Guardian Ad Litem - Court Administration

Job Description

Department: Court Administration

Sub-Department: Guardian Ad Litem

Pay Grade: 120

FLSA Status: Exempt

Employment Status: Full Time

Reports to: Court Administrator

Supervises: N/A

Starting Salary is negotiable based on relevant years of work experience:

Attorney I - entry level with no experience - $32.20/hour; $62,790.00/annually - $40.23/hour; $78,448.50/annually

Attorney II - 1-2 years of relevant work experience - $38.34/hour; $74,763.00/annually - $47.88/hour; $93,366.00/annually

Senior Attorney I - 3-4 years of relevant work experience - $40.65/hour; $79,267.50/annually - $50.77/hour; $99,001.50/annually

Senior Attorney II - 5-6 years of relevant work experience - $43.08/hour; $84,006.00/annually - $53.80/hour; $104,910.00/annually

Senior Attorney III - 7 years of relevant work experience - $48.41/hour; $94,399.50/annually - $60.45/hour; $117,877.50/annually

Job Summary

As an essential personnel position in the Dependency Court system, the purpose of this position is to represent and advocate for the best interests of children in legal matters pending before the Dependency Court and the Orphan’s Court, which requires the exercise of independent judgment and decision making throughout the life of each case in a vastly different way from traditional legal counsel. The GAL is expected to ensure the safety of each child; to advocate for dependent children in related legal matters including custody court, criminal court, and PFA court; to assure that all essential aspects of the dependent child’s needs are being met including psychological, medical, dental, and academic, as well as the development and/or maintenance of social and familial connections.

Essential Job Functions

• Exercise an extraordinary amount of independent decision making and judgement during every interaction with the child, other participants, and the court in that there is no client or agency to direct the GAL.
• Ascertain the child’s best interests through independent investigation and analysis of all relevant facts and applying that GAL’s own experience and education.
• Investigate the facts of each case by speaking with the child, reviewing relevant records and court files, speaking with the Children and Youth Services (CYS) caseworkers, supervisors, and solicitors, speaking with the attorneys for other parties, speaking with the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) volunteers, speaking with and/or meeting with the guardians or caretakers of the children, conducting site visits, interviewing other individuals involved with the children, reviewing relevant photographs, reviewing school records, reviewing reports from outside agencies and talking to the professionals if needed, reviewing drug test or mental health reports, etc.
• Make quick and weighty decisions with long lasting impacts on the progression of the case and life of the child such as whether to remove a child from their caregiver, appropriate placement, extent of visitation, services for caregivers and services for child, prescription of psychotropic medications, educational placement, and the like.
• Develop and maintain relationship with subject child/ren in order to answer questions, provide counsel, and develop permanency planning and stability throughout the life of the case.
• Travel to and meet with the child in a variety of settings to observe and ascertain child’s mental and physical health, integration into family structure or placement location, level of understanding of legal and educational situations, social skills, mental health status, and the like.
• Represent and advocate for the best interests of children who are the subject of Juvenile Petitions before the Dependency Court (Shelter Care, Adjudicatory Hearings and Permanency Review Hearings).
• Have working and current knowledge of the following areas of law in order to properly represent the best interests of each child:
• Child development
• Psychology and mental health conditions
• Dependency Laws – state and federal
• Educational Law
• Custody Laws
• Criminal Laws
• Protection from Abuse Law
• Truancy Laws
• Child Protective Services Law
• Juvenile Law
• Rules of Professional Responsibility
• Inform all parties that the GAL is representing the best interests of the child and make efforts to resolve the case through informal means and take steps to stay notified of all important changes or actions involving the child.
• Participate in negotiations, discovery, pre-trial conferences, and Family Group Decision-Making conferences and other related team meetings when possible.
• Participate in all dependency proceedings including, but not limited to, shelter care, adjudication, disposition, permanency review, and motions hearings. Participate in appeals where appropriate. Additionally, participate in Termination of Parental Rights hearings in Orphans' Court.
• Participate and protect the children’s rights when involved in custody proceedings, criminal court matters, truancy, protection from abuse petitions, etc., when appropriate.
• File petitions, motions, objections, or responses when appropriate to promote the best interest of the children.
• Present testimony of witnesses and legal argument concerning the best interest of the children.
• Help ensure that the child shall be present for every court hearing and have an opportunity to voice his or her views directly to the Court except in exceptional circumstances.
• Attend Family Group Conferences and related team meetings when possible and/or appropriate.
• Serve as Educational Decision Maker when appointed. Attend school meetings including IEP (Individualized Education Program) and BID (Best Interest Determination) meetings; develop alternative educational paths where needed.
• Help identify appropriate family and professional resources for the children.
• Communicate all court orders and other case information to the child and discuss any questions he or she has; remain in contact with the child.
• Monitor the implementation of court orders and take appropriate steps where non-compliance is affecting the child's best interest. Represent the child at all proceedings while the court retains jurisdiction including administrative actions.
• Attend regularly scheduled meetings with the judge in charge of dependency.
• Be an active member of the state-led Children’s Roundtable Summit; participate in resulting workgroups; attend Children’s Roundtable meetings with court staff, CYS staff and service providers.
• Participate in workgroups focused on improving the welfare of children and families.
• Provide Court Appointed Special Advocate training, Children and Youth caseworker training, and any other trainings as needed.
• Stay current on all relevant law, including case law.
• Analyze and advocate for the independent living service needs, appropriate transition plans, future career and housing accommodations for older youth.
• Explain to older youth their options to remain Dependent or participate in After Care and where applicable, take appropriate legal action, and help prepare youths to become independent adults.
• Identify legal conflicts and request appropriate court intervention as needed.
• Remain an active attorney in good standing with the PA Supreme Court, include dependency CLEs in annual CLE requirements.
• Other duties as requested by supervisor.
• Attend Continuing Legal Education courses and AOPC Trainings as well as other seminars on the various areas of law relevant to legal work.
  

Education

Minimum Requirements to Perform the Work:

• Graduation from an approved law school and Juris Doctor degree;
• Licensed and admitted to Pennsylvania Bar, and a member in good standing
  
  

Work Experience

• Five years of progressively responsible experience in professional legal work in the dependency field, or a combination of custody law, family law, juvenile law or a judicial clerkship in combination with such dependency legal work.
• Experience working with children and/or child development education and training or the equivalent preferred.
  
  

Other Requirements

• Valid Pennsylvania Driver’s License.
• Must successfully complete a Child Abuse History Clearance from the Department of Human Services (child abuse); a Report of Criminal History from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP); and a Fingerprint-based Federal Criminal History submitted through the Pennsylvania State Police or its authorized agent.
• Must complete all required legal education pertaining to being a GAL within a specified time of hire and Mandated Reporter training.
  
  

Current county employees would follow the county's promotion/demotion policy.

Company Description

Mission Statement: The most livable community with the most efficient and effective public services in Pennsylvania.

We are always looking for talented, self-motivated individuals to join our team. If you think you are ready to be a part of an exciting team, then we encourage you to continue with this job application!

Cumberland County Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

Cumberland County acknowledges and celebrates the unique characteristics of our residents, employees, and visitors. We identify diversity as a strength and consider it a growing, valuable asset of our community. We thoughtfully offer services and opportunities by understanding the different needs of our residents and actively engaging the underrepresented. Everyone who lives, works, and visits Cumberland County will benefit from our commitment to a welcoming environment.

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Benefits

Medical Benefits:

• Capital Blue Cross Medical Insurance
• Health Savings Account
• Wellness program with wellness incentives
• Capital Blue Cross Vision Insurance
• United Concordia Dental Insurance
  

Retirement Benefits

• County Retirement Pension
• 5% minimum pre-tax contribution required, with the option of increasing your contribution over 5% up to 15% post-tax
• Fully vested after 5 years of credited service
• Normal Retirement Options:
• Age 55 with 20 years of credited service
• Age 60 with any amount of credited service
• Voluntary 457b Deferred Compensation Plan
• Military Time Buy Back Options
  

Paid Time Off

• Vacation
• 10 days per year, accrued per pay period (Non-Exempt)
• 15 days per year, accrued per pay period (Exempt)
• Increase for both Non-Exempt and Exempt of 5 days per year after 2 years of service
• Personal
• 3 Personal days per year, pro-rated based on starting date
• Sick
• 5 Sick days per year, pro-rated based on starting date
• 12 Paid County Holidays
• No waiting period to receive paid holidays
  

Additional Benefits

• Educational Assistance
• 80% of cost of tuition and books up to the annual IRS limit per calendar year (after 6 months of Full-Time Employment)
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) – certain eligibility requirements must be met
• Employee Assistance Program
• Resources for: Childcare, Eldercare, Legal, Financial, and Coaching
• Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Account
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance