, and help clients achieve goals.
- Maintain timely, accurate, and complete documentation in Caseworthy or other designated systems concerning referrals, outreach, screenings, assessments, court appearances, communications, client status, program participation, and case outcomes.
- Maintain current knowledge of Fortune’s ATD/ATI programs, eligibility criteria, enrollment processes, group schedules, and supportive services, and provide accurate information to external stakeholders.
- Build and maintain collaborative relationships with court stakeholders to support appropriate referrals and effective problem-solving.
- Monitor assigned referrals and cases from initial referral through disposition or closure, including court dates, outstanding issues, client status, and follow-up requirements.
- Conduct timely, documented outreach to prospective and active clients and referral sources; follow procedures for unsuccessful outreach, case closure, and re-engagement.
- Provide timely updates to counsel, prosecutors, court personnel, and other appropriate stakeholders regarding screening, enrollment or placement, participation, attendance, compliance concerns, and significant changes in client status.
- Identify and appropriately escalate urgent, complex, or unresolved issues to the Senior Court Advocate and/or supervisor.
- Coordinate case coverage and communicate critical case information when unavailable or when another team member must appear, respond, or follow up.
- Comply with confidentiality, privacy, documentation, and information-sharing requirements.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
