Supervising Attorney - Intake

The Baltimore City Intake Services Unit of Maryland Legal Aid announces an immediate opening for a full-time supervising attorney to qualified applicants.

Essential Functions: The Intake supervisor assists in supervising the Intake Unit in Baltimore City. The Intake supervisor is responsible, in conjunction with the Chief, for planning and scheduling the work of the unit, supervising the walk-in intake and referral services, implementing priorities, assigning work, hiring, training and evaluating staff to ensure high quality client services. Specifically, the intake supervisor will:

1. Ensure that effective, client-centered, and compassionate legal assistance is provided to low-income clients that call or walk into the Baltimore city office, including developing and evaluating new and innovative ways to serve clients;
2. Manage day-to-day operations of walk-in intake, including supervision of the lobby, reviewing intake sheets and triaging cases and maintaining an emergency schedule that will ensure that services are available for clients who seek assistance with time-sensitive matters outside of scheduled intake hours;
3. Possess a working expertise of poverty law, including, but not limited to, landlord/tenant law, public and subsidized housing rights, foreclosure prevention, consumer law, public benefits, and domestic law;
4. Develop expertise in the communities and neighborhoods served by the Baltimore city office and of all resources available to address client needs;
5. Assist Chief to build a cohesive, supportive team of 6-9 staff attorneys, 8 paralegals/legal assistants, and 1 Office Administrator;
6. Establish cooperative working relationships with substantive law units in the Baltimore City office and with front desk and security staff;
7. Maintain working knowledge of court procedures for Baltimore City district and circuit courts, with Court Self-Help projects and of Legal Aid’s LegalServer case management system;
8. Oversee training for paralegals/legal assistants and intern program and supervise new interns each semester.
9. Monitor and manage referrals by intake staff to substantive units and to pro bono attorneys with the goal of increasing private attorney involvement in the delivery of civil legal services to the poor;
10. Fill in for attorneys in walk-in, online and telephone intake when necessary;
11. Assist Chief with data collection and grant reporting and writing and ensure administrative and regulatory requirements are met;
12. Evaluate the performance of staff supervised;
13. Conduct initial investigations and recommend actions to the Chief in matters involving employee discipline and grievances;
14. Participate in training and planning and attend staff meetings for intake staff;
16. Participate in statewide task forces and advocacy efforts;
17. Carry-out Maryland Legal Aid’s strategic plan, which includes the integration of a Human Rights Framework to all aspects of the office’s work, including litigation and advocacy, communications, and community education;
18. Be part of a statewide management team and strive to improve the overall quality of Maryland Legal Aid’s service delivery throughout the state.
19. Perform other supervisory duties not specifically listed above and as determined by the Chief.