Supervising Attorney
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.
About the role
The Supervising Attorney is assigned to a unit or office to assist the Chief Attorney in managing the office and/or a specialized unit. The Supervising Attorney is responsible, with the Chief Attorney, for planning the work of the office/unit, implementing the priorities, assigning work, hiring, supervising, and evaluating staff to ensure high-quality legal representation.
Responsibilities
- Plan and assign the legal work of the office/unit in consultation with the Chief Attorney.
- Develop and evaluate strategies to accomplish the work of the office/unit.
- Supervise attorneys and paralegals, and, where applicable, manage clerical employees.
- Monitor substantive legal work and provide consultation and advice to staff attorneys and paralegals.
- Represent clients by maintaining a caseload and co-counseling with staff attorneys.
- Assign cases and tasks to the attorney(s)/paralegal(s).
- Implement a case management system for the supervisees.
- Monitor and supervise case handling of persons supervised and direct appropriate action to ensure quality representation.
- Develop a leadership role in legal services organizations, bar associations, and community groups.
- Identify, develop, and implement advocacy strategies for systemic legal problems.
- Ensure grant compliance and prepare and draft required grant funder reports.
- Screen and interview candidates for employment and effectively recommend hiring decisions.
- Train, coach, and develop staff.
- Assume the duties of the Chief Attorney when the Chief Attorney is absent for any reason.
- Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the position's essential functions.
Requirements
- Admitted to practice in the State of Maryland or admitted in another jurisdiction and eligible for admission in the State of Maryland. Out-of-State attorneys must be able and available to take the next scheduled bar exam following the date of employment.
- Federally Barred Attorneys are desirable.
- Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
- Knowledge of principles of civil law, judicial procedures, and rules of evidence.
- Excellent research, critical thinking, writing, and communication skills.
- Ability to provide quality legal advocacy and representation for low-income, diverse client base.
- Prior experience and/or interest in public-interest litigation or providing nonprofit legal services is a plus.
- Prior experience in family law, consumer, and public benefits law preferred.
Cover letter and writing sample required of all applicants. References will be required at the time of the final interview.
Pay
The current salary range is $96,000 - $110,000.
Benefits
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Life insurance
- 401(k)-retirement plan with employer contributions
- 2 weeks paid time off
- Sick leave
- 14 annual paid holidays
- Hybrid work arrangement