Investigator, Guardian ad Litem Program
Location: Washington, DC
Job ID: 1101
Salary: $44,000
Who We Are
Children’s Law Center is a mission-driven organization focused on providing high-quality legal services to children and families in DC. As an organization, we envision a world in which all children have a strong foundation of family, health and education and are free from poverty, trauma, racism and other forms of oppression. Our mission is to do this work together with DC children and families, Children’s Law Center uses the law to solve children’s urgent problems today, improve the systems that will affect their lives tomorrow and strengthen our community so that change endures. A key part of our mission is to challenge and reduce ways in which racism and other biases – structural and interpersonal – prevent each of us, our organization and the systems in which we work from providing children a strong foundation from which to thrive.
Our greatest assets are our people. We recognize that people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives fuel our ability to provide the best outcomes for our clients and our community. Staff members at Children’s Law Center advance the organization’s mission through their leadership, result-orientated mindset and commitment to cultural humility. We are looking for individuals who like to be challenged to grow both personally and professionally and value the opportunity to make a difference in their community. Children's Law Center's continued success depends on recruiting and retaining individuals who possess and exemplify these attributes.
Program Description
The Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program represents 400-425 clients a year from birth to age 21 in abuse and neglect matters. The program incorporates a multi-disciplinary team of social workers, investigators and education attorneys to ensure our GAL attorneys are equipped to provide zealous, client-centered, holistic and culturally humble advocacy on behalf of our clients’ best interests.
Job Summary
Children’s Law Center’s unique Investigator position aims to develop high-talent individuals by providing them with a range of experiences in a legal, non-profit setting. The position consists of on-the-job experience, training and career guidance. The position is appropriate for someone considering a legal, counseling, or social work career.
The investigator will work with lawyers who represent clients a year from birth to age 21 in abuse and neglect matters. The position involves assisting lawyers with all aspects of their representation, including locating and gathering records, serving subpoenas, interviewing witnesses, visiting schools and locating appropriate social services for children. The investigator may prepare written reports and testify in court.
Role Responsibilities
Organization
- Demonstrates ability to work effectively and efficiently on multiple assignments for multiple attorneys.
- Maintains case information in an orderly manner – electronic and hard copy files.
- Meets deadlines and tracks deadlines and assignments in an organized way.
- Consults attorneys and supervisor when prioritizing assignments and when unexpected delays or scheduling conflicts arise.
- Works well under pressure.
- Manages time efficiently to complete case work, meet assignment deadlines and meet other CLC responsibilities.
- Records all case activity in LegalServer in a reasonable amount of time after completing an assignment.
Critical Thinking
- Asks appropriate questions and seeks guidance from attorneys and/or supervisor about assignments, legal terms, case theory and court procedures when needed.
- Demonstrates the ability to understand basic legal and ethical concepts and jargon.
- Identifies relevant facts in cases and potential issues/problems.
- Identifies/locates/finds practical ideas and solutions to address issues and problems.
- Synthesizes and summarizes records, reports and evaluations.
- Demonstrates thoughtfulness, care and precision in work.
- Adapts to situations and case emergencies as they arise.
- Identifies training needs and offers ideas for trainings and further education.
- Uses creativity and resourcefulness to solve problems.
- Demonstrates good judgment.
Investigation
- Follows all ethical rules of conduct while investigating (i.e. proper identification, confidentiality, etc.).
- Locates and identifies information and services for clients and case work.
- Prepares written records requests for information maintained by government entities, medical, corporate and other non-governmental records; and then obtains such information/records.
- Interprets and summarizes information contained in records and research and identifies relevant facts/information.
- Prepares and serves subpoenas and similar documents.
- Files court papers and requests and obtains court records.
- Observes meetings, hearing, client visits and interviews.
- Conducts client visits and interacts appropriately with clients to obtain information and respond to specific inquiries.
- Takes detailed notes.
- Identifies and locates witnesses, potential parties to a case and experts.
- Participates and conducts interviews.
- Helps prepare exhibits and prep witnesses for court.
- Conducts prescreen interviews of potential clients and assists with intake line duties.
- Assists with emergency assignments.
Communication
- Interacts effectively in person, by telephone and in written correspondence with lawyers, clients, witnesses, court personnel, co-workers and other business professionals.
- Acts in a respectful, professional manner and is responsive to client and attorney needs.
- Has self-awareness and is able to perceive, understand and relate well to others.
- Prepares thoughtful, high-quality written documents that exhibit careful preparation and attention to detail.
- Exhibits strong listening skills.
- Asks questions and seeks guidance when needed.
- Responds appropriately and in a timely manner to communications and assignments.
Interpersonal Skills
- Works effectively and efficiently with others and supports team members to address client and CLC needs.
- Willingly accepts assignments and demonstrates a high work ethic.
- Regularly attends and participates in staff-wide meetings, department meetings, relevant trainings and other CLC functions.
- Volunteers and helps with CLC projects and fundraising/donation activities.
- Takes responsibility for mistakes or areas of improvement.
- Demonstrates integrity, dependability and meets commitments.
Qualifications
- Previous experience working with low-income persons and children and/or teens strongly preferred.
- Experience as an investigator or working with attorneys and/or in a legal setting a plus.
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
- Resourcefulness and creativity to solve problems.
- Ability to gather information from a wide variety of persons and settings.
- Strong independent judgement and decision-making skills.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills.
- Self-reflective, open to feedback and supervision.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- Initiative and tenacity to complete assignments.
- Tact and discretion for handling confidential casework.
- Commitment to social, economic, and racial justice.
- Demonstrated capacity to work independently and collaboratively.
- Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills strongly preferred.
Required Skills and Experience
- Valid driver’s license.
