The Alliance for Children’s Rights seeks an attorney to assist children ages birth to high school graduation living in out-of-home care to secure special education services through school districts and early intervention services through regional centers. The Alliance is a nonprofit legal services organization devoted to protecting the rights of abused and impoverished children in Los Angeles County and has served more than 100,000 children since its establishment in 1992.
Responsibilities include:
Represent clients in school district meetings including IEPs, informal dispute resolution, mediations, due process administrative hearings, and expulsions.
Represent clients in regional center meetings including IFSPs, mediations, and due process administrative hearings.
Train and supervise pro bono attorneys, interns and law clerks.
Develop and update special education and early intervention materials for clients and the community; conduct community outreach and trainings.
Coordinate services with social workers, children’s attorneys and the juvenile court to ensure appropriate special education/early intervention services for children in foster care.
Represent the Alliance at special education/early intervention related policy meetings; identify trends and advocate to change/implement policies to improve special education services.
Perform additional administrative duties, including data entry and filing.
Support and contribute to grant writing as needed.
Qualifications:
CA bar admission plus 3-5 years of experience.
Experience in school district special education advocacy, early intervention regional center advocacy, foster care, Dependency Court, Delinquency Court and/or child welfare/probation systems strongly preferred.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Strong interpersonal skills – ability to communicate effectively with clients, attorneys, child welfare and probation agencies, the judiciary and the public.
Excellent organizational skills.
Desire to help others.
Bilingual (Spanish) highly preferable.
The applicant must have the ability to work independently and handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment. Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits include generous health, dental, and life insurance plans, as well as vacation and sick leave policies The position will be open until it is filled. However, resumes will be reviewed upon receipt and well-qualified applicants will be invited to interview right away.
How to apply
Please send your cover letter and resume (no calls, please) via email to JoAnn Parrilla at j.parrilla@kids-alliance.org
The Alliance believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or medical condition. For more information on the organization please visit our website at www.kids-alliance.org.