Street Democracy - Staff Attorney - Detroit

Michigan Poverty Law Program; Detroit (MI); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mostly remote work

Scheduled in-office meetings

Job summary

Street Democracy in Detroit seeks a Staff Attorney to assist homeless clients with a range of legal issues, from housing to family law. The role emphasizes client-centered service, advocacy, and reform work.

The successful candidate will have a JD and at least 1 year of legal aid or pro bono experience, with strong research and drafting abilities. The position blends remote work with scheduled in-office collaboration.

Qualifications

• JD required; Michigan bar admission or eligibility.
• 1+ year of legal aid or pro bono experience preferred.
• Ability to work independently, manage a diverse caseload, and draft legal documents.

Responsibilities

• Provide 80% time assisting homeless clients with legal issues affecting housing stability.
• Conduct comprehensive screenings and handle traffic, civil, misdemeanors, landlord-tenant, child support, divorce, and debt relief cases.
• Contribute to poverty-related legal reform projects, including impact litigation and legislation.

Skills

Legal research

Litigation

Client advocacy

Self-direction

Education

J.D. degree

Job description

Street Democracy - Staff Attorney - Detroit

About Street Democracy

Street Democracy is a small group of justice architects. We use our legal skills to transform the systems that perpetuate poverty into systems of opportunity. We are experts in poverty law, compassion, and client service with a deep belief in the importance of grassroots and community lawyering. Our staff have diverse skills and backgrounds and are encouraged to use out-of-the-box thinking to help people in poverty.

Why Join Us?

Because we are unique. And also, fun. And flexible. We know what we do is heavy and serious, but that doesn’t mean our office has to be. We all believe deeply in the importance and power of the rule of law and your right to have a life outside of it. Whether you need to flex your time for childcare or pickleball--we are ok with it, as long as the work gets done. We ARE not part of your standard non-profit industrial complex, but our pay is on par with a “law office for the poor.” Also, we do not take funding with restrictions on the work you can do, such as traditional State or Federal legal aid funding; we have more freedom to use the law to do what is right.

We are also committed and seasoned non-profit professionals with an average of 18 years of legal experience in various roles and capacities. Our staff have already been organizers, senior attorneys, executive directors, and the members of local and national organizational boards, and have argued before the Sixth Circuit; now we just want to use the law to do good, where we are for as long as we are able. We are also not afraid and understand that silence in the face of injustice is never the answer.

Whether you are a new attorney or a seasoned professional, if you are interested in public interest law and want to be free to do essential and critical work, we are the place for you.

What would you be doing?

As a staff attorney, you'll spend 80% of your time helping homeless folks resolve legal issues that affect their ability to be stably housed. You'll conduct a comprehensive legal screening ("check-up") and handle the traffic, civil, and misdemeanors; landlord-tenant issues; child support and divorce; and debt relief issues that you identify. The remaining 20% of your time will be devoted to poverty-related legal reform projects, including impact litigation and legislation. This will include:

• Give your clients white-glove, holistic legal services- appear in court and be able to identify and litigate novel issues.
• Be responsive to community partners and be part of the community of advocates serving our clients
• Craft and self-direct your legal reform project
• Pitch in whenever and wherever you are needed

What Qualifications are you looking for?

• Have a JD, and be able to practice law in Michigan
• Have 1+ years of legal aid or pro bono experience (student & pro bono clinics count)
• Be passionate about the work and understand that each casefile represents a person, not a number
• Be self-directed, comfortable with research, and able to work multiple types of cases, including doing your own issue spotting, research, and drafting.
• Be able to take advantage of a flexible work environment but self-disciplined enough to keep an up-to-date calendar and get the work done ( off in the morning to sell bagels for the PTA- cool but don’t miss the discovery cut off)

What is the Pay & Office Like?

Pay and benefits are in line with legal services salaries and commensurate with experience. Dress code is informal unless you need to appear in court. Most work is remote, with specific, scheduled in-office meeting times for case discussion and collaboration.

What about DEIA?

We strongly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, people with past involvement in the justice system, and people with experience with poverty to apply. This is more than a generic policy statement, as 83% of our board and staff have multiple identities, and all of us have at least one.