Staff Attorney

Maryland Legal Aid 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. Maryland Legal Aid also identifies and seeks to remedy systemic barriers. Maryland Legal Aid’s core work includes eviction and foreclosure prevention, family law, children’s rights, consumer protection, securing public benefits, and access to healthcare. Maryland Legal Aid 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.

Job Summary:

MLA announces a full-time, Family Law/Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) staff attorney position in the Montgomery County office. MLA provides representation to children in CINA matters pursuant to a contract with the state of Maryland. This hybrid Family Law/CINA position handles a wide array of legal advocacy for children in the juvenile courts and foster care system as well as adult litigants in family law cases including custody and divorce matters. The Family Law/ CINA staff attorney represents child clients in CINA cases of all ages and adult family law clients primarily before the Maryland Circuit and Appellate Courts. The attorney also engages in advocacy in other forums and ancillary proceedings, including family meetings, mediations, and IEP meetings. In CINA proceedings, the staff attorney advocates to ensure the child’s perspective, opinions, and needs are centered before the court and pursues legal outcomes consistent with the child’s wishes or best interests. The staff attends trainings as necessary to perform job duties. The staff attorney participates in Maryland Legal Aid task forces, internal and external committees, and outreach activities and clinics as directed.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Screen clients for eligibility and make referrals, as appropriate.
• 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, counter-complaints, motions, memoranda of law, and briefs.
• Request and respond to discovery requests.
• Develop case theory and strategy for the representation of clients.
• Prepare cases and represent clients during negotiations and in hearings, trials, and appeals.
• Work with various community groups as assigned by the supervisor.
• Continue professional development and education through attendance at Maryland Legal Aid sponsored training and other programs.
• Maintain case records for clients in the LegalServer case management system.
• Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the essential functions of the position.