Apply to join the ABA CDSV Faculty Facilitator team!

For more than a quarter century, the ABA Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence (CDSV) has focused on mobilizing the legal profession to improve access to justice and safety for victims of domestic and sexual violence. In that time, the Commission has provided countless individual consultations with local attorneys and programs to improve their practice, and has regularly hosted multiday in-person national training institutes and national teleconferences, webinars, and virtual institutes focusing on critical legal issues raised when representing victims of domestic and sexual violence, including custody litigation, effective use of interpreters in legal settings, LGBTQI+ client representation, legal needs of clients with disabilities, “DV 101” for lawyers, legal intensive trial skills, and intimate partner sexual violence for lawyers.

CDSV addresses the acute need to increase the number of well-trained and supported attorneys providing representation to victims by providing in-person, web-based, and telephonic technical assistance and continuing legal education opportunities for attorneys, law students, courts, and allied legal professionals, and by collaborating with other ABA entities and national organizations to improve the systemic legal response to domestic and sexual violence.

CDSV training events focus on reaching a wide range of learners, and as such are experiential and activity-based with minimal lecture, following highly detailed and researched staff-developed curricula. Such an approach requires facilitation by experienced and knowledgeable civil attorneys and judges. CDSV routinely works with individuals (as volunteers or as contractors) with expertise in these areas as Faculty Facilitators to collaborate with full-time CDSV staff during local, state, and national virtual and in-person events.

A Qualified Consultant Candidate’s Knowledge and Abilities

• Minimum of 5 years of recent experience in civil legal representation of clients from a wide range of racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, class, and/or ability/disability identities.
• Professional record with no ethical code violations or other adverse actions.
• Demonstrated understanding of how sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and/or stalking affect a client’s life and legal needs.
• Experience and confidence as a training facilitator, in-person and/or virtually.
• Excellent oral and written comprehension and expression in English.
• Computer literacy, including PowerPoint and Zoom skills.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good judgment and empathy, both with clients and while interacting with allied professionals and training participants from a variety of backgrounds.
• Framework that is victim/survivor-centered and led, and trauma informed.
• Demonstrated commitment to increasing access to justice and provision of outstanding legal services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and/or stalking.
• Demonstrated commitment to working to disrupt systemic racism, sexism, ableism, xenophobia, and homo-bi-transphobia in the legal system’s response to gender-based violence.

A Preferred Consultant Candidate’s Knowledge and Abilities Will Also Include

• Minimum of 5 years of personal experience representing victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and/or stalking in civil litigation (family law, custody, civil protection orders, etc.).
• Demonstrated expertise in the field of sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and/or stalking. Mentors and encourages others to provide exemplary service to victims.

Duties and Responsibilities

The services a Faculty Facilitator may include, but are not limited to:

• Reviewing and providing feedback for live and web-based training materials, curricula, and related resources.
• Recommending resources for use by civil attorneys and allied professionals.
• Facilitating learning and engaging with other Faculty Facilitators, staff, and participants, to advance training learning objectives through large and small group discussions, role plays, mini-lectures, and interactive activities.
• Working together with CDSV staff and other Faculty Facilitators in accordance with our chosen teaching method.

Compensation and Reimbursement

Faculty Facilitators are compensated at the rate set by our federal funder, currently a maximum of $650 per training day, at an hourly rate of $81.25. Travel-related expenses associated with attending in-person training events will be reimbursed in accordance with CDSV guidelines, which follow the Federal per diem standards.

Application Information

Faculty Facilitators are volunteers or independent contractors who are invited for trainings as needed on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of CDSV. Faculty Facilitators may be compensated depending upon the availability of funds for such purposes. Faculty Facilitators are not employees of the ABA or CDSV for any purpose.

Application Process

Applicants should submit a cover letter describing the areas of expertise in which the applicant has experience, curriculum vitae, and a list of three professional references to Anya Lynn-Alesker, Managing Attorney, [email protected]. Applicants who are invited to the next step of the interview process will be required to prepare a short, recorded presentation using a segment of a CDSV training curriculum, as well as sharing any other training video clips that would inform the selection process.

An equitable, inclusive, and diverse Faculty Facilitator roster is critical to our mission. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates of color, with disabilities, who are Deaf, who are LGBTQI+ or nonbinary, and/or with other historically excluded and underrepresented backgrounds and experiences.

COVID Protocols

Currently, CDSV is not planning to host any in-person trainings until 2023. The safety of our faculty, participants, and staff is our first priority.