Staff Attorney - Family Law Unit

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity / Accessible Employer, and we strive to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve in our staffing.

GBLS encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

GBLS seeks a staff attorney to join our Family Law Unit. GBLS provides free legal services and representation to clients in the greater Boston area who cannot afford private legal representation. The Family Law Unit prioritizes representation of survivors of domestic violence in contested Probate and Family Court proceedings and in abuse prevention proceedings in the District and Boston Municipal Courts. GBLS also engages in systemic advocacy on behalf of client populations.

Responsibilities:

• Managing a family law caseload that will include full representation cases, as well as counsel and advice and brief service matters;
• Representing clients at all levels of litigation, including trials and, where appropriate based on the attorney’s experience, appeals;
• Participating in legislative, administrative, and other systemic advocacy that promotes the interests of GBLS clients;
• Providing culturally competent services to all clients;
• As appropriate base on the attorney’s experience, participating in internal projects to share substantive knowledge, supervise students, or assist with administrative tasks and grant reporting;
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge and skills in family law and trial practice;
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of other areas of law that impact GBLS family law clients, to provide appropriate referrals or advice.
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of community partner organizations.

Qualifications:

• This position is for an attorney with 0-5 years of experience;
• The candidate must be admitted to the Massachusetts bar or plan to sit for the July 2024 exam;
• The candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills;
• The candidate must have the ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks and to work collaboratively with other attorneys, as well as non-attorney staff and partners;
• Prior family law and/or trial experience is preferred, as this is a litigation heavy position;
• Prior family law and/or trial experience in Massachusetts is a plus;
• Prior experience working with survivors of domestic violence is encouraged, and an ability to hear and respond appropriately to deeply personal, often violent, experiences is required;
• Fluency in one or more of the languages in addition to English spoken by GBLS clients, such as Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Cantonese, or Mandarin, is helpful.

Salary & Benefits:

Salary is based on a union scale. As of July 1, 2024, the annual salary for an attorney with 2 years of experience will be $77,000. GBLS offers generous benefits, retirement contribution, student loan repayment assistance for eligible attorneys, and generous PTO leave. 

GBLS encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.