POSITION: Family Law Project (FLP) is seeking a Managing Attorney for its downtown Ypsilanti office. FLP serves survivors of domestic violence and intimate partner violence in Washtenaw County and is a division of the Michigan Advocacy Program.
DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM: Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP) works to advance the safety, independence, and economic stability of those most affected by poverty, racism, and other structurally oppressive systems by increasing access to justice and working for systemic solutions. MAP has provided civil legal aid for those unable to afford an attorney for more than 50 years. Today, MAP’s Legal Services of South Central Michigan (LSSCM) has five legal aid offices in south and central Michigan serving 13 counties with an emphasis on homelessness prevention, domestic violence and elder abuse prevention, and assistance in accessing health care, food, and needs-based income programs. In addition to LSSCM, MAP manages six statewide programs serving immigrant communities (Michigan Immigrant Rights Center), vulnerable older adults (Michigan Elder Justice Initiative), victims of domestic violence and elder abuse (Crime Victims Legal Assistance Program), migrant and seasonal farmworkers (Farmworker Legal Services), providing research and training support to all legal aid advocates (Michigan Poverty Law Program), and providing access to legal information to self-represented litigants (Michigan Legal Help Program). MAP has a staff of about 200 people in offices in Battle Creek, Detroit, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Monroe, and Ypsilanti. Visit lsscm.org and miadvocacy.org for more information.
RESPONSIBILITIES: The managing attorney supervises the legal work of the office including systemic advocacy, community legal education, client intake, and outreach; assists in grant administration and other fundraising; and directs the administrative work of the FLP office. The FLP office includes 3 staff attorneys and is supported by a team of law students through several projects at the University of Michigan Law School. The managing attorney is responsible for training and supervising law students who assist in all aspects of the work of the office.
QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must be licensed to practice law in Michigan or be eligible to waive in. Supervisory experience as well as experience with civil legal aid casework is preferred. Applicants must have a demonstrated commitment to serving low-income or other underserved populations and 3+ years of experience practicing law.
BENEFITS: Salary starts at $64,000 if all qualifications are met, depending on experience, and includes excellent benefits. MAP offers a generous benefits package including life, short and long term disability, health, vision, dental and flexible spending accounts. If an applicant does not require health benefits, they have the option to take an annual $1,500 payout in addition to the base salary paid over the course of the year. MAP also has a generous leave policy allowing staff to accrue 3 weeks paid vacation the first year and 13 paid holidays, as well as an annual 2% contribution and 2% match to retirement plan subject to board approval for eligible staff. MAP is a qualifying employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
TO APPLY: Send resume and cover letter to jobs@lsscm.org with “FLP Managing Attorney” in the subject line. Applications received by 5/31/22 will receive priority.
The Michigan Advocacy Program is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.