Independent Elder Law Attorney

Who Thrives in This Role This is not a position where you will shadow a senior attorney for months before touching a case. Our firm is small, fast-moving, and handles some of the most complex elder law matters in the state. We need an attorney who is ready to manage a caseload, make judgment calls, and solve problems independently, while having the self-awareness to ask the right questions when the stakes demand it. Our managing attorney is currently one of two Certified Elder Law Attorneys in Minnesota and carries a heavy caseload of her own. She is available for guidance, strategy discussions, and substantive questions — but she does not have the bandwidth to supervise your daily work, review every draft before it goes out, or walk you through tasks you should be able to handle on your own. If you need that level of oversight, this is not the right fit. If you thrive when you’re trusted with real responsibility and have the confidence to run with it, keep reading. The attorneys who excel here share a few things in common: they are resourceful, they possess strong legal instincts, they are comfortable being uncomfortable while learning a new practice area, and they find meaning in work that directly impacts vulnerable people and families in crisis. What the Work Looks Like Elder law sits at the intersection of estate planning, public benefits, family dynamics, litigation, and medical realities. On any given day, you might be drafting a Medicaid application strategy, preparing for an emergency guardianship hearing, negotiating a contested probate matter, advising a family on long-term care options, investigating a financial exploitation case, or appearing in court on a protective proceeding. The cases are intellectually challenging, emotionally charged, and often time-sensitive. Clients are elderly or vulnerable individuals, their families, and their caregivers — people navigating cognitive decline, exploitation, family conflict, and end-of-life decisions. These are not transactional matters. They require an attorney who can hold difficult conversations with empathy, deliver hard truths with compassion, and maintain composure when emotions run high. If you’ve handled contested family matters, worked in legal aid, or practiced in any area where the human element is as important as the legal analysis, you understand what this demands. This is a boutique firm, not a large practice with a departmental structure. You will manage your own matters from intake through resolution. You will interact directly with clients, opposing counsel, the court, and community partners. There is no buffer between you and the work. For the right attorney, that’s exactly the appeal. What We Expect From You • Independence with good judgment. You should be able to research an issue, analyze options, form a recommendation, and bring it to the managing attorney for input — not bring the question with no analysis and wait for direction. We value attorneys who think through problems before raising them, who propose solutions rather than just identifying issues, and who take ownership of their cases. • Self-directed learning. If you have not practiced elder law before, there will be a significant learning curve. That is expected. What we need is someone who will dig into the statutes, read the case law, review firm templates, study the decision trees we’ve built, and teach themselves the substance, coming to the managing attorney with targeted, informed questions rather than expecting to be taught from the ground up. You should be the kind of attorney who reads a new statute for fun. • Emotional resilience. You will hear stories about exploitation, abuse, neglect, and family breakdown. You will work with clients who are scared, confused, and sometimes dying. You need to be present for that without burning out, shutting down, or losing your professional footing. People who have worked in family law, criminal defense, legal aid, social work, or healthcare before law school tend to understand this reality. • Professional accountability. This position comes with unlimited PTO because we treat our attorneys as professionals with goals and numbers to meet, not as people who need to be monitored. That same philosophy applies to the work itself. You will have significant autonomy, and with that comes the expectation that you manage your caseload, meet your deadlines, and deliver results without being chased. If you’re the kind of attorney who thrives with that trust and accountability, this is the right environment. • Longevity. We are looking for someone who wants to build a career in elder law, not someone looking for a stepping stone. This practice area rewards depth and long-term commitment. Your value to clients and to the firm grows substantially the longer you are here. We want someone who is excited about becoming an expert in this field, not someone who will move on once they have learned the basics. What This Role Is Not This is not a training program. While we provide resources, firm templates, decision trees, and access to a certified elder law attorney for mentorship, we do not have the capacity to train a new attorney from scratch. You should arrive with strong legal research and writing skills, client management expertise, courtroom experience, and the ability to manage a caseload. The elder law substance you’ll learn as you go, but the foundational lawyering skills need to be in place. We will invest in your growth through CLEs, professional development, and ongoing collaboration, but the day-to-day learning is driven by you. What You’ll Gain You will learn a highly specialized area of law directly alongside the only certified elder law attorney in Minnesota. That level of mentorship in this practice area is exceptionally rare. You’ll develop expertise that makes you one of a very small number of attorneys in the state qualified to handle these matters — and the demand for this work far exceeds the supply of attorneys who can do it well. You’ll also have the autonomy and client contact that many associates at larger firms never experience. From day one, you are doing real work for real people in real crisis — not buried in document review. For the right attorney, this is the most professionally fulfilling work available. Position Details • Schedule: Four-day workweek, Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. • Location: In-person at our Eden Prairie, MN office to start. There is an opportunity for hybrid or remote work once you are fully acquainted with the firm and working independently. If you’re located more than 50 miles from Eden Prairie, please note your relocation plans in your cover letter. • Compensation: Base salary $65,000 - $85,000 (commensurate with experience) plus up to 15% bonus on collected receipts over base overhead/nut, paid on a recurring basis. This is a position where your effort directly impacts your earnings. Benefits • Unlimited PTO — you are a professional with goals to meet, and we trust you to manage your time accordingly • 401(k) with employer contributions once vested • Annual Minnesota license fees paid • CLEs, seminars, bar membership, and professional development — encouraged and supported • Generous firm marketing budget • Regular firm lunches, snacks, and beverages provided • Four-day workweek • Hybrid/remote flexibility once established Employment: Full-time, salaried, at-will. Responsibilities: • Prepare various legal documents, such as motions, pleadings, briefs, and correspondence • Conduct research and draft pleadings, briefs, and motions • Provide legal counsel to clients by analyzing their needs and determining a proper course of action • Oversee paralegals, law clerks, and administrative staff • Preside over paralegals, administrative assistants in connection with keeping track of time records, reviewing client billing, setting up client meetings and completing client projects • Manage a caseload of elder law matters across multiple practice areas, including estate planning, Medicaid (Medical Assistance or MA), and long-term care planning, special needs and disability planning, guardianship and conservatorship, probate administration, financial exploitation, and related litigation • Represent clients in court proceedings, including motions, hearings, trials, and emergency matters • Conduct legal research, draft pleadings, briefs, motions, correspondence, and estate planning documents • Advise clients and their families on legal options, strategy, and courses of action — often in high-emotion, time-sensitive situations • Identify conflicts, assess risk, and develop case strategies with options for resolution • Collaborate with the managing attorney on complex matters and firm strategy • Oversee and work alongside legal assistants/paralegals, law clerks, and administrative staff to manage workflow, deadlines, and client communications • Maintain accurate time records and participate in client billing processes through Clio • Participate in firm marketing, professional development, and community engagement as appropriate Qualifications: • Knowledge of Microsoft Office programs is needed • Able to work independently while handling multiple files • Candidates must currently be a member of their local bar association - active member preferred • Advanced computer skills working with legal research programs (Westlaw and Lexis) required • Decision-making, public speaking, problem-solving, interpersonal skills, and communication skills are a must Required Qualifications • Juris Doctor from an accredited law school • Licensed and in good standing to practice law in the State of Minnesota • Minimum 3 years of experience in private practice or equivalent client-facing legal work • Demonstrated ability to manage a caseload independently • Strong legal research and writing skills; proficiency with Fastcase vLex (or Westlaw and/or Lexis) • Courtroom experience — you should be comfortable on your feet in front of a judge • Proficiency with Microsoft Office; comfort learning cloud-based practice management software (Clio) • Active membership in local or state bar association(s) • Notary Public Commission Preferred Experience • 3+ years of experience in one or more of the following areas will set you apart: • Elder law (long-term care planning, asset protection, Medicaid planning) • Estate planning and tax planning/trusts/probate avoidance • Special needs and disability planning • Probate and estate administration • Guardianship and conservatorship — particularly emergency matters • Financial exploitation cases • Probate, trust, estate, or contested guardianship/conservatorship litigation • Residential real estate transactions • Accounting related to protective proceedings or probate The Right Attorney for This Role • Is resourceful and self-directed — researches before asking, proposes solutions rather than just questions • Has strong emotional intelligence and can navigate difficult conversations with clients and families • Communicates directly and practices radical candor — gives and receives honest feedback • Is detail-oriented and takes pride in the quality of their work product • Wants to specialize and go deep in elder law, not use this as a layover • Can switch gears multiple times a day without losing focus or composure • Values integrity above all else • Has a sense of humor — this work is heavy, and we need to be able to laugh Compensation: $65,000 - $85,000 yearly • Manage a caseload of elder law matters across multiple practice areas, including estate planning, Medicaid (Medical Assistance or MA), and long-term care planning, special needs and disability planning, guardianship and conservatorship, probate administration, financial exploitation, and related litigation • Represent clients in court proceedings, including motions, hearings, trials, and emergency matters • Conduct legal research, draft pleadings, briefs, motions, correspondence, and estate planning documents • Advise clients and their families on legal options, strategy, and courses of action — often in high-emotion, time-sensitive situations • Identify conflicts, assess risk, and develop case strategies with options for resolution • Collaborate with the managing attorney on complex matters and firm strategy • Oversee and work alongside legal assistants/paralegals, law clerks, and administrative staff to manage workflow, deadlines, and client communications • Maintain accurate time records and participate in client billing processes through Clio • Participate in firm marketing, professional development, and community engagement as appropriate Compensation: $65,000-$85,000 per year #J-18808-Ljbffr Sauber Legal Services LLC