POSITION: Legal Services of South Central Michigan (LSSCM) is seeking two full-time Legal Assistants to support our legal teams in Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston, Shiawassee, and Washtenaw Counties. The Legal Assistants will provide phone support for our landlord-tenant intake system, in order to increase tenants’ access to justice, with the aim of reducing the housing inequities caused by poverty, racism, and a legal system where the quality of advocacy depends on one’s financial resources. The positions are fully remote but will require some initial training in-office that involves travel to our office(s) in Lansing and Ypsilanti. Applicants must reside in the state of Michigan. Both legal assistant positions are a six month contract with the possibility of extension depending on funding.
DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM: Michigan Advocacy Program’s mission is 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) helps individuals and families achieve safety, stability, and economic security by providing free civil legal services 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), survivors of domestic violence and elder abuse (Crime Victims Legal Assistance Program), and providing access to legal information to self-represented litigants (Michigan Legal Help Program). MAP has a staff of about 220 people in offices in Battle Creek, Detroit, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Monroe, and Ypsilanti. Visit www.miadvocacy.org and www.lsscm.org for more information.
RESPONSIBILITIES: The Legal Assistant will conduct screening and intake on landlord-tenant matters. Under the supervision of an attorney, they will answer questions and make appropriate referrals, draft documents including advice letters, pleadings, and miscellaneous correspondence, and provide attorney casework support.
QUALIFICATIONS: High school diploma or equivalent professional experience or training is required. The ideal candidate must be able to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with people from a wide range of backgrounds, and must demonstrate a commitment to serving low-income and underserved communities with patience, empathy, and sensitivity. Relevant life experience is a plus. The applicant must have strong interpersonal, organizational, time-management, and computer skills. The applicant must also be motivated and a self-starter, able to work efficiently and productively in a remote environment. Top candidates will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the civil legal system, especially as it affects our clients, and share our goal of using legal advocacy to effect systemic change. Bilingual fluency is a plus but not required.
BENEFITS: Starting salary is from $44,196 depending on experience. 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 15 paid holidays, as well as a 401K retirement plan including employer match for eligible staff after 6 months of employment. MAP is a qualifying employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
TO APPLY: Please complete this application and submit your resume and cover letter. You can also access the application by copying and pasting the following web address into your browser: https://miadvocacy.bamboohr.com/careers/119. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.
The Michigan Advocacy Program is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.