The Center for Children’s Advocacy (CCA) has an opening for a Staff Attorney in its Right Direction: Youth Homelessness Justice Project. The Project’s mission is to advocate for transition-age youth who are reentering from youth facilities or experiencing homelessness or housing instability, to help them access the services they need for stable housing, employment and income, and to make a successful transition to adulthood.
CCA is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to protecting the legal rights of Connecticut’s most vulnerable children and youth. To learn more about the Center for Children’s Advocacy, please visit CCA’s website. CCA’s mission is to protect and promote the legal rights of Connecticut’s low-income children and youth so they have equitable opportunities for good health, a quality education and a successful transition to adulthood. CCA provides legal representation and advocates for system reforms to ensure at-risk children and youths’ basic needs are met and they receive appropriate services from the juvenile justice, education, child welfare, health care and court systems.
CCA is committed to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. CCA is also committed to advancing racial justice, cultural competence and anti-racism practices and policies internally as well as in the communities it serves.
Responsibilities:
• Provide legal services to transition-age youth who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability or are involved with the juvenile or criminal justice systems, to improve opportunities for housing and financial stability and a successful transition to adulthood. Address legal matters including access to housing, employment discrimination, record erasure, income supports, access to postsecondary vocational training, access to reentry services and supports, access to appropriate DCF or DMHAS services, and identification documents.
• Participate in case collaborations for minors experiencing homelessness, facilitated by the City of Hartford, providing legal consultation, and representation when necessary.
• Bring CCA’s Mobile Legal Office to Hartford sites frequented by youth experiencing homeless or housing instability, to make legal services available to those youth.
• Provide reentry legal rights training to youth incarcerated at facilities which may include juvenile detention, contracted juvenile justice facilities operated by private providers, or Manson Youth Institution in Cheshire, about youths’ reentry rights with regard to education, employment, income supports, housing and identification documents.
• Develop informational materials about youths’ reentry rights and the rights of homeless youth and collaborate with justice facilities and Hartford community-based organizations to provide information to youth and providers about youths’ reentry rights and the rights of youth experiencing homelessness.
• Develop and deliver legal information “issue-spotting” materials to Hartford community providers and justice facilities to help them identify youth who need legal services.
• Collaborate with the Youth Action Hub's Virtual Drop-in Center, providing legal rights workshops and consultation.
Minimum Qualifications:
The Center is seeking an attorney who has a demonstrated commitment to providing high-quality advocacy for indigent and vulnerable children and youth from marginalized communities. Applicant must be able to take initiative and work independently. A minimum of 2-3 years of related legal experience is preferred. Must be eligible to practice law in Connecticut, either as a member of the bar in good standing or with the ability to waive in, and have access to transportation in order to travel to courts, clients, and other locations.
Salary/Benefits:
Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience and are within the general range of salaries for public interest organizations. Salary range for this position is $71,600 to $78,800 annually, depending on expertise and prior experience. Hybrid/remote work flexibility is available. Benefits include full health and dental coverage for employee, partial coverage for family, pension and 25 PTO days and state holidays.
Application Process:
Email cover letter and detailed resume to [email protected]