Domestic Violence CJW Team Lead

Montana Legal Services Association•Helena, MT

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Domestic Violence Community Justice Worker (CJW) Project Coordinator is responsible for implementing, managing, and continually improving MLSA’s Community Justice Worker Project—an innovative statewide initiative that trains, certifies, and supports non-lawyer advocates to provide limited legal services in Montana. The Domestic Violence (DV) CJW Coordinator will support the development of a CJW program for Orders of Protection in Montana. The DV CJW Coordinator will ensure the project meets grant requirements, supports access to justice for low-income Montanans, and strengthens legal assistance capacity in rural and tribal communities. The DV CJW Project Coordinator also will act as a CJW in Order of Protection matters and gain experience of how the process works. This position works closely with the CJW Project Coordinator, the CJW Project Attorney, MLSA’s Tribal Advocacy Incubator Project (TAIP), the Montana Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission, the State Bar of Montana, the Office of the Court Administrator, and community partners including YWCA Missoula, Safe Harbor of Lake County, and the Fort Peck Tribes’ Red Bird Woman Center.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree; equivalent professional experience will be considered.
Experience working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking.
Demonstrated commitment to access to justice, community-based advocacy, or the high quality delivery of legal services.
Strong program coordination, project management, and organizational skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with diverse partners including courts, tribal communities, advocacy organizations, and legal professionals.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Experience working collaboratively and empathetically with diverse groups of colleagues and clients who have varying cultural backgrounds, perspectives, experience, and expertise.
Comfort with data tracking, reporting, and documentation.
Ability to travel, occasionally overnight.
Must possess a valid driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Experience in legal services, court systems, or victim advocacy.
Background working with tribal communities or tribal courts.
Familiarity with Montana Justice and City Court procedures.
Experience with grant-funded program reporting and management.
Understanding of professional conduct rules or legal ethics (training provided).

Responsibilities

Program Implementation & Management
Lead day-to-day operations of the CJW Project across multiple counties and tribal reservations.
Develop, refine, and manage project workflows, timelines, and deliverables consistent with MLSA’s strategic goals and grant obligations.
Coordinate pilot phases for Order of Protection representation and later support expansion into simple housing and consumer law matters.
Maintain compliance with Montana Supreme Court certification requirements, Rule 14 modifications, and all program-specific practice limitations.
Act as a CJW in justice and city court in Order of Protection matters.
Recruitment, Training & Certification of Community Justice Workers
Recruit domestic and sexual violence advocates, tribal lay advocates, and other community members to serve as CJWs.
Coordinate curriculum development with the CJW Project Attorney, TAIP, and external partners.
Organize the delivery training programs covering: Order of Protection law and procedure Client confidentiality and ethics Conflicts of interest avoidance Professional conduct obligations Courtroom simulation exercises and practice skill development
Administer certification processes, including tracking training completion, simulation evaluations, and certification exams.
Maintain and update training materials, manuals, and evaluation tools.
Support & Supervision of CJWs along with the Project Attorney
Serve as the primary point of contact for active CJWs across the state.
Coordinate mentoring, shadowing, and case-review sessions between CJWs and the CJW Project Attorney.
Monitor caseloads and ensure CJWs are operating within authorized practice areas.
Assist in identifying complex cases requiring referral to MLSA attorneys.
Track CJW compliance with ethical rules, confidentiality policies, and all program standards.
Partnership & Stakeholder Coordination
Maintain productive working relationships with project and community partners.
Facilitate communication between partners, courts, and participating agencies.
Represent MLSA and the CJW Project at meetings, conferences, task forces, and public presentations.
Data Collection, Reporting & Evaluation
Collect data on training, certification, cases handled, client demographics, and program outcomes.
Prepare and submit regular reports to: The Montana Supreme Court The State Bar of Montana Federal OVW grant administrators Internal MLSA leadership
Assist in monitoring grant deliverables and ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and MLSA reporting requirements.
Contribute to continuous project evaluation and improvement, including tracking justice gap impact, success metrics, and client satisfaction.
Client Safety, Informed Consent & Ethical Compliance
Ensure applicants for legal assistance receive clear information that CJWs are not attorneys and are practicing under limited authorization.
Oversee written informed consent procedures required before representation begins.
Manage the CJW grievance process, ensuring clients have accessible avenues for raising concerns.