Description:
Position Overview:The Criminal Defense Senior Attorney will provide direct and brief legal representation of clients in criminal and juvenile defense matters. This position is also responsible for overseeing the representation of clients in parole and Aftercare revocation hearings before the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. Responsibilities of this position will also include providing expungement and sealing services to criminal defense clients and clients of CGLA's community partners. Finally, this position will assist in training and supervising fellows, interns, and volunteers.
Essential Duties:
- Provide legal representation to low-income individuals facing adult criminal charges, including parole violations, as assigned, maintaining a manageable caseload proportionate to other responsibilities.
- Work with the Client Support Services Program to ensure clients with social services needs are served in meaningful ways that support the individual or strengthen the legal case.
- Attend and actively participate in weekly client intake meetings, representing the criminal defense team in the civil matters intake meeting as assigned.
- Maintain up-to-date client information in CGLA's case management system to ensure accurate data collection and statistical tracking including timely reporting of outcomes, recording case notes for each client, maintaining calendars, and completing case closing notes and documentation.
- Follow procedures established for case handling, follow-up services and internal referrals to address client needs during and after representation.
- Provide education and training to staff and participants of partner agencies and attend relevant meetings in the community at large to further CGLA's mission of providing access to justice for CGLA's client population.
- Cultivate and manage relationships with workforce development agencies and other organizations that have formal partnerships with CGLA to provide holistic legal services to clients.
- Schedule and conduct periodic visits at partner organizations to conduct staff training and on-site legal services when applicable.
- Collaborate with CGLA's attorneys in other program areas to identify criminal defense clients who have civil or criminal records needs and advocate for these clients in non- criminal defense legal matters, assisting with housing law, family law, and criminal records cases as co-counsel with supervisory approval when caseload capacity allows.
- Collaborate with CGLA's policy team as expertise is needed and help inform CGLA's policy team and advocacy agenda with programmatic insights and experiences.
- Identify when clients and former clients could be invited to the Leadership Council.
- Attend Supervisory Team meetings as well as trainings and development for CGLA supervisory staff.
- Design and deliver educational materials relating to criminal defense matters and conduct classes for clients, volunteers, attorneys, courts, partner organizations and other personnel as assigned.
- Train and supervise staff attorneys, volunteer attorneys, and law student interns in defense matters, including Illinois Prisoner Review Board (IPRB) appointments, as assigned.
- Take ownership over supporting processes, documentation, and tracking for all IPRB appointments, implementing updates and improvements as needed. Provide advice, support, training, and supervision at community and countywide summits and at community outreach and educational events as assigned.
- Keep abreast of changes in criminal defense law and the impacts other areas of law have on clients' cases, including concurrent civil rights cases, immigration cases, etc. Collaborate with stakeholders and service providers in related legal matters to obtain advice and training to further legal knowledge and advocacy skills.
- Work with the CGLA leadership team to ensure all program goals are met each fiscal year. • Performs other duties as assigned.
- Assist in onboarding and training new staff, interns and volunteers and reviewing their work product.
- Conduct performance appraisals and quarterly check-ins with direct reports and assigned fellows.
- Ensure timely, consistent, and detailed performance feedback is provided to each direct report. Ensure direct reports are performing at a satisfactory level.
- Provide resources and support to address staff's needs, identify and secure professional development opportunities for staff, provide coaching and supervision, and manage and resolve conflict.
- Provide training and supervising in-house staff, fellows, interns, and volunteers to assure quality legal representation. Education • Juris Doctor from ABA-accredited law school.
- Licensed to practice law in Illinois by date of employment.
Experience:
Minimum of 3 years of practice experience in criminal law.
Required Skills:
- Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
- Be self-driven, highly energetic and innovative.
- The ability to work collaboratively with staff, interns and volunteers.
- Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines and produce quality results.
- Superior interpersonal skills; comfortable working with a diverse population.
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both in writing and orally.
- Exemplary organizational skills and keen attention to detail.
- Prior criminal litigation & jury trial experience Supervisory Responsibility Supervise attorneys, interns, and other employees as assigned.
