CIVIL ACTION

A sweeping array of civil punishments are triggered the moment someone faces arrest, deportation, or family separation. The people we represent risk losing their jobs, homes, income, property, and basic civil rightsstruggles that can be more devastating and long-lasting than the charges themselves. Last year, we helped over 4,000 people obtain concrete benefits like maintaining their jobs, homes, income, property, and rights.

Reporting to the Director of the Civil Holistic Team of the Civil Action Practice, the Employment & Reentry Supervising Attorney will represent a reduced caseload of clients and directly supervise attorneys, advocates and other staff.

Responsibilities

The CAP Employment & Reentry Supervisor will help protect, preserve and create access to employment for our clients through direct advocacy and supporting, training and supervising attorneys and advocates in the Civil Action Practice.

The CAP Employment & Reentry Supervisor will represent a specialized caseload of clients and provide referral and community

based representation while providing direct guidance, training, and support to advocates in the Civil Action Practice.

Advance Specialization

• Stay up to date with changes in the law and trends related to employment & reentry, including the impact of arrests, convictions, removal of children, ACS investigations, and detention on occupational licenses and jobs, Fair Chance Act, Clean Slate & sealing laws and other employment access as it relates to our clients as well as our work with the criminal, family, immigration, social work practices, and community needs
• Attend relevant trainings and seminars and report back to practice with updates

Direct Representation

• Engage in client intake, counseling, research, writing, oral advocacy and negotiations as a part of legal representation
• Zealously advocate for individuals navigating proceedings related to barriers to obtaining/maintaining employment licenses, correcting criminal record errors, certificates that promote rehabilitation, sealing and fair chance laws
• Identify holistic needs and legal goals of the people we represent, make referrals, and work with other attorney and non-attorney advocates to address and mitigate the enmeshed employment consequences of legal system involvement
• Effectively litigate, confidently negotiate and skillfully advocate in administrative judicial proceedings and trial with a particular concentration in employment and reentry.
• Provide comprehensive, referral-based representation collaborating with an interdisciplinary cross-practice team of attorneys and advocates to assess and address the needs and legal goals of the people we represent
• Participate in internal working groups to develop best practices across referral relationships
• Facilitate community trainings and public education on employment & reentry
• Participate in trainings within the office as well as external community events, conferences and webinars in which BXD is participating or presenting
• Maintain case files and data in BxDs case management system

Client and Case Support

• Support, train, and guide CAP advocates and attorneys with full representation, brief services, and advice and counsel on employment & reentry matters as needed
• Hold meetings with CAP to develop employment best practices, hearing preparation, and systems for co-counseling and collaboration for employment cases

Trainings and Onboarding

• Train new staff regarding relevant areas of employment for CAPs services
• Coordinate and lead at least four employment roundtables and trainings per year for CAP regarding best practices for employment related advocacy

Information Management

• Maintain, organize, and update CAPs employment & reentry strategies, models, and other documents and make these resources accessible to staff (e.g., via Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, etc.)
• Develop systems to collect data that inform CAP employment & reentry advocacy strategies

External Representation, Policy, Campaigns, and Coalitions

• Participate in external trainings, public education, and other panels
• Represent CAP and inform CAPs approach to employment policy and strategic reform, including legislative testimony, campaigns, coalitions like Coalition of Reentry Advocates and the UI Coalition, amicus briefs, and appeals
• Other services and support as needed and directed by the Managing or other Directors

Direct Supervision

• Supervise Reentry Advocate and attorneys and/or law graduates in employment/reentry matters
• Onboard, support, train, and supervise attorneys and advocates in the civil action practice to ensure we provide high quality, creative, client-centered representation and advocacy in the areas of employment and reentry
• Meet with each supervisee on a weekly or bi-weekly or as needed frequency basis to support, address, and manage caseload, referrals, and client issues
• Review and evaluate staff data entry and case management to ensure high-quality …