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Family Defense Practice Parent Advocate

The Bronx Defenders
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The Bronx Defenders – an innovative, progressive, holistic legal defense office in the South Bronx – seeks someone with a commitment to social justice to join our Family Defense Practice as a Parent Advocate.

The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative individuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of over 400 includes interdisciplinary teams made up of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators, who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have developed a groundbreaking, nationally recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we defend.

Each year, we defend more than 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, family, and immigration cases, and reach thousands more through our community intake, youth mentoring, and outreach programs. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing, we push for systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. We take what we learn from the people we represent and communities we work with and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.

Family Defense Practice

The Bronx Defenders’ Family Defense Practice (FDP) provides legal representation and social work support to parents charged with child abuse and neglect who are at risk of losing custody of their children. Our Family Defense Practice is at the forefront of a movement to provide holistic representation to parents in the Bronx while creating long-term solutions for the reunification and stability of families. We primarily litigate abuse and neglect cases, but occasionally appear in concurrent matters including custody, visitation, and termination of parental rights.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Parent Advocate Supervisor, Parent Advocates (PA) provide advocacy and support to parents who are facing abuse/neglect allegations and/or criminal charges. Parent Advocates work in conjunction with social workers and lawyers to advocate for the people we represent in administrative hearings, courtrooms, government programs, the Administration for Children's Services (ACS) and other stakeholders in the child protection system with the ultimate goal of maintaining family unity, ensuring parents can remain with their children. 

  • Advocate for parents at Child Safety Conferences, Family Team Conferences, and other ACS and foster agency meetings
  • Engage and assess the needs of the people we represent including potential benefits and materials for the home 
  • Conduct home and program visits to identify and support home-based needs for the people we represent
  • Connect the people we represent with relevant programs and service referrals
  • Assist clients in preparation for ACS/Foster Care agency conferences and/or court appearances by letting them know what to expect and how to best prepare for them
  • Accompany the people we represent to appointments and scheduled court hearings to support their needs and ensure seamless access to services
  • Collaborate with the people we represent, lawyers, social workers, and other advocates on interdisciplinary, holistic defense teams to prioritize and center the needs of the people we represent
  • Assist the people we represent and their legal team in setting goals and assessing progress towards those goals throughout the pendency of cases
  • Provide conference coverage as needed

Qualifications

To be eligible, candidates must have: 

  • Minimum of one year of case management/advocacy experience OR
  • Two years of education in a related field, such as Psychology, Sociology and Criminal Justice

Candidates must demonstrate:

  • Commitment to directly defending parents charged with abuse and neglect, and fighting for the reunification and stability of families
  • Understanding of how race and poverty affect parents’ experiences in the family regulation system
  • Experience working in and with racially, ethnically and socioeconomically marginalized communities 
  • Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate, collaborate and connect with people with various backgrounds, identities and experiences 
  • Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and non-lawyers
  • Commitment to fierce advocacy, and willingness to strategically challenge authority in defense of the people we represent
  • Effective research, writing and advocacy skills
  • Strong note taking and data entry skills
  • Strong analytical skills and capacity to employ non-legal resources in cases
  • Ability to multitask, maintain order and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment 
  • Meticulous attention to detail
  • Ability to think critically and creatively in fast-paced settings, finding innovative solutions to unique obstacles
  • Ability to receive constructive feedback, demonstrate introspection and shift behavior accordingly
  • Ability to exercise goof judgment, discretion, and confidentiality with sensitive matters
  • Commitment to raising one’s cultural consciousness and challenging oppressive practices on an interpersonal and institutional level

Preferred but not Required:

  • Familiarity with the Bronx community
  • Spanish language proficiency
  • Lived and/or professional experience with family court, the child protection system or the foster care system

This is an in-person position subject to the organization’s hybrid work policies. Candidates in this position must also be available to work flexible hours, including nights and/or weekends when urgent needs arise.  

Salary is commensurate with experience.  For candidates with 1-10 years of directly relevant experience, the salary range for this position would be approximately $57,625 to $75,284 Full-time employees are also eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to medical, dental and vision coverage; a 403(b) plan with employer contribution; and a generous vacation, sick leave, and parental leave policy. More specific information about salary and benefits will be provided when and if an offer is extended. 

Approximately 70% of The Bronx Defenders' staff, including attorneys and non-attorneys, are represented by UAW Local 2325 - Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (AFL-CIO). This position is within the bargaining unit. 

This position is non-exempt. By law, nonexempt employees are compensated hourly based on their annual rate and therefore are entitled to over-time, whereas exempt employees are not.  

To apply, please click APPLY TO THIS JOB ONLINE and upload your resume and a cover letter in one document. If you would prefer to send in a video or audio statement in lieu of a cover letter, you may upload your resume as a document and separately upload a video or audio statement. Your cover letter or video/audio statement should share why you want to do this work at our office, some key lived and/or professional experiences that have prepared you for this position, and any additional information you would like for us to consider. This information allows us to understand your distinct perspective, experience and potential beyond the work history summarized on your resume. Your cover letter may be up to one page if written or up to 3 minutes if an audio/video statement. If selected for the position, your resume will be used to determine your salary based on the number of years of directly relevant professional experience listed; we therefore encourage you to ensure your resume is up to date. Please note that applications without a written cover letter or audio/video statement will not be considered.

Applications will be accepted through December 13, 2024. However, applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis and an offer will be made as soon as a qualified candidate is identified. We therefore encourage you to submit your application to this position as soon as possible. Please contact Noemi Cotto, Family Defense Practice Social Work Director, via email at noemic@bronxdefenders.org with any questions regarding the position. 

The Bronx Defenders is an equal opportunity employer and is cultivating an anti-oppressive workplace that embraces staff with a diversity of backgrounds, identities and experiences. We acknowledge the ways in which systemic oppression and injustice can undermine access to professional opportunities and are committed to conducting hiring and promotion processes that are equitable and accessible to those commonly excluded from the workforce. We do not discriminate against and in fact specifically encourage applicants from marginalized communities to apply, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, disabled, neurodivergent and those directly impacted by criminal, civil, family and immigration legal systems. We value lived as well as professional experience and particularly welcome applications from the Bronx community that we work with.