Staff Attorney

Staff Attorney

DESCRIPTION: The FCASV is seeking a staff attorney to join our legal team. FCASV provides free, comprehensive, trauma-informed legal services to adult and minor sexual assault survivors throughout the state of Florida. The staff attorney will work collaboratively, as part of a team, to deliver survivor-centered legal services to sexual violence survivors in the Tampa Bay and surrounding counties area, Orlando area, and throughout the state of Florida. A staff attorney will also be responsible for helping to recruit, train and mentor lawyers and law students, as well as supervising legal staff. This person will work with certified rape crisis centers and system-based agencies to uphold the rights of sexual assault survivors.

RESPONSIBLE TO: Director of Legal Services and General Counsel

STATUS: Full time, exempt

LOCATION: Tampa Bay and Orlando areas, Florida

ABOUT FCASV:

We envision a world free of sexual violence in which we all, together, assure that every human being is treated with dignity and respect for their physical, emotional, intellectual & spiritual integrity.

Sexual Violence shatters lives, wounds communities and perpetuates injustice. The Florida Council Against Sexual Violence leads, informs, and inspires the people of Florida to create safe and just communities.

REQUIREMENTS AT ENTRY:

• Juris Doctorate; active member in good standing with the Florida Bar.
• Experience practicing law for a minimum of three (3) years, with preference given to applicants with experience providing civil representation in a legal services organization, immigration practice and/or family law, and who have courtroom motions and/or trial experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to issues impacting victims and survivors of sexual violence.
• Demonstrated experience working with victims of violence and commitment to pursuing justice through an anti-oppression lens.
• Ability and willingness to work with people of different nationalities, cultures, genders, education, and lived experience.
• Commitment to providing trauma-informed professional services to victims and survivors who have experienced or are experiencing the effects of sexual violence.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate professionally with individuals of varying backgrounds and educational levels.
• Ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced setting.
• Strong attention to organization, detail, and accuracy.
• Flexibility and ability to work independently.
• Fluency in Spanish highly preferred.
• This position requires some travel within the state of Florida, primarily within the Central Florida region, and occasional attendance at training events outside the state. Overnight travel may be required as well.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Conduct holistic, comprehensive legal intakes with adult or minor sexual assault survivors. Provide survivor-centered, competent, and zealous civil legal advocacy for victims of sexual violence and coordinate all aspects of case management up to and including trial. The staff attorney will handle different legal issues that require versatility and the ability to provide representation to survivors in different areas of law, including, but not limited to safety (injunctions), privacy, education, housing, employment, immigration, family law, victims’ rights advocacy within the criminal justice system, financial issues, and Victim’s Compensation. Preference will be given to applicants with experience in at least two of the areas mentioned above.

2. Work collaboratively with FCASV’s legal services team, including:

a. Weekly case assessment and review meetings;

b. Supervising/mentoring legal volunteers, paralegals, and others, including one-on-one meetings, as needed;

c. Assist in ensuring the written policies for legal services team (e.g., confidentiality policy, referral policies, serving minor clients, etc.) are up-to-date, consistent with State and Federal laws;

d. Assist with ensuring the legal services team follows established policies; and

e. Maintaining a consistent system of case management and conflict checks procedures.

3. Participate in regular conference calls with pro bono attorneys, outside counsel, victim advocates, and others to ensure competent representation of survivors and strengthen outreach.

4. Assist in development and implementation of outreach throughout the state to ensure that sexual violence survivors in need of civil legal services are identified and properly referred to FCASV’s Legal Services project.

5. Assist Director of Legal Services in providing training and education surrounding the legal needs of survivors to rape-crisis centers, stakeholders, and allied professionals. Emphasize the work with justice professionals who work with victims (e.g., prosecutors, defense, attorneys, law students, the local bar, etc.)

6. Complete and submit performance reports as overseen by the Director of Legal Services.

7. Attend and participate in staff meetings and in-service training events and contribute to and participate in agency-wide projects such as Biennial Summit planning and execution, as assigned.

8. Supervise legal interns from Ave Maria School of Law, the Florida State University College of Law, and other schools/colleges of law, as appropriate.

9. Perform other duties assigned by the Director of Legal Services.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

This description of physical demands reflects management’s assessment of essential functions; it does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to remain stationary, constantly operate a computer and other office productivity machinery such as copier/scanner, and computer printer. The person in this position frequently communicates with coworkers, funders, certified rape crisis program staff, and allied professionals and must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations. The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the workplace to access file cabinets, office equipment, etc. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to ten pounds. This job requires the ability to travel to and from various locations within the State of Florida.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is that of a typical indoor office with windows, with some staff in the office five days/week and others working remotely some or all the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

SALARY: Starting at$80,000 annually

BENEFITS: health care, dental care, group life insurance, 40-hour work week with paid lunch hour, 401(k), annual leave, sick leave, nine annual holidays, and five personal days.

FCASV is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. FCASV is committed to the practice of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at FCASV are based on agency needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), national, social, or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, familial status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and/or expression.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Tallahassee, FL 32301

Salary : $80,000