Staff Attorney

Michigan Legal Services Inc; Detroit (MI); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An established nonprofit organization is seeking a dedicated Staff Attorney to join its mission of advocating for low-income communities. This role offers the opportunity to engage in meaningful legal work, including client representation in housing and civil matters, while collaborating with a passionate team. The ideal candidate will possess strong legal judgment, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. If you are driven by a commitment to social justice and looking to make a real impact, this position is perfect for you.

Benefits

Dental insurance

Flexible schedule

Health insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Parental leave

Professional development assistance

Vision insurance

STD/LTD Insurance

401K Plan

Qualifications

• J.D. required, admitted to practice in Michigan or applying for reciprocity.
• 1+ years experience in law, preferably in housing law and civil litigation.

Responsibilities

• Conduct client intake and provide various types of legal assistance.
• Represent clients in court and prepare legal documents.
• Maintain client confidentiality and collaborate with staff.

Skills

Excellent writing skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Self-motivation

Interpersonal skills

Ability to evaluate evidence

Ability to apply legal standards

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

Join to apply for the Staff Attorney role 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 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.

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.

Work Location:

• Hybrid in Detroit, MI 48201.

MLS values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.

Seniority level

• Entry level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Legal

Industries

• Law Practice