Staff Attorney; Criminal Practice - NDS Detroit

Overview

The Neighborhood Defender Service is building a community-based, client-centered, holistic public defense office in Wayne County and we invite you to join our team as we represent our clients with excellence. Building on 30 years of experience providing high quality representation, we are expanding our efforts to bring that caliber of service to the communities of Wayne County. The Criminal Defense Practice at NDS Detroit will represent residents of Wayne County who are charged with felony crimes and cannot afford a lawyer.

Clients are represented by teams composed of lawyers, investigators, social workers, client advocates, and team administrators. NDS adheres to a client-centered approach that emphasizes heightened responsiveness to clients' needs prior to arrest, during the case, and after the case concludes. NDS is committed to addressing the comprehensive legal and social service needs of clients while treating each with dignity and respect.

The Staff Attorney demonstrates a commitment to serving marginalized persons and communities and an enthusiasm for holistic defense. The ideal staff attorney is an experienced felony trial attorney who has served in a public defender office, a public interest organization, or an indigent criminal defense context.

• Embrace NDS’ philosophy of client-centered, community-based, holistic representation and provide vigorous representation with energy and enthusiasm to the residents of Wayne County.
• Engage in frequent court appearances and litigation, including arraignments, preliminary conferences & examinations, legal arguments, hearings & trials, and sentencings.
• Interview clients and their families in the office or local jails, conduct legal research, and write pre-pleading letters, motions, and pre-sentencing memoranda on behalf of clients.
• Coordinate work performed by team members (investigators, social workers, client advocates, and team administrators).
• Work with cross-practice colleagues (immigration, civil, family defense) to obtain comprehensive legal outcomes for clients.
• File motions, briefs and other related documents on a frequent, timely basis.
• Provide effective oral advocacy in negotiations, hearings, and trials in criminal cases.
• Work primarily at NDS’ main office when not in court.

• A demonstrated commitment to criminal justice, indigent defense, racial equity and social justice issues and the Wayne County communities.
• Experience representing clients in criminal cases and knowledge of criminal procedure from arraignments to appeals (preferred but not required). Candidates with trial experience, particularly as lead counsel in the most serious felony cases, are required.
• A track record of strategically guiding casework, projects and/or relationships; applying good judgment; and routinely pushing through roadblocks to achieve goals.
• Management skills and a coaching mindset.
• Doggedness and resilience combined with people and situation smarts.
• An ability to quickly build relationships across varying identities, income levels, races and ethnicities.
• A high level of organizational and administrative skills to handle a high caseload.
• Clear and effective communication skills, both orally and in writing.
• A license to practice law in Michigan or another state; and/or the capability of becoming licensed to practice law in Michigan within six months. Attorneys admitted to the Michigan Bar with experience in the criminal courts of Wayne County (and Michigan generally) are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Bi-lingual (Spanish or Arabic) attorneys are encouraged to apply.

Compensation is commensurate with experience. Full medical and dental benefits, a retirement plan with company match, robust time off perks, paid parental leave and other benefits are provided. The salary range for this position is $78,794.69–.

• 1–5 Years: $78,794.69–85,511.20
• 6–10 Years: $89,615.27–98,806.58
• 11–15 Years: $–
• 16 Years +: $ (about $1k for each additional year)

The salary, benefits, and employment policies relevant to this position are governed by the CBA between NDS and the NDS Union, part of ALAA UAW…