Staff Attorney- Kinship Legal Services Program

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS), founded in 1981, is the oldest and largest volunteer legal services organization in Maryland. MVLS removes barriers to justice through free civil legal help, community engagement, and advocacy for equitable laws. Our vision is for a fair legal system that is free of injustice and equitably serves underrepresented Marylanders. We achieve this goal primarily through our core pro bono program and more targeted programs that serve specialized legal needs. For more program information, visit our website: www.mvlslaw.org.

MVLS’ core values are teamwork, passion for MVLS’ mission, commitment to clients, volunteers, and community partners, initiative and commitment to eliminate systemic barriers to justice based on race and economic disparities. MVLS is committed to fostering an inclusive culture in the workplace. Our work to end barriers to justice starts with increasing the diversity of our staff to better reflect the communities we serve.

MVLS is hiring for a full-time staff attorney to lead the launch of a new program, Kinship Legal Services Program, which will provide legal services to families participating in informal kinship care, primarily through the Baltimore City KinCare Center. This project is in partnership with Baltimore City Department of Social Services (BCDSS). The attorney and program paralegal will work individually with families to remove legal barriers that threaten family, financial and housing stability. The staff attorney will handle a limited amount of cases, with additional support from other MVLS staff attorneys and volunteers. Families will receive brief advice and/or full representation in the main areas that MVLS provides assistance including consumer, family, housing, expungement, tax, and estate related matters. The staff attorney will also provide educational trainings and create educational materials for KinCare Center families. This position reports to the Executive Director, and has anticipated funding at a minimum through 2028.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

The staff attorney provides supervision and support to the Kinship Program paralegal.

Job Responsibilities:

• Coordinate MVLS services with KinCare Center staff, including, screening participants for eligibility, completing intakes, and making referrals to other providers when appropriate.
• Collaborate with KinCare Center staff to address legal barriers , identify common legal issues among participants, and answer staff legal questions.
• Build out referral and reporting processes with KinCare Center staff.
• Respond to client legal questions in one-on-one consultations.
• Provide legal services to clients referred from the KinCare Center.
• Assist with placing cases with volunteers.
• Perform case reviews and workups for cases before they are placed with volunteers.
• Coordinate with fellow MVLS staff to conduct presentations and create educational content for KinCare Center families and staff.
• Meet program’s intake and representation goals
• Supervise the program paralegal
• Prepare and timely submit biweekly and monthly report to BCDSS and DHS.
• Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

Job Skills & Requirements:

• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Skilled in case management
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Strong planning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Able to work with diverse client population and attorneys, and to collaborate with partners and other agencies.
• Ability to think creatively and holistically.
• Ability to work independently and with a team.
• Be self-motivated and self-directed
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Experience & Education:

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Must be admitted to the Maryland Bar and in good standing or seeking admittance to the Maryland Bar.
• One year of legal experience preferred, though not required.
• Experience with nonprofits or legal services is a strong plus
• Spanish language proficiency is desirable.
• Demonstrated commitment through work experience, lived experience or volunteer experience to communities, such as: Children, Domestic workers, Economically disadvantaged people, Immigrants and refugees, Incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people, LGBTQ people, People of color, People with disabilities, People with HIV/AIDS, Sex workers, Victims of crime and abuse, and Women and girls.

Compensation

Salary is $68,000 - $75,000 with excellent benefits including: 2 health insurance plans to choose from (MVLS fully covers the monthly premium for individual coverage), dental and vision insurance, a flexible spending plan to reimburse employees with pre-tax dollars for out of pocket medical expenses and eligible child care costs, group life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, short and long term disability coverage, a 401(k) retirement plan with a 3% contribution from MVLS, a monthly commuter stipend equal to the value of an MTA bus pass, 20 vacation days, 2 personal days, 10 sick days and 16 paid holidays per year.

Job Location

This is an in-office position, with a potential for a hybrid work schedule up to two days a week. This position will also have weekly office hours at the Baltimore City KinCare Center in east Baltimore.

How to Apply

• Please email cover letter, resume, and three professional references to mvls@mvlslaw.org with the subject line “Kinship Staff Attorney” Applicants are encouraged to address the core values stated at the top of this job posting in their cover letters.
• Submissions are preferred within 4 weeks from when the application is posted.
• Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
• No telephone calls, please.

This application was posted on August 12, 2026.MVLS generally begins scheduling interviews after the four week application window has ended. Initial interviews with the hiring committee are scheduled for 45 minutes. For advancing candidates, a second 60 minute interview is held with the hiring committee and the Executive Director. Interview questions are provided in advance. Reference checks are made for final candidates. The interview process generally takes about four weeks. Applicants may request accommodations in the application and interview process by emailing their request to mvls@mvlslaw.org.

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that marginalized communities - such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color - are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. MVLS is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application.

MVLS is an equal opportunity employer. MVLS does not discriminate against any applicant for employment or any employee on the basis of race, nationality, ethnicity, age, religion, disability status, sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender presentation, sexual orientation, or immigration status.