Advocate - Court Services

The Court Services Advocate serves as a staff member at will of Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS). The Court Services Advocate is responsible for aiding in the development, management, implementation, and monitoring of legal advocacy services for DVIS clients. The Court Services Advocate provides assistance, information, and support to clients throughout their experience within the civil and criminal legal.

Essential Duties &   Responsibilities

Ø Priority 1: Equity and Inclusion

· Reflect and understand how identities could give advantages in the workplace—even if they are not asked for or earned—while others might experience disadvantages.  Reflect on how our position and power may shift depending on the environment, the people, or the institutions at play. Build the awareness and compassion that is needed and expected to create an equitable and inclusive workplace.   

· Create an inclusive environment and behave in a way that ensures that clients and employees feel embraced, no matter what their cultural orientations are, respected and valued, engaged, and connected to the community, and safe from abuse and harassment.

Ø Priority 2: Advocacy 

· Provide clients with immediate and ongoing support and information throughout their civil and criminal proceedings.

· Advocate on behalf of clients in civil and criminal matters.

· Manage DVIS protection order clinics, providing clients with advocacy at civil protection order hearings; make referrals for representation for permanent protection order hearings.

· Provide clients with access to program services and community resources (e.g., office hours, referrals, outreach, remote connections, and clinics).

· Compile and maintain a list of resources for civil and criminal matters. 

· Collect data from court watches, law enforcement arrest information, and internal agency cases, and utilize this data to provide services to clients, compile program-specific reports, and track domestic violence trends.

• Conduct initial screening and assessment of prospective      clients, evaluate client needs and risk level, goals, and match clients      with appropriate services. Assist clients with incorporating this      information into their Safety Plans and conduct safety planning.
• Research prior protective orders and/or domestic related      crimes on abusers and record documentation applicable to the client.
• Assist clients in completing paperwork for emergency      protective orders. 
• Make referrals for services, as needed, to various agencies,      e.g., Family Violence Unit, DVIS Shelter, Legal Services, and Department      of Human Services. 
• Attend court hearings with clients and advocate for the      client when appropriate.
• Follow-up with clients post-hearing. 
• Document and maintain client files following DVIS guidelines      and professional standards. 
• Complete necessary record keeping, e.g., daily      and monthly reports, data entry, and statistics.

Ø Priority 3: Collaboration

· Collaborate with legal advocacy organizations, district attorney, and law enforcement on client protective order matters.

· Collaborate with external service provider agencies and social justice groups to improve community awareness and response to domestic violence.

· Coordinate with other DVIS professionals pre-hearing on specific client support needs and hearing outcomes.

Other Duties & Responsibilities

Other Duties/Responsibilities: Other assistance to support the overall goals of the department and organization. DVIS retains the right to add or change duties and/or responsibilities at any time.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None.

Budgetary/Fiscal Responsibilities: Acts as a good steward of DVIS’ resources.

Responsibility for Confidentiality: The nature of this position requires safeguarding against the release of confidential and proprietary information of DVIS and its clients.

Contact with Others: This position will interact with staff members across the organization, in addition to members of external organizations and the public. 

Education: Bachelor’s degree preferred in Social Work, Psychology, Human Services, Criminal Justice, or any equivalent combination of education and/or experience. 

Experience: 2-years of experience advocating for victims, in domestic violence, child welfare and/or working with social services, civil and criminal systems, or law enforcement is preferred; experience working in a nonprofit is preferred; or any equivalent combination of experience, lived experience, and/or special skills.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:  

Knowledge of or experience working with social justice issues, specifically intimate partner, and gender-based violence, and racial, class, gender, and sexual orientation issues strongly preferred.

Basic computer skills including Microsoft Office Suite and database experience are preferred.

Requires organizational skills, written and oral communication skills in English (Spanish preferred), attention to detail, and ability to prioritize work and tasks. Requires adaptability to produce and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, multi-task and changing environment, and the ability to work as part of a team. 

Requires the ability to embrace, support, and integrate DVIS’s philosophies to promote and demonstrate its commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and anti-racism. 

Schedule Availability:  Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:30 pm.

Licenses/Certifications: Valid Oklahoma driver’s license required; current CPR and First Aid certification preferred.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made when requested to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Ability to communicate and understand in English effectively, in person, and in writing. Ability to hear adequately in person and by phone, in personal and group settings, and function with periodic distractions such as people, telephone calls, and noise.

Ability to work with, and process information from, a variety of individuals and media (e.g., computers, projected images, printed materials), and occasional sitting and/or standing for long periods of time. 

Mobility necessary to access various offices and a wide variety of settings. Mobility necessary to perform a variety of tasks that involve intermittent standing, walking/traversing, sitting, stooping, kneeling, bending, and twisting, occasionally climbing stairs or using an elevator, and possibly reaching chest high and overhead for materials.

Ability to reach for, move and/or lift up to 25 pounds and the use of hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls, including frequent repetitive movement such as extended periods of keyboarding.