Services Attorney

Introduction

When you join the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS), you join a team of more than 5,000 employees across the state dedicated to positively changing the lives of more than 1 million Marylanders each year. We do this by providing economic support, preventive services, and caring for children and adults.

We aim to deliver services so that we more quickly meet the needs of the people we serve. At DHS, we grapple with hard questions to find new ways to foster a culture of bold innovation. We do this to ensure that in Maryland, we leave no one behind.

GRADE

22

LOCATION OF POSITION

Dorchester County Department of Social Services

2737 Dorchester Square

Cambridge, Maryland 21613

Main Purpose of Job

The Social Services Attorney is an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Maryland who performs professional legal work for the Dorchester County Department of Social Services including representation in the District Courts of this State and in administrative hearings before the Office of Administrative Hearings to enable the Department to protect vulnerable children and adults, obtain permanency for children in out-of-home placements, and protect the confidentiality of agency records and information.

POSITION DUTIES

Prepares and litigates

cases and matters on behalf of Dorchester County Department of Social Services before the Circuit, Juvenile,

and District Courts, as assigned, to enable the agency to meet its child

welfare, adult protective service, and confidentiality mandates.

Provides legal advice to agency staff,

which shall include an assessment of the options available to accomplish staff

goals and minimize the potential for agency liability.

Provides legal advice and representation to

the agency on evenings, weekends, and holidays when assigned 'on call'

coverage.

Provides training to agency adult and child

welfare staff on legal issues relevant to the performance of duties.

Comments on proposed

legislation and changes in court rules, recommends changes in agency and Legal

Services policies and procedures to improve the work of the division and the

agency.

Alerts

appropriate Legal Service supervisory staff of problems, if any, with the

adequacy of the work of the legal assistants, secretaries and other

support personnel.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A

Juris Doctor degree or equivalent degree from an accredited school of law.

Experience: Experience as a practicing Attorney.

Notes:

1. Candidates for this classification must be members of the Maryland

Bar at the time of appointment.

2. The above requirements are set by the Department of Human Services

in accordance with an Opinion of the Attorney General dated June 13, 1988.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service

experience as a commissioned officer in General Attorney classifications or

General Attorney specialty codes in the Legal and Kindred field of work on a

year-for-year basis for the required education and experience.

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Preference

will be given to applicants who possess the following preferred

qualification(s). Include clear and specific information on your

application regarding your qualifications.

Experience or expressed interest in

representing a government agency such as the Department of Human Services,

State Department of Health, local department of Social Services, or employment

as an assistant state's attorney.

Experience or expressed interest in public

service law or serving as an advocate in an unrelated field, such as community

activist/services, teaching, etc.

Current experience in juvenile law, child

welfare or Human Services.

Previous experience working in juvenile or

child welfare law or representing a government agency.

Experience as a Judicial Clerk, or in

public service law or serving as an advocate in an unrelated field, such as

community activist/service, teaching, etc.

For applicants recently admitted to the

Maryland Bar, an expression of interest in the field of human services through

the completion of relevant courses and clinical programs.

LIMITATIONS ON SELECTION

The ideal candidate must be willing to work in Dorchester County.

SELECTION PROCESS

Please make sure that you provide sufficient information

on your application to show that you meet the qualifications for this

recruitment. We will not consider information submitted after this date.

Successful candidates will be placed on the employment (eligible) list. The

resulting list may be used for future vacancies with this agency or other state

agencies.

BENEFITS

As an employee of the State of Maryland, you will have

access to outstanding benefits, including: health insurance, dental, and vision

plans offered at a low cost. CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR MORE DETAILS: STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS

Personal Leave - new State employees are awarded six (6)

personnel days annually (prorated based on start date).

Annual Leave - ten (10) days of accumulated annual leave

per year.

Sick Leave - fifteen (15) days of accumulated sick leave

per year.

Parental Leave - up to sixty (60) days of paid parental

leave upon the birth or adoption of a child.

Holidays - State employees also celebrate at least twelve

(12) holidays per year.

Pension - State employees earn credit towards a

retirement pension.

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

ONLINE APPLICATIONS ARE STRONGLY PREFERRED: however,

the paper application may be submitted to Dorchester County Department of Social Services, Attn: Carolyn Harding 2737 Dorchester Square, Cambridge, Maryland 21613. The paper application must be received by 5:00 p.m. close of business on the closing date of the recruitment. No postmarks will be accepted.

If you have any questions about this

recruitment, please contact Carolyn Harding at Dorchester County Department of Social Services at 410-901-4100.

As an equal opportunity employer, Maryland is committed

to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the

State’s diversity.

TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay

We thank our Veterans for their service to our country,

and encourage them to apply.