Staff Attorney - Litigation - SSI

Job Description

Job Description

General Responsibilities

Litigation Staff Attorneys provide comprehensive civil legal services to eligible clients in civil cases in accordance with Lakeshore Legal Aid eligibility guidelines, case priorities, Advocacy Manual, all administrative policies, and the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct. Staff Attorneys treat clients, co-workers, and all others who interact with Lakeshore Legal Aid with dignity and respect.

Position Overview

Lakeshore is seeking an attorney to manage a case load that will specifically handle Social Security disability cases involving SSI and SSDI claims.  Staff Attorney(s) in this role will be responsible for handling clients in the following stages: initial applications; requests for reconsideration; hearings before the Administrative Law Judge; and claims pending at the Appeals Council.  The Staff Attorney will also handle overpayment cases and child SSI cases.  The Staff Attorney may occasionally have to go to the local Social Security field offices to assist a client with a case. The Staff Attorney will have cases within the Metro Detroit area. No previous experience in social security disability law is needed, training will be provided.

Qualifications:

• Graduated from an accredited law school.
• Admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan, or an application at the first opportunity for admission by reciprocity, or by taking the first available bar exam.
• Demonstrated interest in the area of poverty law and working with low-income individuals. Able to be empathetic and understand the diverse clients of the poverty community.
• Ability to deal effectively with all people under difficult circumstances.
• Demonstrable skills in litigation, advocacy, interviewing, and drafting legal documents.
• Understand and comply with the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct.
• Dependable transportation for travel to intake sites, hearings, meetings and trainings.
• Experience or aptitude working with appropriate office technology, including telephone systems, copiers, word processing, report generation software, internet research, client database, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and organize multiple tasks.
• Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.

General Task Areas

• Provide timely civil legal services to low-income and senior clients and client groups through representation in trial courts, appellate courts and other forums, through litigation, advice, negotiation, drafting and review of legal documents, referrals and administrative advocacy.
• Serve the clients in a holistic and client centered manner and engage in community lawyering through a racial justice lens.
• Update manuals and resource materials.
• Develop an expertise in one or more areas of law, if required.
• Promote and maintain civil and professional relationships with coworkers, clients, members of the judicial system, and members of the public with whom they have contact, treating all with dignity and respect.
• Train or mentor other staff in areas of experience.
• Assist other staff.
• Maintain currency of legal developments in poverty law.
• Assist in identifying substantial poverty problems affecting individual clients or the client communities.
• Understand and utilize office equipment and technology as required. Understand and use software programs necessary to generate required documents and reports. Ability to learn and use new or updated equipment and software as required.
• Follow Lakeshore Legal Aid policies particularly as they relate to file maintenance, case handling, document production, storage, report preparation, and time keeping.
• Communicate and establish contacts with court, community agencies, local and state bar associations, and local client groups as appropriate. Act as a resource to such groups when appropriate.
• Comply with funding requirements in the employee’s own work.
• Participate in groups, taskforces, or associations whose activities substantially affect Lakeshore Legal Aid’s work and the legal rights of low-income persons.
• Create and/or deliver presentations to community groups on legal services related topics.
• Timely complete and submit all work-related forms and reports required by a supervisor.
• Participate in training as appropriate and required by a supervisor.
• Participate in office-defined or program-defined impact projects.
• Develop continuing expertise to handle increasingly complex litigation or other projects.
• Perform other work-related duties as assigned by the supervising attorney, a director, CEO, or a CEO designee.

Compensation and Benefits

• Industry-leading employer-sponsored healthcare package
• Generous paid time off
• Paid Holiday
• Hybrid Remote Work Schedule

** Do not delay. Applications are accepted until July 15, 2026, or until the position is filled. **