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About the Organization

Maryland Legal Aid (MLA) advocates with and for Marylanders experiencing poverty to achieve equity and social justice through free civil legal services, community collaboration, and systemic change. Since 1911, Maryland Legal Aid has provided high-quality legal aid to vulnerable, low-income people and communities—helping to remedy their civil legal issues and become empowered to overcome challenges, achieve stability and independence, and reach their goals. MLA also identifies and seeks to remedy systemic barriers. MLA’s core work includes eviction and foreclosure prevention, family law, children’s rights, consumer protection, securing public benefits, and access to healthcare.

MLA advocates operate primarily through the courts, via individual representation of indigent clients, but also engage in impact litigation, public communication and outreach, and policy advocacy. Through this holistic approach, Maryland Legal Aid serves to amplify the voices of tens of thousands of economically disadvantaged and vulnerable Marylanders each year and seeks to be a leader in the legal services field nationwide.

About the Role

MLA announces an immediate opening for a full-time Supervising Attorney for the Tenant Right to Counsel Project (TRCP) in the Midwestern Maryland office in Frederick, MD. The Supervising Attorney is responsible for planning the unit’s work, implementing priorities, assigning work, hiring, supervising, and evaluating staff to assure quality legal representation. The Supervising Attorney will also carry a caseload.

The Supervising Attorney will supervise, oversee, and support the work of staff and advocates in the Midwestern office in delivering legal services, including advice and representation, outreach, and advocacy in the areas of landlord-tenant, real property, public and subsidized housing, in an efficient, client-centered, and compassionate manner.

Responsibilities

• Plan and assign the legal work of the unit in coordination with the chief. Determine case assignments and referrals for extended or pro bono representation.
• Help identify systemic issues within the unit and develop strategies to address them.
• Provide positive leadership, guidance, and supervision to a staff that currently consists of staff attorneys, paralegals, law clerks, and administrative staff in coordination with the chief.
• Monitor and supervise case handling of staff to ensure quality representation.
• Evaluate the performance of staff and make recommendations for improvement, if appropriate.
• Guide the professional development of staff, including co-counseling of cases; reviewing substantive legal work; providing meaningful assessments and evaluation of staff advocacy efforts, caseloads, and productivity; and working on appellate litigation.
• Identify and address staff training needs.
• Assist and ensure staff comply with required timekeeping and grant-reporting obligations.
• Encourage staff engagement with the community through outreach and education.
• Handle personnel matters in consultation with Executive staff, including grievances and employee disciplinary matters.
• Support hiring efforts to attract talented staff committed to the mission and work of Maryland Legal Aid.
• Assist the Chief with data collection, grant reporting and writing, and ensuring administrative and regulatory requirements are met.
• Fill in for the chief and assume their duties when they are absent for an extended period.
• Support local implementation of the Access to Counsel in Evictions efforts in Frederick, Washington, and Carroll counties.
• Participate in and lead client intake in person, online, or by phone to screen clients for case acceptance and make referrals, as appropriate.
• Attend client and community outreach initiatives.
• Represent and defend clients in Washington, Frederick, and Carroll County District and Circuit Courts.
• Maintain case records for clients in the Legal Server case management system.
• Continue professional development and education through attendance at trainings and other programs sponsored by MLA.
• Support MLA’s strategic plan in all aspects of the office’s work, including litigation and advocacy, communications, and community education.
• Represent MLA in inter-agency workgroups, task forces, and other ad hoc bodies.
• Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the essential functions of the position.