What are the responsibilities and job description for the Staff Attorney position at Michigan Legal Services?
Agency Overview:
The Michigan Legal Services mission is to engage and advocate for public policies that address and remedy root causes of poverty and fulfill essential human needs for families.
Michigan Legal Services is a nonprofit legal services organization dedicated to eliminating systemic causes of poverty in the areas of housing, health, public benefits, and community economic development through impact-oriented legal services and support for community organizations engaged in efforts to rebuild low-income communities. Michigan Legal Services has been serving low-income communities across the state for nearly thirty years. For the past decade, it has focused its efforts in the metropolitan Detroit area.
Job description:
The Michigan Legal Services mission is to engage and advocate for public policies that address and remedy root causes of poverty and fulfill essential human needs for families.
Michigan Legal Services is a nonprofit legal services organization dedicated to eliminating systemic causes of poverty in the areas of housing, health, public benefits, and community economic development through impact-oriented legal services and support for community organizations engaged in efforts to rebuild low-income communities. Michigan Legal Services has been serving low-income communities across the state for nearly thirty years. For the past decade, it has focused its efforts in the metropolitan Detroit area.
Job description:
The staff attorney will work under the direction of the Executive Director of Michigan Legal Services. The ideal staff attorney will have excellent writing, communication, and problem-solving skills. They will be able to work both independently and collaboratively and thrive in a fast-paced environment. The staff attorney will possess sound legal judgment, have the ability to think creatively, be able to quickly grasp legal issues and factual claims, and be compassionate and detail oriented.
Reasonable Accommodations Statement:
To accomplish this job, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
To accomplish this job, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Essential Functions:
- Conducting client intake including completion of all necessary forms for clients.
- Serving clients who will potentially need a variety of types of legal assistance including, but not limited to, Tax Foreclosure Prevention counseling, Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention counseling, Landlord-Tenant counseling and Eviction Prevention assistance, and Land Contract counseling.
- Providing Court Representation which may include physical as well as remote appearances in the state and federal courts and related administrative proceedings, in addition to the preparation of pleadings.
- Maintaining client confidentiality under all circumstances.
- Interacting with other staff to advise on and/or facilitate the execution of the organization's programmatic and/or operational initiatives.
- Drafting and filing legal documents with the appropriate government agencies.
- Collecting and tracking necessary documents for client service and reporting.
- Drafting correspondence to clients and government agencies.
- Participating in various organization staff meetings.
- Providing other assistance that may be necessary to further the goals of the program or the organization.
- The attorney will represent clients in court or at virtual hearings as determined by the Court and by MLS, and also will work at the MLS office.
- Performing other duties as assigned by the Executive Director of Michigan Legal Services.
Job Requirements
- J.D. from an accredited law school and admitted to practice in the State of Michigan, or an application at the first opportunity for admission by reciprocity, or by taking the first available bar exam.
- At least one year’s experience in the practice of law, experience in housing law and civil litigation preferred.
- Ability to be self-motivated and to work independently.
- Ability to evaluate evidence and determine whether legal standards have been met.
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
- Ability to apply legal standards to factual situations.
- Ability to guide non-lawyers with application of legal standards.
Benefits:
- Dental insurance.
- Flexible schedule.
- Health insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Paid time off.
- Parental leave.
- Professional development assistance.
- Vision insurance.
- STD/LTD Insurance
- 401K Plan
Schedule:
- M-F with hybrid work schedule.
Education:
- J.D. from an accredited law school and admitted to practice in the State of Michigan, or an application at the first opportunity for admission by reciprocity, or by taking the first available bar exam.
Work Location:
- Hybrid in Detroit, MI 48201.
MLS values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.
Salary : $60,000
Staff Attorney (11 vacancies and to establish a list)
THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF MICHIGAN -
Detroit, MI
Staff Attorney (Criminal Practice) - NDS Detroit
Neighborhood Defender Service Inc -
Detroit, MI
Entry-Level Staff Attorney - NDS Detroit
Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem -
Detroit, MI