Community Clinics Housing Justice Fellow

$80,000.00 - $88,727.00 Salary/year

Job Shift
Any

Category
Legal

Description:
Position Title: Community Clinics Housing Justice Fellow (One-Year Fellowship)

Position Type: Full-Time Exempt, Grant-Funded Fellowship (One-Year Term)

Location: ​Minneapolis, MN 55403​

Introduction:
MMLA seeks a dedicated attorney for a one-year Housing Attorney Fellowship representing low-income tenants and advancing housing justice. The fellowship offers litigation experience, mentorship, and professional development while serving vulnerable communities.

The successful candidate will work fully in office during training, then move to a hybrid schedule combining in-office and remote work.

Fellowship Term and Future Opportunities:
This position is a one-year fellowship, funded through a dedicated bridge grant.

MMLA has applied for a two-year grant from the same funder. We are currently moving through the application process. If secured, that two-year position would start in late summer, 2027. The Fellow will have the opportunity to apply for that fellowship through MMLA's standard competitive hiring process.

This one-year fellow may be a strong candidate for the subsequent two-year position based on their experience. However, completion of the one-year fellowship does not guarantee continued employment.

What's in it for you?

• We believe in work-life harmony. This role offers the flexibility to blend remote work with in-office collaboration.
• On Fridays, the office closes at noon and employees enjoy a half-day of paid flex time.
• MMLA provides on-the-job training and mentorship, with opportunities for growth within the organization.
• The Fellow will gain valuable litigation and negotiation skills, including trial practice.

Why MMLA?

• We're not just ticking boxes. We're genuinely committed to diversity. Bring your unique identity, experiences, and perspectives—we want them all!
• Our mission? Equal justice for all. In your cover letter, tell us how your background can amplify this cause.
• Discrimination and harassment have no place here. We're building a respectful, supportive workplace where everyone thrives.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Apply the principles of MMLA's Racial Justice Values Statement in all interactions.
• Manage an active caseload in the areas of landlord / tenant and homeownership law to promote safe, healthy, and affordable housing.
• Represent clients in a variety of settings, including negotiation, administrative proceedings, and civil cases.
• Perform all necessary tasks for civil litigation, such as drafting and filing pleadings, discovery, motion practice, and trials.
• Work with other MMLA staff and community partners to identify and respond to emerging housing issues affecting vulnerable Minnesotans. This may include problematic landlords, pervasive discrimination, building-wide habitability issues, mismanagement of housing subsidies, heirs' property, etc.
• Staff in-person clinic location one or two days per week and provide coverage for other clinic attorneys during absences. To learn more about MMLA's clinic program, see here: Community Clinics - Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. (https://mylegalaid.org/in-the-community/community-clinics/)
• Perform in-person intake at clinic locations and other community meetings. With support from the clinic team, decide on which cases to accept, appropriate level of service, and litigation strategies.
• Perform community outreach, including attending community meetings, hosting trainings, meeting with clients outside MMLA office hours, and performing site visits.
• Specifically, support MMLA's emerging tenant organizing efforts and heirs' property work.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics:
Knowledge:

• Legal research methods, legal writing principles, and case analysis.
• Familiarity with landlord / tenant, real property, and consumer law.
• Civil litigation processes and legal advocacy practices.
• Trauma-informed and client-centered approaches to legal representation.
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and racial justice principles and their application in legal services.

Skills:

• Legal research, analysis, and problem-solving.
• Writing, including the ability to draft pleadings, motions, discovery requests, legal memoranda, correspondence, and other legal documents.
• Public speaking and courtroom advocacy.
• Negotiation and dispute resolution.
• Client interviewing and counseling.
• Project management and prioritization.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and legal case management systems or the ability to learn new technology quickly.

Abilities:

• Represent clients effectively in a variety of settings, including the courtroom, administrative proceedings, and negotiations.
• Analyze complex legal issues and develop legal strategies.
• Collaborate effectively with colleagues, community organizations, and external stakeholders.
• Work independently while exercising sound professional judgment.
• Recognize when you need additional support and request it.
• Incorporate client and supervisor feedback.
• Work effectively in both in-office and remote work environments.
• Travel throughout the service area as needed.

Other Characteristics

• Demonstrated commitment to:
• Serving vulnerable and lower-income individuals.
• Providing high-quality legal representation.
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and racial justice.
• Interest in self-development.
• Driving initiative to identify systemic injustices and craft creative legal solutions.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to learn.
• Strong professional integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to ethical practice.

Required Qualifications:

• Licensed to practice law in Minnesota or eligible for admission to practice in Minnesota before or shortly after the fellowship start date. Third year law students who are able to work part-time are eligible to apply.
• Deep respect for low-income and vulnerable community members.
• Desire to appear in court or administrative proceedings to litigate client rights.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills.
• Dedication to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Diverse economic, social, and cultural experiences preferred.
• Proficiency in a second language preferred, especially Arabic, Hmong, Oromo, Somali, or Spanish.
• Legal training, knowledge of community resources, and experience with case management software.

Compensation Information:

• $79,000-88,727, plus benefits. Benefits include family medical and dental insurance, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, 403(b) with employer match, FSA, employee assistance programs, and generous paid time off.​
• Salary Determination: Salary is based on relevant prior experience and aligned with our organizational salary matrix. Candidates are placed on the schedule according to years of directly related experience to ensure consistency and equity.
• Language Proficiency Credit: For client-facing roles (e.g., attorneys, legal assistants, intake staff), fluency in a relevant non-English language or ASL may count as one additional year of experience. Fluency must be certified at Intermediate High or above, with sufficient oral and written skills to perform all job duties without an interpreter. Assessment is conducted by an external testing service.
• Language Requirement (if applicable): If a role requires fluency in a specific language or ASL, candidates must achieve a certified rating of Intermediate High or above in both oral and written communication. Offers are contingent on meeting this standard; failure to do so may result in withdrawal of the offer

Application Submission:
Interested candidates should submit their resume, references, and a cover letter at https://mylegalaid.org/employment. Your application is your first opportunity to demonstrate your ability to craft an effective argument. Please make sure you submit all requested information. If you have any questions, contact hiring@mylegalaid.org.

If the above link directed you to our Career Page and you do not see the correct posting, we have paused or ended the application submission window.

If you require a reasonable accommodation for completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in our employee selection process, please contact Megan Cook at mcook@mylegalaid.org.

Please direct all other inquiries to hiring@mylegalaid.org.

Mid-Minnesota Le

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