Chief Attorney — Workers’ Rights Unit

Maryland Legal Aid (MLA) seeks an innovative and experienced leader to serve as its Chief Attorney for the newly-created Workers’ Rights Unit in its Baltimore City office. The Chief Attorney will lead the training, supervision, and structure of the new Workers’ Rights Unit to ensure high-quality legal representation for low-wage workers. MLA’s workers’ rights advocacy is currently focused on eliminating barriers to employment, including criminal record expungement, inequitable child support practices and policies, and unnecessary license requirements. Maryland Legal Aid seeks a Chief Attorney who has experience in this area of law who can lead the new unit’s development to expand representation into such areas as improper garnishments, wage disputes, misclassification of workers, and worker conditions. Focused on Baltimore City clients and working with legal leadership, the Chief Attorney will also help facilitate and define this practice area expansion for all of Maryland Legal Aid. In addition to supervising and mentoring attorneys, paralegals, and administrative staff, as Chief Attorney you would play a vital role in the community as well as MLA’s organizational infrastructure, joining the Legal Department’s leadership team to help guide MLA’s work as a whole.

About MLA:

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. 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, and securing public benefits, 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.

Responsibilities:

Design and Implement the New Workers’ Rights Unit

• With the Chief and Deputy Legal and Advocacy Directors, develop and implement a vision and plan for the work and structure of the new Workers’ Rights Unit.
• Working with the Training Department, identify and address initial and ongoing staff training needs to expand the unit’s capacity to represent low-wage workers, including agricultural workers, in relevant MLA priority areas.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to ensure appropriate clients are referred to the unit.
• Develop unit goals and relevant resources, including training materials and practice manuals.

Staff Supervision and Development

• Provide positive leadership, guidance, and supervision to a unit of approximately seven staff, including staff and senior attorneys, paralegals, and administrative staff, plus periodic law clerk and volunteer support.
• Guide the professional development of staff, including co-counseling of cases, reviewing substantive legal work, providing meaningful assessments and evaluation of staff and their advocacy efforts, compliance, caseloads, and productivity.
• Conduct case reviews and assign cases to staff consistent with Maryland Legal Aid’s case acceptance guidelines.
• Oversee the administrative needs of the unit, including scheduling, maintenance, and other ad hoc projects.
• Lead hiring efforts to attract talented staff who are committed to the mission and work of MLA.
• Build a cohesive, supportive team that works well with one another, develops objectives and priorities for the unit, and maintains open communication.
• Ensure that effective, culturally responsive legal assistance is provided to low-income clients in an efficient, zealous, client-centered, and compassionate manner.
• Using data and drawing from legal issues arising from direct representation, conduct impactful advocacy designed to address systemic problems affecting individuals and communities living in poverty, with a focus on low-wage workers.
• Encourage staff engagement with the community through outreach and education.
• Ensure that staff comply with required timekeeping and grant-reporting obligations.
• Carry a limited caseload commensurate with the Chief’s expertise that accounts for managerial responsibilities for the office.

Strategy and Leadership

• Participate in officewide, statewide, and potentially national task forces and advocacy efforts.
• Develop relationships and deep knowledge of the needs of low-wage workers and the resources available to address client needs.
• Engage community leaders to create connections and enhance MLA’s reputation in the communities served.
• Cultivate effective relationships with the judiciary and private bar.
• Contribute to efforts to increase pro bono representation of clients.
• Participate in and further MLA’s strategic plan, including developing the unit’s own plans that align with the strategic plan.
• Ensure administrative and regulatory requirements are met.
• Serve on a statewide management team and strive to improve the overall quality of MLA’s service delivery throughout the state.
• Assist with the MLA’s resource development efforts, including but not limited to identifying possible funding sources, making presentations to funders, and drafting grant applications and progress reports as needed.
• Address client issues and grievances.

Qualifications:

• A law degree and admission to the Maryland Bar, either upon hire or soon after, per the requirements of Maryland’s Rule 19.
• At least three years’ experience providing direct representation in cases and issues that impact low-wage workers, with a preference for experience with wage disputes.
• At least five years’ experience in legal services and/or legal management required, seven plus years’ experience preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Command of technology, especially Microsoft Office and Legal Server or a similar case management system.
• Time management and organizational skills.
• Supervision skills, including giving and receiving feedback.
• Well-developed legal issue-spotting skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to working with the populations MLA serves and experience working in communities a plus.
• Commitment to Maryland Legal Aid’s values.
• Appellate experience, involvement in the community, and leadership experience preferred.

Commitment to Equal Opportunity:

As an equal-opportunity employer, MLA seeks to hire employees from diverse backgrounds and perspectives that are reflective of the communities we serve, including people with disabilities, people of color, women, and members of traditionally underrepresented groups.