The Assistant Counsel will assist in the efforts undertaken by the Office of Indigent Legal Services (“ILS”) to improve the quality of representation in family court proceedings under County Law Article 18-B (“Family Representation”). The incumbent of this position will work in concert with other members of the Family Representation Unit at ILS and serve as one of the Family Representation Attorneys, reporting to the Director of Quality Enhancement for Parent Representation (“Director of Parent Representation”), who works under the guidance of the Director of ILS (“Director”) and agency Counsel (“Counsel”). All case-related information and knowledge obtained in the performance of these duties is highly confidential and may be subject to attorney-client privilege.
Specific responsibilities would include:
• Working closely with other members of the Family Representation Unit, county officials, legal service providers and other affiliated organizations and individuals to address the obstacles to high quality legal representation provided for parents and other legally responsible adults in Family Court matters, pursuant to Family Court Act § 262;
• Serving as a point person, assisting in the development and implementation of programs, initiatives, and grant proposals to fulfill ILS’s responsibility to make efforts to improve the quality of representation provided to parents in Family Court matters;
• Assisting in the development of curricula and training materials for the representation of parents in Family Court matters;
• Utilizing technology such as podcasts, webinars, and other electronic delivery methods to deliver educational content for the legal representation of parents in Family Court matters;
• Assisting with the planning, conducting, and evaluation of a biennial state-wide conference and an annual consortium for ILS Family Defense grant recipients;
• Monitoring and developing content for the ILSFAM listserv, such as, periodic case digests and legislative updates, training opportunities, and current events;
• Assisting in the drafting and updating of Standards of Practice of legally mandated Family Court representation;
• Working in concert with others at ILS, including the Research Unit, to collect Family Court representation data;
• Assisting in the preparation of reports as needed in support of ILS’s responsibility to examine, evaluate, and monitor provision of legally mandated representation in family court proceedings; and
• Undertaking such other activities as may be requested by the Director of Quality Enhancement for Parent Representation, the ILS Director and Counsel in furtherance of the Office’s overall responsibility to improve the quality of indigent legal services representation under County Law Article 18-B.