[Hiring] CASA Attorney @Brightside Child and Family Advocacy

Role Description

Savannah CASA, a program of Brightside, supports 170 trained volunteer advocates serving 240 children with open dependency cases in Chatham County. With new dedicated funding, we are seeking an attorney to contract with us in a newly created role:

• Advising volunteers and Advocacy Coordinators across the full caseload.
• Accepting appointment on the roughly 40% of cases that need substantive legal action.
• Helping build Savannah CASA’s legal function from the ground up.

The engagement is approximately 28–29 hours per week, non-exclusive, and designed to complement an existing practice.

Qualifications

• Admission to the State Bar of Georgia in good standing, or eligibility for admission.
• At least three years in practice, with some juvenile, dependency, family, or education law experience.
• Your own professional liability coverage at an agreed minimum.
• Capacity for roughly 28–30 hours per week, including regular presence in Chatham County Juvenile Court.
• Willingness to complete background screening, as everyone working with our children does.
• Commitment to professionalism, discretion, and maintaining confidentiality.

Requirements

• An attorney who takes the advisory work as seriously as the litigation.
• Someone who is genuinely reachable, so volunteers feel comfortable asking questions early.
• Someone who wants to build something meaningful; as the first person in this role, you will shape what it becomes.

Traits & Distinguishing Characteristics

• Explains legal concepts clearly to non-lawyer volunteers while making them feel supported.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and comfort learning new software.
• Exceptional organization, time management, and communication skills.
• Ability to remain calm, helpful, and focused in a dynamic, fast-paced nonprofit setting.
• Commitment to professionalism, discretion, and maintaining confidentiality.

Key Responsibilities

• Case Staffings & Legal Advice
  • Meet regularly with Advocacy Coordinators in scheduled case staffings to review and resolve legal issues across the caseload.
  • Advise on issues such as records access, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) opportunities, and stalled permanency plans.
  • Help volunteers draft letters and requests when they are denied records or services they are entitled to.
• Representation on Appointed Cases
  • Accept appointment on a defined caseload (capped at 40 open matters in year one) and carry those cases fully, including motions, hearings, discovery, and appeals.
  • Represent on termination of parental rights, contested permanency hearings, allegations of abuse or neglect in placement, and time-sensitive SIJS findings.
  • Address education rights, interstate placement, psychotropic medication consent, sibling separation, and older-youth benefits disputes that will not resolve informally.
  • Maintain contemporaneous time records; Savannah CASA handles billing with the court.
• Training & Program Development
  • Deliver legal training for volunteers, including specialty court training and quarterly continuing education.
  • Draft written protocols and policies so that common questions are answered once and applied consistently.
  • Help design the systems that make the legal function work, with this effort heaviest in the first year.
• Culture & Communication
  • Contribute to a positive and encouraging workplace culture by promoting kindness, helpfulness, and clear communication.
  • Lead with a “how can I help?” attitude and offer solutions that enhance efficiency and harmony across teams.

Benefits

• Rates:
  • $135/hour for in-court time;
  • $95/hour for all other case-related work, including staffings and advice;
  • $80/hour for training, policy, and program development. Case rates exceed current panel rates ($120/$90).
• Prompt payment: Invoiced monthly and paid within 30 days of an approved invoice, regardless of when the court reimburses us. We prepare and submit vouchers.
• Projected earnings: Approximately $143,000 in gross annual contract fees at about 29 hours per week, with paid advisory work available from the start.
• Structure: Independent contractor, non-exclusive, on an annual engagement aligned to our October–September fiscal year and renewable. Contractor carries own malpractice coverage, bar dues, CLE, and self-employment tax.
• Location: Savannah, Georgia, with regular Chatham County Juvenile Court attendance; remote drafting and advisory work welcome. Monthly mobile phone stipend available.

Company Description

Brightside Child & Family Advocacy works every day to prevent child abuse and neglect by strengthening families and creating safe, stable environments where children can thrive. We believe every child deserves the chance to grow up in a loving, supportive home—and we’re committed to making that vision a reality.