POSITION: Legal Services of South Central Michigan (LSSCM) is seeking a staff attorney for its Battle Creek office. The staff attorney maintains a caseload that includes both direct service and impact work in the areas of housing, public benefits, elder, consumer and family law. The staff attorney also promotes community relations by engaging with the public and partner service providers. Our attorneys are currently working both remotely and in-person at our Battle Creek office. Requirements for in-person work may change as the courts reopen and conditions permit.
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 200 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.
QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants should be licensed to practice law in Michigan, qualified to be admitted by waiver, or able to take the next Michigan bar exam. Applicants must have a demonstrated commitment to serving low- income individuals and underserved populations through lived or learned experience. Legal aid and/or litigation experience is a plus.
BENEFITS: Salary is from $61,200 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 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. MAP is a unionized program.
TO APPLY: Submit your resume and cover letter by email to jobs@lsscm.org with “Battle Creek Staff Attorney” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
The Michigan Advocacy Program is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.