Staff Attorney

JOB DESCRIPTION:

STAFF ATTORNEY

THE ORGANIZATION:

Started in 2012, Volare (formerly Network for Victim Recovery of DC, NVRDC) creates equitable healing and dignified experiences for survivors of crime by providing free, trauma-informed advocacy, therapeutic, and legal services in conjunction with strategic litigation, policy advocacy, and education to transform existing responses to harm. We are a growing DC nonprofit organization with a team of passionate and dedicated staff.

THE STAFF ATTORNEY POSITION:

Volare seeks a full-time staff attorney to conduct holistic, survivor-centered comprehensive legal intakes, provide brief legal advice or services, and occasional full representation. In this role, the attorney will be the first point of contact for survivors seeking services and will act as a legal triage while addressing immediate needs through brief advice or brief services. This attorney will work collaboratively with members of Volare’s Legal and Advocacy Programs to provide legal support and advocacy to victims of crime with a particular emphasis on advancing the legal rights of survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. This individual should be resourceful, highly organized, a team player, a critical and analytical thinker, self-reflective and self-aware, and open to growth and learning. The staff attorney will be committed to working with people from various cultural, linguistic, economic, educational, and vocational backgrounds to demonstrate Volare’s dedication to social justice and equitable access to justice for all victims of crime in the District of Columbia (“the District”).

Current grant funding for this position will end on September 30, 2025. If additional funding is secured during this term, this offer of employment will be extended at the discretion of the Executive Director or Chief Executive Officer. Because this position will be primarily dedicated to providing survivors with high-quality legal advice, brief services, and referrals with a small full representation caseload. The day-to-day work of this position is fully remote; however, our ideal candidate would be available to attend in-person events such as quarterly staff meetings and outreach events in the District. Applicants who are proficient in Spanish, Amharic, and/or American Sign Language are strongly encouraged to apply.

BENEFITS PACKAGE:

This is a full-time (35 hours per week), FLSA exempt, at-will position with an annual compensation range of $65,000-$70,000 contingent upon experience. Volare offers a competitive benefits package for paid time off, contribution for the cost of health care coverage, company paid basic life insurance policy, paid federal holidays, retirement plan options with up to a 3% match and vesting after one year, and professional development. Additionally, Volare is an eligible employer for the purposes of the DC Bar Foundation’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP).

POSITION PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The majority of the staff attorney’s time will be spent maintaining a caseload that will consist of full representation, brief services, and brief advice cases.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Providing legal advocacy and representation related to Civil Protection Orders (CPOs) and Anti-Stalking Orders (ASOs) for survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, dating violence, and stalking;
• Representing student survivors of intimate partner violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking seeking supportive measures and/or disciplinary proceedings assistance under Title IX and Clery Act at secondary schools and universities;
• Representing victims of various crimes in the District with the assertion of their crime victims’ rights in criminal investigations and DC Superior Court criminal proceedings under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (18 USC § 3771) and DC Code § 23-1901 et seq;
• Working closely with Volare’s Advocacy Program staff to provide holistic support to Volare clients;
• Performing virtual and onsite intakes and staffing virtual brief advice clinics;
• Representing Volare at outreach events and conducting trainings for various communities, allied professionals, and other entities;
• Maintaining accurate case records and responsibility for project-specific grant reporting, data tracking, and evaluation;
• Representing Volare within the victim services and legal communities;
• Continuing to grow and seek professional development opportunities; and
• Performing other duties as needed.

Required Qualifications:

Candidates must possess the following qualifications in order to be considered for the position:

• Be a DC Bar member or commit to submitting an application for admission by motion to the DC Bar under Rules 46(d) or 46(e);
• A demonstrated desire to work with survivors;
• A demonstrated knowledge and/or commitment to providing representation to survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking in Civil Protection Order and Anti-Stalking Order proceedings;
• A demonstrated knowledge and/or commitment to providing representation for student survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner/dating violence, and stalking seeking assistance under Title IX and the Clery Act;
• A demonstrated knowledge and/or commitment to providing representation to survivors of crime seeking to assert their crime victims’ rights;
• Strong oral and written communication skills;
• Currently resides or willing to relocate to live within a one-hour commute of DC Superior Court, Volare allows staff to primarily work remotely, however, the staff attorney will be required to appear in person for court proceedings or client-related meetings, quarterly all-staff meetings, and occasional outreach and training events; and
• A reputation for integrity, dependability, and professionalism.

Desirable Qualifications

The following qualifications are desired for the ideal candidate:

• 1 to 2 years experience in trial litigation (clinic experience or trial advocacy coursework will be considered);
• Judicial clerkship or law school clinical experience;
• Knowledge of victim services available within DC;
• Experience working with various communities and crime victims;
• Experience providing legal services to crime victims; and
• Proficiency in a language other than English with the ability to provide legal advice and assistance in that language. Spanish, Amharic, and American Sign Language are particularly desirable. [1]

[1]Candidates who make the final round of interview will be subject to oral and written proficiency tests.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request. Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats.

Compliance with partner/affiliate policy may be required to fulfill core duties detailed in your job description. Such partners/affiliates may include but are not limited to District and Federal Court systems, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Metropolitan Police Department, DCFNE and the like. Such directives may include but are not limited to use of personal protective equipment, health testing such as Tuberculosis screening, flu and COVID vaccine requirements, and other directives as determined by Volare’s Executive Director when necessary to keep staff, clients, and partners safe and healthy.

It is anticipated that this position will require a hybrid of in person work at the Volare office, in court, at the hospital, on-scene, at outreach events, staff meetings, trainings, fundraising events, partnership meetings, or other locations and telework.

Additionally, this position requires residency within the DC region as defined by the ability to consistently respond in person as part of the core job function of this role.

This position is a Protection and Security Sensitive position in accordance with DC Regulation Rule 6-B406. All offers of employment are contingent upon the clear result of a background check and drug and alcohol screening. Disqualifying events pertain to ensuring compliance with serving minors, sexual assault survivors, and victims of crime. Background checks are conducted on all final candidates and up to an annual recurrence as determined by program compliance and the Executive Director.

HOW TO APPLY:

This position is a Protection and Security Sensitive position in accordance with DC Regulation Rule 6-B406. All offers of employment are contingent upon the clear result of a background check and drug and alcohol screening. Disqualifying events pertain to ensuring compliance with serving minors, sexual assault survivors, and victims of crime. Background checks are conducted on all final candidates and up to an annual recurrence as determined by program compliance and the Executive Director.

Volare implements a redacted recruitment process for the hiring of positions. Identifiers of statuses protected by applicable federal and District of Columbia laws are redacted prior to application review by the hiring team. There will be a rolling interview process, we encourage interested candidates to apply early.

Due to the volume of applicants, we will only contact individuals invited to interview.

Please follow these specific instructions for submitting your application:

1. Apply via Indeed with your resume and cover letter, or email your resume and cover letter in PDF format to careers@volare-empowers.org. Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis.

2. In your email, use the subject line: “Staff Attorney Application, [your last name]”

3. In the body of the email, copy and paste these questions and add your answer to each question below in a “yes” or “no” format. It is not acceptable to write “See Resume” in response to these questions.

i. Are you a DC-barred attorney? If not, have you applied for membership to the DC Bar?

ii. Are you authorized to work in the United States?

iii. Will you now or in the future require work authorization?

iv. If offered the position, would you be able to start within approximately two weeks of receiving an offer?

Volare is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and to the fair and equal treatment of all individuals with disabilities as prescribed by this law, whether they are clients, employees, or volunteers.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $65,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Washington, DC 20005