Family Law and Victim Rights Attorney - Augusta

Pine Tree Legal Assistance•Augusta, ME

12d•$71,920 - $108,920•Hybrid

About The Position

The Family Law/Victim Rights attorney provides high-quality, low-barrier holistic legal services to victims in Maine, based out of the Augusta office of PTLA. The attorney provides legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and stalking in Kennebec, Somerset, and Waldo Counties. The attorney will be expected to provide occasional coverage for Family Law and Victim Rights (FLVR) cases in other areas of Maine on an ‘as needed’ basis. The attorney will use case-referral systems and case acceptance protocols currently used within Pine Tree’s FLVR unit. The attorney is part of a statewide team specializing in interpersonal violence cases and works closely with staff at local domestic violence resource centers and sexual assault support centers and child advocacy centers. The attorney will work under the direction of the Family Law and Victim Rights supervisor and collaboratively within the Unit to provide the highest quality legal representation in appropriate cases. Legal advocacy will range from advice and limited representation to full legal representation in the cases in which representation will have the greatest impact. The project will focus primarily on protection from abuse, family matters, and education cases, although Pine Tree uses a holistic approach to provide comprehensive assistance to families that can include screening and representation or referral for related housing, consumer, benefits, and other common civil legal needs. The attorney will assess and triage cases in consultation with the FLVR Managing Attorney and team members, provide consultations to partner agency staff in appropriate case-related issues, consult and collaborate with other service providers, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, the Department of Health and Human Services, and others involved in the community response team, and put in place systems to most effectively address the holistic legal needs of survivors of domestic and sexual violence. As appropriate, the attorney may also participate in working groups and coalitions focused on improving the systems that address issues relevant to domestic and sexual violence survivors, child sexual abuse survivors, and victims of sex trafficking and stalking. The attorney is also responsible for community engagement and networking to strengthen Pine Tree’s reputation and access to legal services by eligible individuals, consistent with other work and time commitments. These activities can include the provision of outreach and/or trainings to community agencies and other groups that serve victims of domestic or sexual violence, or survivors of stalking. The Family Law/Victim Rights (FLVR) attorney will have the opportunity to collaborate and consult with other Pine Tree staff whose expertise covers a range of relevant areas, including public benefits, consumer law, education law, and housing, and provide appropriate referrals internally to other Pine Tree projects. Dependent upon the needs of the local office, and resources available, the attorney may also be responsible for providing direct service in related civil legal matters. Frequent travel related to court and other work activities (including trainings) is required and, on occasion, evening or weekend time may also be required to attend trainings. The position may involve some client meetings at locations outside the office, as well as travel to other courts and offices of partner agencies as appropriate to provide low-barrier legal representation.

Requirements

Admitted to the practice of law in Maine or eligible to practice under MRCP 11(c) while working at Pine Tree.
Must reside in, or be willing to relocate to, the state of Maine.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Previous litigation experience.

Responsibilities

Provide high-quality, low-barrier holistic legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and stalking in Kennebec, Somerset, and Waldo Counties.
Provide occasional coverage for Family Law and Victim Rights (FLVR) cases in other areas of Maine on an ‘as needed’ basis.
Use case-referral systems and case acceptance protocols currently used within Pine Tree’s FLVR unit.
Work closely with staff at local domestic violence resource centers and sexual assault support centers and child advocacy centers.
Work under the direction of the Family Law and Victim Rights supervisor and collaboratively within the Unit to provide the highest quality legal representation.
Provide legal advocacy ranging from advice and limited representation to full legal representation.
Focus primarily on protection from abuse, family matters, and education cases, using a holistic approach to provide comprehensive assistance.
Assess and triage cases in consultation with the FLVR Managing Attorney and team members.
Provide consultations to partner agency staff in appropriate case-related issues.
Consult and collaborate with other service providers, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, the Department of Health and Human Services, and others involved in the community response team.
Put in place systems to most effectively address the holistic legal needs of survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Participate in working groups and coalitions focused on improving systems that address issues relevant to domestic and sexual violence survivors, child sexual abuse survivors, and victims of sex trafficking and stalking.
Engage in community engagement and networking to strengthen Pine Tree’s reputation and access to legal services.
Provide outreach and/or trainings to community agencies and other groups that serve victims of domestic or sexual violence, or survivors of stalking.
Collaborate and consult with other Pine Tree staff whose expertise covers a range of relevant areas.
Provide appropriate referrals internally to other Pine Tree projects.
Provide direct service in related civil legal matters, dependent upon the needs of the local office and resources available.
Travel frequently related to court and other work activities (including trainings).
Attend trainings, which may require evening or weekend time.
Conduct client meetings at locations outside the office.
Travel to other courts and offices of partner agencies as appropriate.