Job Title: Staff Attorney

ReportsTo: Executive Director
Located: Tulsa, OK

Job Purpose
Tulsa Lawyers for Children (“TLC”) ensures high-quality legal services for Tulsa County’s abused and neglected children involved in child welfare cases when conflicts prevent representation by the Tulsa County Office of the Public Defender. TLC relies on staff and volunteer attorneys to amplify the voices of child clients. The Staff Attorney is a full-time position providing direct client services to children in child welfare cases and supporting TLC volunteer attorneys doing the same. TLC is located in Tulsa, OK, with some travel required to visit with assigned clients placed throughout Oklahoma and rarely outside Oklahoma.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Client Representation and Case Management
 Interview assigned child clients within 1 month of court referral to TLC.
 Notify assigned child client, caretaker, or legal guardian of the Victim’s Compensation Fund should TLC continue receiving VOCA funds.
 Visit assigned child clients a minimum of every other month and document the visits in the client’s file (dates and substantive issues) and on Salesforce (date only).
 Update newly assigned clients with accurate demographic information in Salesforce.
 Provide appropriate legal counsel and advice to assigned child clients throughout the assigned child client’s deprived case, including appellate work.
 Analyze legal issues, draft pleadings and motions, conduct discovery, and prepare witness testimony and exhibits for scheduled hearings.
 Provide high-quality legal representation in all court hearings, staffings, and meetings that could impact assigned child clients.
 Offer and provide high-quality legal representation to assigned child clients that are charged with criminal offenses during the course of deprived representation. No such legal representation will be offered or provided for alleged Youthful Offender and/or Adult offenses.
 Assist assigned child clients to the extent possible with other legal matters related to their deprived status, including but not limited to education, immigration, and social benefits.
 Update and maintain a complete file for each assigned client, including court filings, hearing minutes, and visitation notes.
 Update and maintain documentation in the assigned client’s case file and Salesforce, including date of initial visit, dates of subsequent visits, address and contact information for caregiver of assigned child client, and provision of information regarding Victim’s Compensation Fund. Volunteer Mentorship
 Prepare the Volunteer Identification Information sheet on each assigned in-county child referred to TLC and any other assigned client as requested by the Executive Director.
 Assist in identifying potential volunteer attorneys and with assigning child clients to TLC volunteer attorneys.
 Ensure client files are appropriately documented and updated for assigned TLC volunteer attorneys.
 Prepare a TLC volunteer bag and client care bag with age appropriate books for each assigned client transferred to a TLC volunteer attorney.
 Mentor TLC volunteer attorneys in their representation of TLC clients, assisting them with identifying issues, drafting pleadings, and otherwise representing their assigned TLC client.

Other
 Provide coverage at hearings for TLC staff, contractors, and volunteers as needed.
 Attend all TLC educational offerings unless prohibited by court appearances or otherwise excused.
 Attend and participate in TLC community and public relations events.
 Assist in implementation of Board directives, policies, and procedures.

Qualifications Minimum qualifications include:
 Law Degree from an ABA-accredited law school
 Member in good standing with the Oklahoma Bar Association
 Strong legal research and writing skills
 Ability to handle multiple tasks and manage deadlines independently
 Ability to work collaboratively with TLC staff and volunteers
 Ability to mentor volunteer attorneys in the legal representation of children
 Willingness to learn and adapt to improve representation
 Commitment to advocating for a child’s expressed interests or substituted judgment should the child lack competence
 Ability and willingness to travel as needed to visit with clients (mileage is reimbursed)

Preferred qualifications include:
 5 years practice experience as an attorney in the child welfare system of Oklahoma
 Strong presentation, facilitation, and moderating skills