POSITION: The Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP) is seeking a Pro Bono Project Paralegal to oversee MAP’s new volunteer Legal Navigator program. The Legal Navigator program will be housed under MAP’s Pro Bono Expungement project, an initiative designed to help eligible low-income Michiganders clear their criminal records and gain access to better jobs, housing, and public benefits. During the expungement process, many of the hurdles faced by our clients are administrative in nature, not legal. The Legal Navigator program will build administrative capacity by engaging non-attorney volunteers within MAP’s thirteen county service area, to assist attorneys with essential administrative tasks. The Pro Bono Project Paralegal will assist the Pro Bono Manager and Administrator with recruiting, training, evaluating, and supporting a new team of Legal Navigator volunteers. The paralegal will play a key role in ensuring that volunteers deliver effective quality assistance to clients, providing training and support for volunteers. They will serve as the point of contact for each Legal Navigator volunteer, answering questions, addressing concerns, and guiding volunteers in their work. This position is a two-year contract.
DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM: LSSCM has served low-income residents of south central Michigan for more than 50 years. 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. We are the Legal Services Corporation and state-funded civil legal aid provider in southern and central Michigan, covering 13 counties. LSSCM is a program of Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP). 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), providing access to legal information to self-represented litigants (Michigan Legal Help Program), and providing case support and training for all the legal services providers in Michigan (Michigan Poverty Law Program). MAP has a staff of about 200 people in offices in Battle Creek, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Monroe, and Ypsilanti. Visit lsscm.org and miadvocacy.org for more information.
RESPONSIBILITES: Responsibilities include coordinating and managing legal navigator volunteers, ensuring connection between navigators and clients, tracking case progress, answering navigator and client questions regarding the program, assisting with the collection of documents and preparation of applications to complete packets for filing, and additional related tasks and projects as needed.
QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must have excellent communication skills in this position. An Associate’s Degree or commensurate educational and professional experience is required, Paralegal degree preferred. Candidates must be detail-oriented with strong organizational and computer skills. Preference will be given to candidates with a demonstrated commitment to serving low-income individuals and underserved populations.
BENEFITS: This is a full-time position with a salary starting at $37,000 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: Please submit your resume and cover letter by email to jobs@lsscm.org with “Pro Bono Project Paralegal” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
LSSCM is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Minorities, persons with disabilities, and women are encouraged to apply.