Description

Position: Director of Child Welfare & Family Law Initiatives

 
Status: Full-time

 
Description: The Ohio State Bar Association (Ohio Bar) seeks to hire a full-time Director of Child Welfare & Family Law Initiatives. This leadership position directs the design, implementation, and evaluation of statewide child welfare and family law initiatives, with a primary focus on continuing legal education (CLE) curriculum development, content strategy, and staffing of committees and sections to strengthen the quality of legal representation for parents, children, and kinship caregivers.

 
Who we are at the Ohio Bar

We are a fun, hardworking group of approximately 35 employees from diverse backgrounds. We are passionate about our members—Ohio attorneys, judges, paralegals, and legal administrators—and the justice system. We use our talents to help our members serve clients and communities across Ohio, including children and families involved in the child welfare system. On any given day, you might find us producing statewide continuing legal education programs, collaborating with courts and law schools, advocating before the Ohio General Assembly or U.S. Congress, advancing access to justice initiatives, or hosting members at one of our popular tailgate events.

 
Who our ideal match is for this critical work

Do you care deeply about child welfare and access to justice? Perhaps you have practiced law or worked extensively in child welfare, family law, public interest, or the courts and are ready for a role with broader statewide impact. Our ideal candidate is a collaborative problem-solver and self-starter who enjoys program design and implementation, relationship building, and working with lawyers, students, and stakeholders. The candidate is comfortable with public speaking and excited about mentoring, training, and workforce development.

 
What the role involves

The work will vary, but will include a mix of the following:

• Designing and overseeing statewide child welfare CLE curriculum, including course sequencing, quality standards, and learning objectives.
• Coordinating and supporting statewide child welfare legal training programs, including specialized training and mock-trial components.
• Developing, producing, and maintaining child welfare and family law practice resources, including CLEs, conference programming, and other educational content.
• Planning and supporting an annual statewide child welfare legal conference for attorneys and Guardians ad Litem.
• Collaborating with the National Association of Counsel for Children and other partners to support certification of child welfare law specialists and ongoing Ohio-specific training.
• Staffing and supporting Ohio Bar committees and sections aligned with child welfare law and related practice areas, and other committees or sections as assigned.
• Serving as the Ohio Bar’s primary programmatic lead for child welfare and family law initiatives.
• Partnering with the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation (OAJF) to ensure alignment across grant deliverables, including CLE programming, conferences, and committee- or section-driven initiatives.
• Contributing to newsletters, assessments, and other documentation in support of grant performance, reporting, and accountability.
• Assisting with outcome tracking, data collection, and reporting in coordination with Ohio Bar and OAJF leadership.

 
What the Ohio Bar brings to the table

When it comes to benefits, we are proud of what we offer our employees, including:

• Competitive pay informed by triennial compensation studies.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match up to 7%.
• Comprehensive health insurance plan with annual employer HSA contribution.
• Employee wellness program.
• Hybrid work eligibility after onboarding and training.
• Paid medical leave.
• Dress-for-your-day work environment.
• Generous paid time off (28 days annually).
• Paid holidays—nine designated holidays plus two floating holidays.
• Professional development opportunities.

 
What the compensation looks like

The expected salary range for this position is $100,000–$125,000 annually. Individual compensation within this range is determined based on job-related skills, experience, and relevant education.

 
How to apply

Kindly send your résumé and salary requirements to Matt Oyster, Chief of Staff & General Counsel, Ohio State Bar Association, moyster@ohiobar.org.

**Equal Opportunity Employment Statement**

The Ohio State Bar Association is an equal opportunity employer and encourages a diverse environment. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.