Supervising Attorney, Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project

Posted by Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project on March 5, 2018

The Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP) seeks a Supervising Attorney, a full-time position based in Philadelphia. YSRP uses direct service and policy advocacy to transform the experiences of children prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system. We partner with court-involved youth, juvenile lifers, their families, and lawyers to develop holistic, humanizing narratives that mitigate the facts of each case; get cases transferred to the juvenile system or resentenced; and make crucial connections to community resources providing education, healthcare, housing, and employment. Our ultimate goals are to keep children out of adult jails and prisons and to enhance the quality of representation juvenile lifers receive at resentencing, and as they prepare to reenter the community.

About the Position:

As YSRP enters an exciting growth phase, we are seeking an experienced attorney to lead our Mitigation Casework team. The Supervising Attorney will be responsible for the following key duties:

Casework: Partnering with criminal defense attorneys representing youth facing charges in the adult criminal justice system, by overseeing the provision of comprehensive mitigation support and reentry planning in their cases. This includes, but is not limited to: Working closely with the young person him or herself, and their family/support network, to develop mitigation reports and preliminary reentry plans for submission to the court, and continuing to support them through any period of incarceration, and once they return to the community. Casework duties also include securing cases and establishing partnerships, regular jail, prison and juvenile detention facility visits, visits to family member’s homes, and court attendance.
Graduate Student Oversight: Supervising YSRP’s graduate student program at the University of Pennsylvania, the Youth Advocacy Project, through which law and social work students work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams on behalf of youth charged as adults in Philadelphia. This includes coordinating with students to develop and implement student trainings, and providing direct supervision to students each semester on individual cases.
Staff Management: Supervising experienced mitigation specialists who work on individual cases providing the above-mentioned supports for both youth facing charges in the adult criminal justice system and individuals being resentenced pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decisions in Miller v. Alabama and Montgomery v. Louisiana (“juvenile lifers”).

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor degree or equivalent experience
• Pennsylvania Bar License or eligibility for admission by reciprocity required
• At least six (6) years experience practicing law (Philadelphia trial practice preferred)
  Please note: we will not consider applicants with fewer years of practice
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Outstanding, demonstrated organizational and analytical skills
• Prior supervisory experience preferred
• Outstanding administrative skills, including the ability to produce, track and manage multiple deliverables with overlapping deadlines in a high-performing environment
• Ability to work collaboratively with youth, families and community partners
• Demonstrated interest in YSRP’s mission and/or experience working with youth
• Proficiency in MSWord, Excel, PowerPoint and Google Docs
• Ability to multitask, take initiative, and work independently
• Strong interpersonal skills, sense of humor and compassion
• Proven ability to analyze situations and lead with a racial equity lens
• Demonstrated ability to develop collaborative, productive and respectful relationships with leaders and other institutions and groups, including but not limited to communities of color, immigrant and refugee communities
• Proficiency in a language in addition to English a plus

Salary: $70,000 and generous benefits

How to Apply:

To apply, please submit a letter of interest and a resume or curriculum vitae by email to supervisingattorney@ysrp.org with “Supervising Attorney Applicant” in the subject line. Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis, until the deadline of March 30. Applicants will only be contacted if selected for an interview.

We aim to recruit a diverse pool of candidates, particularly individuals of color.

Current Openings