FCLS attorneys represent the Commissioner of the Administration of Children's Services, which is an agency of the New York City mayor's office, in family court child neglect and abuse cases. FCLS lawyers work in collaboration with child protection specialists, case planners and other child welfare specialists to advance the agency's mission to protect children and youth and improve the lives of families. Working as a Family Court Legal Services (FCLS) attorney for Children's Services Administration is a great opportunity for recent law school graduates and experienced attorneys to work in the area of child welfare and gain meaningful and prompt litigation experience, appearing before the court every day. Despite the fact that the best lawyers receive high salaries, many lawyers earn a relatively low salary compared to other professional fields.
When not in court, FCLS lawyers focus their time on preparing their cases for trial, talking to the CPS and case planners about court directives and other critical issues of the case, conducting legal research and briefs, communicating with other lawyers about potential settlements, and generally speaking, participate in all aspects of the litigation. FCLS lawyers spend much of their time in family court handling their cases at every stage of litigation. After successfully completing 6 months of service in the In-House Agency Attorney degree and admission to the New York State Bar Association, Trainee Lawyers are eligible for promotion to Level 1 Agency Attorney positions. Family Court Legal Services Attorneys represent ACS in child neglect and abuse cases, tenure hearings, juvenile delinquency proceedings, and other child welfare proceedings in New York City family courts.
Review job postings, similar jobs, education level, and experience requirements for the family law attorney job to confirm that it is the job you are looking for. New attorneys typically receive five to six weeks of intensive legal training that focuses on the fundamentals of child welfare law, relevant case law and statutes, and agency policy and protocol.
