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About The Position
The Maryland Center for Legal Assistance (MCLA) is dedicated to expanding access to justice by offering free, compassionate, innovative, and high-quality legal services. They empower individuals to navigate the civil legal system through comprehensive legal advice, education, and community collaboration. MCLA operates Court Help Centers across Maryland, under contract with the Maryland Judiciary, providing legal advice to civil litigants in various formats including in-person, phone, chat, email, and videoconference. These centers address a broad spectrum of civil legal matters such as landlord-tenant disputes, consumer issues (debt collection, credit card cases), child support, and criminal record expungements to aid in securing housing, employment, and child custody. MCLA is seeking a full-time Staff Attorney for an immediate opening in the District Court Help Center. While the home base is in Catonsville, MD, this is a floating position requiring travel to all MCLA offices as needed. The successful candidate will be expected to manage a diverse range of duties efficiently.
Requirements
- Admitted to practice in the State of Maryland.
- One year or more of civil litigation experience and clinical or clerkship experience will be considered.
- Ability to conduct rapid legal research using Westlaw.
- Strong customer service skills, including the ability to empathize and assist people who are distressed.
- Ability to communicate complex legal concepts in simple terms.
- Ability to travel to different offices on short notice.
Nice To Haves
- Fluency in Spanish and American Sign Language strongly preferred.
Responsibilities
- Provide brief legal advice and information to self-represented litigants in connection with civil legal issues, including Landlord and Tenant Matters, Civil Claims, Expungement and Shielding of Records, Consumer Matters, Return of Property, Domestic Violence/Peace Orders, Family Law, and Foreclosure.
- Assist self-represented litigants in drafting their pleadings and motions, preparing for trial, completing court forms, and understanding court documents and the law.
- Provide referrals to appropriate legal service organizations, agencies, and lawyer referral services wherever appropriate.
- Local travel as needed between our various offices.
- Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the position’s essential functions.
Benefits
- The current salary range for the staff attorney position is $76,812.00 – $118,565.00.
- Staff attorneys will be paid by MCLA’s Workers Union’s current salary scale, which is subject to revision annually through collective bargaining negotiations.
- The salary for an attorney with one (1) year of experience is $77,966.
- The salary for an attorney with three (3) years of experience is $80,273.
- The salary for an attorney with five (5) years of experience is $82,580.
- MCLA provides employees with a generous benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, life insurance, a 401(k)-retirement plan, two weeks paid time off, sick leave, 14 annual paid holidays, and more.
