Attorney Supervisor

Overview

The Mental Health Advocacy Service has a vacancy. This job title has an assigned pay grade of AS-624. This position is responsible for providing legal representation for children and/or adults with mental disabilities and substance abuse disorders in New Orleans and surrounding area. Supervision of other employees is included. This position is full-time. Establishing or continuing an outside practice is prohibited while being employed in this agency.

Candidate must possess a valid Louisiana license to practice law. Travel is required. Our mission is to ensure that our clients’ voices are heard and that they receive every right and remedy afforded them under law. Our goal is to provide high-quality legal counsel and representation to our clients, address systemic issues that affect the rights of more than one client and require a remedy, act as a clearinghouse for information relative to adults and children with mental health diagnoses and children in need of care, and provide training to various individuals/agencies.

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found in the posted materials.

• CASEWORK AND LITIGATION:
  Fulfills duties of loyalty, confidentiality, advocacy and competent representation to clients.
• Conducts a continuous study of applicable law and judicial decisions.
• Obtains copies of all pleadings and notices; participates in discovery, negotiations, conferences and hearings; informs other parties and counsel of the attorney's representation.
• Advises clients about their rights.
• Identifies and seeks to obtain appropriate resources for clients.
• Engages in communication with clients, including face-to-face meetings.
• Attempts to reduce delays in Child In Need of Care (CINC) proceedings and advocates for timely permanence for the child.
• Advises the child about the case, the child s rights, the court system, the proceedings, counsel's role, expectations of the legal process, the risks and benefits of possible courses of action, and other relief; determines the client's desires and preferences in a developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive manner.
• Advocates for the desires and expressed preference of the child and follows the child's direction throughout the case in a developmentally appropriate manner; to the extent that a child does not or will not express is/her desires and preferences about particular issues, determines and advocates for the child's best interest.
• Engages in regular and meaningful communication with the child, including face-to-face meetings at the child s placement and/or other locations outside of the courthouse.
• Travels by personal vehicle to court, to meet with clients, to staff meetings and to other required locations; submits timely requests for travel reimbursement.
• Conducts thorough, continuing and independent investigations and discovery, including reviewing social service, psychiatric, psychological, drug and alcohol, medical, law enforcement, school, DSS, provider and other records of the child; contacts lawyers for other parties and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) as appropriate.
• Interviews individuals involved with the child; reviews relevant evidence; attends treatment, placement and administrative hearings; other proceedings involving legal issues; and school conferences or staffing as needed.
• Attends treatment, placement, administrative hearings, and school conferences or staffing as needed.
• Files petitions, motions, answers, responses or objections as necessary.
• Attends and participates in all hearings and conferences with the court relevant to the child; participates in mediation and settlement negotiations.
• Presents evidence, direct and cross-examines witnesses, offers exhibits, and provides independent evidence as necessary; decides whether to call the client as a witness and ensures that the client is prepared to testify.
• Attempts to ensure the client s presence at significant court hearings, except when counsel affirmatively waives the client s presence.
• Seeks to ensure continued representation of the child at all child-related conferences and hearings.
• Discusses the end of legal representation with the child and determines what contacts, if any, will continue between the child and his/her counsel.
• Provides mental patients with legal representation at all stages of their confinement.
• Prepares and files petitions for probable cause, revocation of conditional discharge and writs of habeas corpus on an individual case by case basis.
• Identifies and addresses violation of patient rights; advises and confers with hospital staff on patient rights and violation of these rights.
• Counsels clients refusing medication and provides representation in administrative review proceedings.
• Represents clients in judicial commitment proceedings.

• SUPERVISION AND GUIDANCE:
  Provides guidance, assistance, supervision and lead worker responsibilities to attorneys of lower rank as directed.

• PLANNING, COORDINATION,…