Staff Attorney

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.

Job Summary

MLA announces an immediate opening for a housing attorney working primarily under the Access to Counsel -Tenant Right to Counsel grant, located in Rockville, MD. 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. Staff attorneys will need to litigate before all state courts and administrative bodies. This position handles housing-related legal matters, including all casework functions, from initial intake through representation of clients in all relevant courts and proceedings.

In addition, Housing Attorneys throughout MLA meet regularly through the Housing Law Task Force and with other housing-focused legal services organizations to learn and work on housing issues that affect low-income Marylanders. Tasks assigned to staff attorneys may include any or all of, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Screen clients for case acceptance and make referrals, as appropriate.
• Represent and defend clients in Montgomery District and Circuit Courts.
• Represent clients in Housing Law matters.
• Conduct preliminary and subsequent interviews with clients.
• Conduct factual investigation and analysis as well as legal research.
• Advise clients of the results of the 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.
• Maintain case records for clients in the Legal Server case management system.
• 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.
• Participate in outreach activities in the community as appropriate.
• Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the essential functions of the position.