CFS ICWA Attorney

SUMMARY: Serves as the legal expert to provide professional legal services for the CFS Department, involving the Tribal, State and Federal law in the research, administration, and enforcement of the CFS Department's statutory authority and obligations; performs related work as assigned.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Confers with representatives of the Tribal Court and the Tribal government to share information on legal/program issues or activities and to elicit necessary support for the CFS Department's priorities and goals.
• Advises CFS Department's management, Tribal, and State officials on the stipulations and the legal impact of agency plans and operations to assist in the attainment of the CFS Department's goals and objectives with statutory requirements.
• Recommends draft law, Department policies, and procedural statements to provide legal or administrative options to Department management in the enforcement of Department's statutory authority.
• Prepares drafts of correspondence, conclusions of law, Department's policies & procedures, and other legal documents to provide legal guidance to legal counsels or Department's management.
• Directs the work activities of assigned legal staff members, as needed, to facilitate the attainment of program work goals and ensure the consistent application of administrative policies, procedures, standards, and legal requirements.
• Develop and maintain a list of caseload numbers of ICWA and Native children for Tribal Council.
• Develop data benchmark and prepare appropriate reports regarding Native families.
• Participate as a member of the team in tribal and state negotiation of agreements.
• Collaborate closely with the Tribal ICWA Advisory Board to review cases.
• Consult and Collaborate with the Omaha Tribal Court.
• Build and maintain relationships with tribal partners; social services, tribal court, state court.
• Meet with tribal partners and serve as a liaison to support tribal CFS as needed.
• Provide technical advice to tribal, state and federal partners.
• Assist tribal CFS

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE / ABILITIES:

• Have a Juris Doctorate, preferred.

CERTIFICATES, LICENCES AND REGISTRATION:

• Valid Driver's License
• Must pass a Nebraska Child Abuse/Neglect Central Registry and Nebraska Adult Protection Service Central Registry.
• Must be free of any conviction by any state or the United States for a crime punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary for a term of one (1) year, or more, or by any foreign government for a crime which would be punishable by imprisonment for a term of one year, or more, if committed in Nebraska, or must have been pardoned for such offense, or have had a conviction for offense overturned, or reversed by a court of competent jurisdiction.
• Must be a member or become a member of the Omaha Tribe Bar Association.
• Minimum of two years' experience as an attorney practicing law and providing legal services such as advising clients, and/or interpreting laws or administrative policies.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of Tribal, State and Federal statutory and case law and Tribal constitutional provisions pertinent to the CFS Department; the techniques of preparing or drafting legal document and forms; judicial procedures and rules of evidence; the principles and practices of legal research; the procedures of trial and administrative hearings; the principles and practices of criminal and civil law administration.
• Preparing summaries, legal analyses, findings and conclusions, briefs and other legal documents, negotiating and communicating with others sufficient to persuade their acceptance of contentious goals or viewpoints; and options and applying critical thinking to resolve issues.
• Ability to communicate in person, telephone, emails, summaries, and correspondence, the facts and arguments of a case to persuade their acceptance of contentious goals or viewpoint presented; interact with legal associates, and other Tribal employees, the public, and representatives of parties involved in a case; formulate legal opinions and recommendations based on legal research and investigation.