Staff Attorney - Housing & Consumer Law

Legal Aid Bureau•Baltimore, MD

1d•$76,812 - $118,565•Hybrid

About The Position

Maryland Legal Aid (MLA) advocates with and for Marylanders experiencing poverty to achieve equity and social justice through free civil legal services, community collaboration, and systemic change. Since 1911, Maryland Legal Aid has provided high-quality legal aid to vulnerable, low-income people and communities – helping to remedy their civil legal issues and become empowered to overcome challenges, achieve stability and independence, and reach their goals. MLA also identifies and seeks to remedy systemic barriers. MLA’s core work includes eviction and foreclosure prevention, family law, children’s rights, consumer protection, securing public benefits, and access to healthcare. MLA advocates operate primarily through the courts, via individual representation of indigent clients, but also engage in impact litigation, public communication and outreach, and policy advocacy. Through this holistic approach, Maryland Legal Aid serves to amplify the voices of tens of thousands of economically disadvantaged and vulnerable Marylanders each year and seeks to be a leader in the legal services field nationwide. MLA announces an immediate opening for one staff attorney in the Housing and Consumer Law unit located in Baltimore, MD. This position handles housing and consumer-related legal matters including all functions related to casework, from initial intake through representation of clients in all relevant courts and proceedings. Staff attorneys will be expected to work with other attorneys, law graduates, law clerks, legal assistants, paralegals, social workers, and students on cases or projects. They must maintain all case files in accordance with MLA standards. The Baltimore City Housing and Consumer Law Unit handles the following types of cases: Landlord Tenant, Subsidized Housing, Failure to Pay Rent, Tenant Holding Over, Breach of Lease, litigation before administrative agencies, Collection and Debt Defense, Bankruptcy- Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, Contracts/Warranties, Tax Sales, Mortgage Foreclosures Defense, Debt Collection Defense, Student Loan Collection, Repossessions and Preservation of Homeownership for Senior Citizens in Baltimore. In addition, Housing and Consumer Law Attorneys throughout MLA meet regularly through the Housing Law Task Force and the Consumer Law Task Force and with other housing or consumer-focused legal services organizations to learn and work on income and housing issues that affect low-income Marylanders.

Requirements

Admitted to practice in the State of Maryland, or admitted in another jurisdiction and eligible for admission in the State of Maryland.
Out-of-state attorneys must be able and available to take the next scheduled bar exam following the date of employment.

Nice To Haves

Federally Barred Attorneys are desirable.
Spanish language proficiency is desirable.

Responsibilities

Screen clients for case acceptance and make referrals, as appropriate.
Represent and Defend clients in Baltimore City District and Circuit Court and the Federal Bankruptcy Court.
Represent Client in Landlord-Tenant Matters
Represent clients in Consumer Law matters.
Conduct preliminary and subsequent interviews with clients.
Conduct factual investigation and analysis as well as legal research.
Advise clients of results of investigation and research and counsel clients regarding their options.
Draft pleadings to include complaints, answers, memoranda of law, briefs, etc. as assigned by supervisors and chiefs.
Develop case theory and strategy for the representation of clients.
Prepare cases and represent clients during negotiations and in hearings, trials, and appeals
Continue professional development and education through attendance at trainings and other programs sponsored by the MLA.
Maintain case records for clients in the Legal Server case management system.
Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the essential functions of the position.