Temporary Staff Attorney - Family Law Unit

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity / Accessible Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

GBLS seeks a temporary staff attorney to join our Family Law Unit for a six-month period of time to represent victims of crimes in civil legal cases related to their victimization under the Civil Legal Aid to Victims of Crime (CLAVC) initiative. The Family Law Unit prioritizes representation and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence in contested Probate and Family Court proceedings, as well as abuse prevention proceedings in the District and Boston Municipal Courts.  GBLS provides free legal services and representation to clients in the greater Boston area who cannot afford private legal representation.

Responsibilities:

• Managing a family law caseload that will include full representation cases, as well as counsel and advice and brief service matters;
• Representing clients at all levels of litigation, including trials and appeals;
• Participating in legislative, administrative, and other systemic advocacy that promotes the interests of GBLS clients;
• Providing culturally competent services to all clients;
• Developing and promoting relationships with community and governmental entities to advance the interests of survivors of domestic violence;
• As appropriate based on attorney’s experience, participating in internal projects to share substantive knowledge, supervise students, or assist with administrative tasks and grant reporting;
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge and skills in family law and trial practice;
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge in other areas that impact GBLS family law clients in order to provide appropriate referrals or advice.

Qualifications:

• This position is for an attorney with 2 or more years of experience;
• The candidate must be admitted to the Massachusetts bar or have comity to be admitted;
• The candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills;
• The candidate must have the ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks and to work collaboratively with other attorneys, as well as non-attorney staff and partners;
• Prior family law and/or trial experience is preferred, as this is a litigation heavy position;
• Prior family law and/or trial experience in Massachusetts is a plus;
• Prior experience working with survivors of domestic violence is encouraged;
• Fluency in one or more of the languages in addition to English spoken by GBLS clients, such as Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Cantonese, or Mandarin, is helpful.

Salary & Benefits:

Salary is based on a union scale, which begins at $60,000 for an attorney who has just graduated law school. GBLS offers a generous benefits package.

GBLS encourage applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.