Associate Attorney

Responsibilities

• Conducting client intake, including completion of all necessary forms for clients.
• Serving clients who may need various legal assistance, including tax-foreclosure-prevention counseling, mortgage-foreclosure-prevention counseling, landlord-tenant and eviction-prevention assistance, and land-contract counseling.
• Providing court representation, which may include physical and remote appearances in state and federal courts and related administrative proceedings, in addition to preparing pleadings.
• Maintaining client confidentiality under all circumstances.
• Interacting with other staff to advise on and facilitate executing 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.
• Performing other duties as assigned by the Executive Director or the Director of Legal Services.

Requirements

• A J.D. from an accredited law school is required.
• Admission to the bar is not required initially; however, candidates must pass the bar exam and obtain their license within one year of hire.
• Associate Attorneys will work under the supervision of a licensed attorney.

Qualifications

• Experience in housing law and civil litigation preferred.
• 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 the application of legal standards.

Skills

• Excellent writing, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Sound legal judgment and the ability to think creatively.
• The ability to quickly grasp legal issues and factual claims.
• A compassionate and detail-oriented approach.
• The ability to work well with various people, including clients and colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
• The ability to meet deadlines and manage caseloads effectively.

Benefits

• Competitive starting salary with room for advancement.
• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, long-term disability, and group life.
• A generous PTO program.
• A generous holiday program.
• A focus on work/life balance.

About the Role

The United Community Housing Coalition (UCHC) is a nonprofit comprehensive housing assistance organization that has provided various housing-related services to Detroit's low-income residents since 1973. UCHC has worked with tenants, homesteaders, homeowners, the homeless, and community organizations rebuilding neighborhoods and providing affordable housing, religious, civil rights, labor, and housing advocacy organizations to improve, preserve, and expand affordable housing opportunities for low-income Detroiters. Because of its long history and significant expertise as a comprehensive housing services provider in Michigan, UCHC is frequently asked to advise other organizations in communities across southeast Michigan. All services are provided to income-eligible families and individuals free of charge.