Litigation Attorney

Join Our Esteemed Team at Michael J. Smith and Associates, PLLC

Join one of Michigan's most respected boutique law firms, Michael J. Smith and Associates, PLLC. We specialize in diverse legal areas, including Criminal and family law. We seek a dedicated attorney who can seamlessly integrate into our team and manage a substantial client load while contributing to our ongoing success.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Acclimate to ongoing cases and client needs, ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining the highest level of client service.
• Demonstrate adaptability and problem-solving skills to handle the dynamic nature of the current caseload.
• Interview new clients and meet with existing clients to provide legal advice.
• Perform legal research to determine how the facts of a case interact with current law.
• Conduct case research by taking depositions, attending site inspections, and engaging in discovery—exchanging information pertinent to a case from both parties to the action.
• Argue motions and attend other pretrial court appearances before a judge.
• Argue trials at state and local levels.
• Draft legal documents, including pleadings, discovery, motions, briefs, contracts, and wills.
• Follow up after a court decision has been handed down or a settlement has been reached, ensuring that all parties to the action do what they've been committed or ordered to do.

Required Skills & Competencies:

• Quick adaptability: Ability to understand and manage existing cases efficiently.
• Proactive approach: Initiative in managing and progressing cases effectively.
• Capacity for rapid learning and integration into the team.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills: Many cases are won or lost based on written submissions to the court before a lawyer ever appears in front of a judge. Strong oral skills are required for court appearances.
• Analytical skills: Ability to determine if a case is winnable from the start and advise clients accordingly.
• Empathy and compassion: Clients are coming to you because they have a problem they need you to sort out. Rarely are you meeting them at the best times of their lives.
• Honesty and trustworthiness: Lawyers must also follow strict ethical guidelines and client confidentiality rules.
• Nerves of steel: An attorney must remain unflappable when things go wrong in court in front of a critical audience—and they sometimes will.
• Critical thinking skills: Ability to identify problems, come up with solutions, and choose and implement the best one.
• Research skills: Much of this profession requires the ability to isolate and identify pertinent information.
• Excellent public speaking skills.
• Adaptability and attention to detail.
• Ability to work on a case independently.
• Ability to work with a team of attorneys to develop strategies for a case.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $90,000.00 - $110,000.00 annually, commensurate with experience and skills. Also included are certain retiner and performance bonuses.

Benefits: The employer covers 100% of the cost for Major Medical, Dental, and Vision with a considerable 401(k) match.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $90,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental Insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 10-hour shift
• 8-hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• On call
• Weekends as needed

Experience:

• Criminal defense law: 5 years (Required)

Work Location: In person