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and if the parents' attorneys are present to hear the child's testimony, generally <br />the parents' rights are considered to be protected. <br />E. Administrative Responsibilities <br />E-1 Obligations of Agency Attorney Mana eg_rs'4 <br />1. Clarify attorney roles and expectations; <br />2. Determine and set reasonable caseloads for agency attorneys; <br />3. Develop a system for the continuity of representation; <br />4. Provide agency attorneys with training and education opportunities; <br />5. Create a brief and forms bank; <br />6. Ensure the office has quality technical and support staff; <br />7. Develop and follow a hiring practice focused on hiring highly qualified <br />candidates; <br />8. Develop and implement an attorney evaluation process; <br />9. Advocate for competitive salaries for staff attorneys; <br />10. Act as advisor, counselor and trainer for the agency; <br />11. Work actively with external entities to improve the child welfare system. <br />Commentary: In general, this section applies to attorneys in an organized office <br />setting, not one attorney government law offices or solo practitioners. <br />E-2 Fulfilling Agency Attorney Mana e~ ations <br />1. Clarify attorney roles and expectations <br />Action: The agency attorney manager, with the agency administration, should <br />clearly set expectations for the agency attorneys. This may include: <br />• written job descriptions; <br />• responsibilities concerning work with the caseworkers; and <br />• protocols for assigning tasks and delineating timeframes.ls <br />The agency attorney manager should ensure the agency attorneys perform their <br />required tasks and ensure the agency understands and performs its roles. <br />Commentary: For agency attorneys to provide the best possible representation, <br />both the attorneys and agency must understand their roles and responsibilities. <br />There should be a collaborative approach. The agency attorney manager plays a <br />key role in fostering this teamwork and clarifying each participant's obligations. <br />2. Determine and set reasonable caseloads for agency attorneys16 <br />Action: An agency attorney manager should determine reasonable caseload levels <br />for the agency attorneys and then monitor the attorneys to ensure the maximum is <br />not exceeded. Consider acaseload/workload study, review written materials about <br />19 <br />r c.-tt <br />