Employment Opportunities

Alameda County Bar Association | Legal Access Alameda Family Law Day of Court Attorney Job Description

Overview

The Attorney for Legal Access Alameda’s Family Law Day of Court (FLDOC) program is an exempt position that reports to the Court Program Managing Attorney. The FLDOC Attorney, and the volunteer attorneys, paralegals and law school graduates they supervise, provide on-site services to self-represented litigants whose cases are calendared on the weekly family law self-represented calendars in Alameda County. These calendars are heard in Hayward’s Hall of Justice.

The FLDOC Attorney works with and supervises volunteers, collects income-eligibility and demographic information, helps prepare forms that need to be completed before matters can be decided (e.g. proofs of service), assists litigants with child support and spousal support calculations, explains court procedures, and prepares court orders, so that the litigants leave the courtroom with signed, properly drafted, enforceable court orders. The FLDOC Attorney and volunteers also make referrals as appropriate.  The FLDOC is also responsible for recruiting, training, scheduling and supporting the volunteers.

Everyone’s jobs have changed significantly with the Covid19 crisis.  The following is revised based on the fact that the ACBA and Legal Access are working remotely and have launched new online platforms in response to the crisis. There may be further changes in response to local, state, or federal public health mandates.  Currently, the FLDOC program is back to being in person at the Hayward Courthouse.

Job responsibilities:

• Recruit, train and schedule volunteer attorneys, paralegals and law school graduates.
• Staff up to three court calendars in person at the Hayward Hall of Justice and supervise volunteers staffing the calendar. Assist Self-Represented Litigants by preparing Findings and Order After Hearing, Reissuances, DissoMaster Support Calculations, and providing information on court procedures such as service of process.
• Provide support to volunteers and assist clients during intake. Conduct outreach, support, and communicate with volunteers and clients in culturally sensitive manner.
• Work with the Court to encourage more accessible approaches to the FLDOC calendars in the pandemic and beyond.
• Maintain records of FLDOC activity. Collect data from both clients and volunteers.  Enter data from intake forms and reports from volunteers into Legal Access database. Generate reports for funders and work with the Court Programs Manager and the Legal Access Director to evaluate data with the goal of improving FLDOC program.
• Develop convenient forms for litigants that describe the process and the services available. Develop effective tracking mechanisms to record data in connection with the project. Assist the Court Programs Manager and the Legal Access Director in developing evaluation tools to assess quality and effectiveness of FLDOC.
• Work closely with and serve as point of contact for FLDOC partner, Alameda County Superior Court Self-Help Center.
• Assist with development of volunteer recognition activities and events. Identify compelling client stories for volunteer recognition and Legal Access fundraising campaigns.
• Coordinate closely with other Legal Access staff on recruitment and training of volunteers.
• Attend periodic Legal Access and ACBA meetings.
• Assist with organizational events like receptions, fundraising dinners, etc.
• Be fluent in the use of Zoom meeting, Zoom webinar, Go To Meeting, Slack, and other tech platforms in use during and after the pandemic
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Current license to practice law in California
• Experience practicing family law
• Commitment to public service and access to justice
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills
• Experience working with volunteers
• Sense of humor

Preferred:

• Knowledge of non-profit culture
• Experience with Essential Forms and DissoMaster
• Bilingual in Spanish, Mandarin or Cantonese
• Supervisory and team building experience

To apply, please send a resume and statement of interest to Christina Wiellette at christina@acbanet.org.