Staff Attorney

Haven is the only nonprofit in Gallatin County serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence, sex trafficking, and stalking. Our approach makes us unique — everything we do is deeply and genuinely rooted in empowerment. We connect survivors to available resources and the help they need while trusting they should be the ones to decide what’s best for their own journey.

Haven began serving survivors in 1979. Over the last four decades, Haven has worked to both provide safe intervention for survivors of domestic violence, as well as to prevent future violence from occurring. We believe increased awareness through community education can make us all allies in ending domestic violence.

Haven’s Staff Attorney position, based in Bozeman, MT, will ensure that survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking have access to civil legal assistance in Montana through a new legal services program. The Staff Attorney will provide consultation to assist with the program development. Program policies and procedures will need to be approved before the Staff Attorney can begin offering services. Services provided will range from brief counsel and advice, to more extended representation. The ideal candidate will have a law degree and be licensed to practice law in Montana, be able to supervise the legal team, cultivate a cohesive team environment, empathize and connect with clients from diverse backgrounds, and be passionate about empowering survivors while engaging in the civil legal process. They will also be committed to Haven’s mission and be willing to actively maintain and build a positive, supportive culture at the organization.

Responsibilities:

Attorney Services (65%)

• Interview, meet with, advise, and represent eligible clients on family law matters, primary focus on dissolutions of marriage, parenting plans, and orders of protection.
• Conduct safety planning with clients and connect them to appropriate resources.
• Compose correspondence, pleading and other documents.
• Develop law-related educational programs and materials directed to the client community or agencies regarding the legal rights of survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
• Research the law and prepare memoranda.
• Handle all aspects of a client’s legal matter, including preparing pleadings, negotiation, mediation and trial work.
• Develop and maintain specialized knowledge of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and general poverty law issues.
• Assist immigrant clients with petitions for T visas, U visas, or VAWA self-petitions.

Supervision/Personnel Management (20%):

• Supervise Haven’s Legal Advocate and Anti-Trafficking Legal Advocate.
• Ensure consistent, full coverage of the legal advocacy office by coordinating staffing gaps in coverage due to PTO and/or holidays.
• Initiate and facilitate team meetings to discuss and resolve issues affecting staff and clients.
• Provide coaching and guidance to the legal advocates to promote a cohesive team environment and ensure consistent, participant-centered, trauma-informed, empathetic, non-judgmental, and culturally responsive services.
• Ensure the legal advocacy staff’s progress toward achievement of performance indicators as defined by multiple funding sources.
• Facilitate check-ins with the legal advocates to promote wellbeing, provide support and increase efficacy.
• Onboard and supervise training of all legal advocates.
• Complete performance evaluations of the legal advocates.
• Read, interpret, and ensure compliance of policies and procedures with federal, state, and local laws.
• Ensure the legal advocates are accurately recording data and surveys.
• Recruit and hire for open positions in the legal advocacy team.

Data Collection (10%):

• Accurately and consistently collect client data utilizing various data collection tools (iCarol call reports/participant interactions, legal advocacy intake packets, participant evaluation surveys, and testimonials).
• Maintain data collection forms named above, as well as all printed legal advocacy materials.
• Maintain participant files.
• Track utilization of services and resources such as the language line, taxis, hotels, gas cards, etc.
• Compile quarterly data for grant reporting.
• Submit monthly legal services program reports to the Programs Director.

Other (5%):

• Initial support with developing a new legal services program by sharing expertise and feedback with the Programs Director during this time attorney services will not be offered.
• Maintain and code receipts/invoices for participants and legal services program expenses.
• Attend staff meetings and other meetings as requested by the Programs Director.
• Provide support at fundraising events, as needed.
• Other duties as requested by the Programs Director or Executive Director.

Required Qualifications:

• Law degree and current license to practice law in Montana.
• Knowledge of the legal needs of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking survivors, including the unique needs of populations that experience barriers to access legal systems.
• Knowledge of substantive legal areas affecting domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking survivors, including but not limited to orders of protection, dissolutions, parenting plans, housing, employment, and other family law matters.
• Ability to effectively communicate, to motivate others, and to work collaboratively with diverse groups of people with varying perspectives, experience, and expertise.
• Ability and willingness to learn and integrate new technologies and methodologies to efficiently perform responsibilities.
• A willingness to establish and maintain effective relationships with clients, the public, judges, court personnel, project partners and the Bar Association.
• Highly organized, accurate, flexible, innovative, and positive attitude.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Comfortable mediating and resolving conflicts, while providing support to the people involved.
• Ability to make decisions independently in high-stress situations.
• Driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Ability to connect and empathize with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Strong commitment to ensuring equal access to justice.
• Ability to travel, occasionally overnight.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience representing client family law cases, particularly survivors of domestic violence, including custody, divorce, and civil protection orders. (Note: Haven will contract a supervising attorney to provide support if the person hired has less than 5 years of experience representing clients in family law cases.)
• Experience representing clients in immigration law cases and/or filing petitions for T visas, U visas, and VAWA self-petitions.
• Knowledge of Montana law applicable to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
• Prior experience building and fostering a staff team, providing guidance, and valuing staff accountability.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English.

Training that is provided:

• Haven Volunteer Advocacy training.
• Domestic violence/Sexual Assault/Dating Violence/Stalking training programs as requested by the Director of Programs.
• 15 hours of CLEs annually as required by the Montana State Bar Association.

Physical Demand and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment described there are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear; use hands and fingers to handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls; and reach with hands and arms. Position requires listening and speaking, walking, climbing stairs and lifting at least 25 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the environment is usually quiet.

Responsible to:

Director of Programs

Hours of Work:

This is a full-time, exempt salaried position with a 36 hour work week.

Compensation:

Haven uses a compensation equity calculator to set pay at the organization. Depending on the final calculator score for the successful candidate, pay will range from $82,748 - $86,523 per year. Calculator scores are determined by responsibilities, professional and personal experience, and physical and emotional labor required to successfully meet the job requirements.

Additionally, Haven offers generous benefits including health coverage per our company policy, and additional opt-in vision and dental plan at the employee’s expense; 160 hours of annual leave during the first three years of employment and 200 hours of annual leave thereafter; prorated paid holidays depending on start date and 90 hours of annual paid holidays at the start of the next fiscal year; one week of sick leave annually; accrue up to ten weeks of paid parental leave fully available after 12 months of employment; wellness reimbursement of $80 per month; and employee matching SIMPLE IRA available January 1, 2026; and a cell phone stipend of of $40 a month. All of these benefits are contingent upon working full-time.

Probation Period:

12 months

To Apply:

Please submit a cover letter, resume and three professional references as attachments to Julie Walters at hr@havenmt.org by September 8, 2025 however the position is open until filled. Please include in the subject line the name of the position. In the cover letter, please tell us why you are interested in working for Haven and why this position would be a good fit for you. Incomplete and/or late applications may not be considered. No phone calls please.

Haven is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applicants from all backgrounds, races, genders, and identities to apply.