Attorney

About This Job

The Office of Mental Health Advocacy Service has a vacancy.

Our mission is to ensure that our clients’ voices are heard and that they receive every right and remedy afforded them under law.

Our goal is to provide high-quality legal counsel and representation to our clients, address systemic issues that affect the rights of more than one client and require a remedy, act as a clearinghouse for information relative to adults and children with mental health diagnoses and children in need of care, and provide training to various individuals/agencies.

Minimum Qualifications

Possession of a current Louisiana license to practice law.

Job Specification

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties

Job Duties and Other Information

• Provide competent, confidential, and ethical representation for all clients including but not limited to children, mental patients, disabled adults. Assisting with obtaining appropriate resources and advising clients of their rights.
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of current law and judicial decisions to aid in providing timely assistance to clients in need.
• Attends and participates in hearings for treatment, placement, administration, as needed. Filing petitions, motions, answers, responses or objections as necessary.
• Advocates for the desires and expressed preference of the child and follows the child’s direction throughout the case in a developmentally appropriate manner. To the extent that a child does not or will not express his/her desires and preferences about particular issues, determines and advocates for the child’s best interest.
• Conducts thorough, continuing and independent investigations and discovery, including but not limited to: Reviewing social service, psychiatric, psychological, drug and alcohol, medical, law enforcement, school, court, DSS, provider and other records of the child.
• Provides mental patients with legal representation at all stages of their confinement. Identifying and addressing violation of patient rights.
• Provides guidance, assistance, supervision and lead worker responsibilities to support staff and attorneys of lower rank, as directed.
• Develops strategy for implementation of systems improvements in the protection of patient rights and the rights of children.
• Trains other staff members, various mental health professionals and various groups in the community on the legal rights of patients and responsibilities of treatment providers.

Position-Specific Details

Appointment Type: This vacancy will be filled by new hire or by promotion of a current permanent status classified employee.

Louisiana is a "State as a Model Employer" for People with Disabilities.

This position is full-time. Establishing or continuing an outside practice is prohibited while being employed in this agency.

Applicants with experience working with juveniles and persons with mental illness and/or disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Candidate must possess a valid driver's license. Travel is required.

Career Progression: This vacancy participates in a career progression group and may be filled from this recruitment as an Attorney 1, 2, or 3.

How To Apply

No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.

To apply for this vacancy, click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

A criminal history check may be conducted on all new hires as well as employees changing positions including promotions, demotions, details, reassignments and transfers.

Also, prospective employees may be subject to pre-employment drug testing. New hires will be subject to employment eligibility verification via the federal government's E-verify system.

• Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

Applicants qualifying based on college training or receipt of a baccalaureate degree will be required to submit an official college transcript to verify credentials claimed prior to appointment. Please make every effort to attach a copy of your transcript to your application. The transcripts can be added as an attachment to your online application. The selected candidate will be required to submit original documentation upon hire.

For Further Information About This Posting, Please Contact:

Erica R. Gay

HR Specialist

Division of Administration/Office of Human Resources

email: ***email_hidden***

Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career.

Insurance Coverage

More information can be found at https://info.groupbenefits.org/

Parental Leave – Up to six weeks paid parental leave

More information can be found at https://www.civilservice.louisiana.gov/Parental-Leave/Default.aspx

Holidays and Leave – State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
• Mardi Gras,
• Good Friday,
• Memorial Day,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Veteran's Day,
• Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
• Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor

State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.

Retirement – State Of Louisiana Employees Are Eligible To Participate In Various Retirement Systems (based On The Type Of Appointment And Agency For Which An Employee Works). These Retirement Systems Provide Retirement Allowances And Other Benefits For State Officers And Employees And Their Beneficiaries. State Retirement Systems May Include (but Are Not Limited To):

• Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (www.lasersonline.org). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
• Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (www.trsl.org),
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (www.lsers.net), among others

Do you possess a valid Driver's License?

• Yes
• No

Are you currently licensed to practice law in the state of Louisiana?

• Yes
• No

If you answered yes to the question above, please list your Bar Roll Number and the original issuance date of your license (mm/yy). If you answered no to the question above, please type "N/A".

Please describe in detail your experience working with children and persons with disabilities. If this does not apply to you, enter N/A.

• Required Question