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such studies, or look into caseload sizes in similar counties to accurately <br />determine the ideal caseload for attorneys in the office. Be sure to have a <br />consistent definition of what a "case" is - a family or a child. When assessing the <br />appropriate number of cases, remember to account for all agency attorney <br />obligations, case difficulty, the time required to thoroughly prepare a case, <br />support staff assistance, travel time, level of experience of attorneys, and available <br />time (excluding vacation, holidays, sick leave, training and other non-case-related <br />activity). If the agency attorney manager carries a caseload, the number of cases <br />should reflect the time the individual spends on management duties. <br />Commentary: High caseload is considered one of the major barriers to quality <br />representation and a source of high attorney turnover. It is essential to decide <br />what a reasonable caseload is in your jurisdiction. How attorneys define cases and <br />attorney obligations vary from place-to-place, but having a manageable caseload <br />is crucial. One study found that a caseload of 40-50 active cases is reasonable, <br />and a caseload of over 60 cases is unmanageable.l~ The standards drafting <br />committee recommended a caseload of no more than 60. <br />3. Develop a system for the continuity of representation <br />Action: The agency attorney manager should develop a case assignment system <br />that fosters ownership and involvement in the case by the agency attorney. The <br />office can have cone-attorney: one-case (vertical representation) policy in which <br />an attorney follows the case from initial filing through permanency and handles <br />all aspects of the case. Alternatively, the cases may be assigned to a group of <br />attorneys who handle all aspects of a case as a team and are all assigned to one <br />judge or one group of caseworkers. <br />Commentary: Agency attorneys can provide the best representation for the <br />agency, and therefore get the best results for children, when they know a case and <br />are invested in its outcome. Additionally, having attorneys who are assigned to <br />particular cases decreases delays because the attorney does not need to learn the <br />case each time it is scheduled for court. Rather, the attorney has the opportunity to <br />monitor action on the case between court hearings. This system also makes it <br />easier for the agency attorney manager to track how cases are handled. <br />4. Provide agency attorneys with training and education opportunities <br />Action: The agency attorney manager must ensure that each agency attorney has <br />the opportunity to participate in training and education programs. When a new <br />agency attorney is hired, the agency attorney manager should assess that <br />attorney's level of experience and readiness to handle cases. The agency attorney <br />manager should develop an internal training program during which the new <br />attorney will be paired with an experienced "attorney mentor" who will work with <br />the new attorney. The new attorney should be required to: 1) observe each type of <br />court proceeding (and mediation if available in the jurisdiction), 2) second-chair <br />20 <br />.:, <br />