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At Mass Law Reform Institute, we work hard to advocate for justice — and we need a diverse and committed team to fulfill that mission.

CURRENT OPEN POSITIONS

Child Welfare Attorney

The Opportunity: 

Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) seeks an experienced attorney to lead its statewide child welfare advocacy.  The attorney will lead and support strategic campaigns to prevent children and parents from entering the MA child welfare system and to create a well-resourced community-based system of support so Massachusetts children and families can thrive without involuntary state intervention.  In addition, the attorney will support the statewide MA Family Preservation Project (FPP) by providing technical assistance, trainings and other forms of substantive support to project attorneys and other advocates in civil legal services programs across the state who are representing families involved in or at risk of involvement in the child welfare system.  This position will report to the Deputy Director of Advocacy/Supervising Attorney of the Families & Children practice group.

About MLRI:

Founded in 1968, MLRI is a nationally recognized nonprofit poverty law and policy center that provides statewide advocacy and leadership in advancing laws, policies, and practices that secure economic, racial, and social justice for low-income people and communities. We pursue systems change through litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, coalition building, community lawyering, and other strategies that address systemic harm to low-income people. MLRI is also the statewide multi-issue poverty law support center for the Massachusetts civil legal aid delivery system; our advocates provide substantive expertise and technical assistance to frontline legal aid field program advocates and to many other advocates and providers who serve low-income people and communities in Massachusetts. See www.mlri.org

Job Responsibilities:

  • Lead MLRI’s statewide child welfare/regulatory system policy advocacy, through legislative and administrative advocacy, litigation, coalition building, working with community groups and individuals with lived expertise, and trainings.  
  • Support the MA Family Preservation Project (FPP), including facilitating monthly workshops and trainings, answering substantive questions from project attorneys related to DCF policies/practices/regulations, managing the FPP listserv, providing guidance and technical assistance on data collection.
  • Help drive racial justice advocacy in the child welfare/regulatory system in Massachusetts and integrate a race equity lens connecting the child welfare/regulatory system with other substantive areas of advocacy. 
  • Lead, engage in or support law reform litigation in the child welfare area.
  • Provide or update child welfare related content as needed for external legal information websites (e.g., MassLegalHelp.org, MassLegalServices.org).
  • Work with the Massachusetts child welfare coalition to identify long-standing and emerging issues and strategize solutions to advance a collective agenda.
  • Cultivate and strengthen relationships with community-based groups and individuals with personal experiences with the child welfare/regulatory system to inform and direct MLRI’s work and support the work of community-based partners. 
  • Participate in national child welfare advocacy through the State Policy and Advocacy Resource Center (SPARC) and other groups.
  • Provide client assistance to child welfare system-involved individuals. 
  • Assist with financial and other resource development including grant development.
  • This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee; others may be assigned. 

Desired Experience & Qualifications:

  • J.D. and admission to, or eligible for admission to, the Massachusetts bar. 
  • Minimum 7 years legal experience.
  • Demonstrated experience or background in child welfare law/regulatory system policy and advocacy.
  • Experience working with families involved in the child welfare/family system and interacting with the Department of Child and Families (DCF) and with the Court system especially Care and Protection Cases.
  • Experience in supporting other advocates through training, provision of information, consultation, and other forms of technical assistance. 
  • Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to racial justice advocacy including an ability to confront, identify, and develop strategies to dismantle structural racism, bias, and oppression.
  • Ability to lead diverse groups effectively and prioritize responsibilities.
  • Demonstrated ability to work with people living in poverty, people of color, people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, individuals involved with the child welfare/regulatory system, or community-based organizations and coalitions.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, listening, research and writing skills.
  • Ability to think and act strategically, creatively, and collaboratively. 
  • Bold and creative thinker with a passion for advocacy to change the child welfare/regulatory system. 
  • Commitment to MLRI’s mission to serve low-income and marginalized populations and to advance an anti-racist, community-driven child welfare advocacy agenda.

Salary and Benefits:

  • MLRI offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment.
  • MLRI provides a very generous benefits including health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, 403(b) employer match, 403(b) plan employer contribution of 5% after 6 months of employment, as well as vacation, holiday, and family leave.
  • MLRI’s Staff Attorney salaries are based on scale and are commensurate with skills and years of relevant post-JD attorney experience. For example, for this position the annual salary range is $70,000 -$91,800 depending on applicant level of experience. Internal equity considerations and average salary of the peer range will be reviewed and taken into consideration. MLRI is currently operating on a hybrid schedule.

How to Apply:

To apply, please email a cover letter, resume and a legal writing sample with “Child Welfare Attorney” in the subject line to: humanresources@mlri.org  In your cover letter, please describe your relevant experience with the child welfare/regulatory system and your understanding of the role that racial justice plays in effective child welfare advocacy, and/or that child welfare advocacy plays in achieving racial justice.  

Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their application materials promptly.

Director of Massachusetts Legal Aid Websites Project

We are seeking an energetic self-starter to join our team as the Director of the Massachusetts Legal Aid Websites Project.   This is a unique professional opportunity for someone who is interested in advancing the role of technology to further access to justice for low- and moderate-income people in Massachusetts.

About the Massachusetts Legal Aid Websites Project and MLRI:

The Massachusetts Legal Aid Websites Project uses technology to provide easy-to-understand, free legal resources to low-income people in need of legal help. It also supports a wide network of legal aid, poverty law and pro bono advocates. We operate a number of websites including MassLegalHelp.org, MassLegalServices.org, MassLRF.org. MassProBono.org and MassLAO.org. We are also engaged in other access to justice through technology initiatives. The Websites Project is located at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI).

Founded in 1968, MLRI is a nationally recognized nonprofit poverty law and policy center that provides statewide advocacy and leadership in advancing laws, policies, and practices that secure economic, racial, and social justice for low-income people and communities. We pursue systems change through litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, coalition building, community lawyering, and other strategies that address systemic harm to low-income people.

MLRI is also the statewide multi-issue poverty law support center for the Massachusetts civil legal aid delivery system; our advocates provide substantive expertise and technical assistance to frontline legal aid field program advocates and to many other advocates and providers who serve low-income people and communities in Massachusetts. See www.mlri.org

Responsibilities:

Program leadership

  • Lead strategic direction and goal setting to maintain and expand the Websites Project’s role as a key legal technology and legal information resource for Massachusetts residents and the legal services community statewide.
  • Spearhead the development of new initiatives that leverage Websites Project’s resources and related technology innovations, including Artificial Intelligence and document assembly, to increase access to justice in Massachusetts.
  • Lead strategic communications and outreach activities to grow awareness and usage of the Websites Project’s resources and services among key stakeholders. Build relationships with broader justice community stakeholders, including legal aid practitioners, the courts, bar associations, law schools, and non-legal institutions such as public libraries, educators and social workers, to advance outreach and collaboration strategies.
  • Support the other Websites Project team members in ongoing development and maintenance of the Websites Project’s websites, and participate directly in these activities as needed, including:
    • Content development
    • Technical and design enhancements
    • Community outreach and communications
    • Website evaluation and data collection and analysis
    • Engaging with site editors and legal aid program administrators
    • Working with external technology vendors and consultants
  • Participate in statewide and national legal aid and technology networks.

Administration and Fundraising

  • Develop and manage the Websites Project budget.
  • Manage, supervise and mentor the team of 3 Website Project staff, cultivating a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence.
  • Oversee management and reporting on program grant and/or contract deliverables.
  • Manage contracts with external vendors, such as our technical website developers.
  • In coordination with MLRI development staff, engage in fundraising efforts for the Websites Project, including proposal development.
  • Oversee program impact evaluation efforts.

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee; others may be assigned.

Qualifications:

  • 10 plus years relevant work experience, including management experience. Poverty law and/or nonprofit legal tech experience is strongly preferred.
  • Strong knowledge about poverty law issues facing Massachusetts residents. JD preferred but not required.
  • Bold and creative thinker with a passion for using technology to promote access to justice.
  • Demonstrated experience developing and managing programs and projects that use technology to effectively inform and support members of the public and/or communities of practice. Experience using these technologies to support pro se litigants and legal aid advocates is a plus.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including listening, public speaking and writing skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead projects, work well with people, and foster and facilitate collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
  • Strengths in managing, developing and coaching individuals or teams.
  • Ability to think and act strategically, creatively, and collaboratively.
  • Strong self-motivation and initiative required.
  • Commitment to MLRI’s mission to serve low-income and vulnerable populations and to advance an anti-racist, community-driven advocacy agenda.
  • Web and tech savvy. A strong understanding of content management platforms, UX/UI, analytics platforms, web accessibility and writing in plain language for online audiences, is preferred. Demonstrated experience administering websites and content management systems, particularly Drupal and WordPress, is a plus.

Salary and Benefits:

  • Position is full-time. MLRI is currently operating on a hybrid schedule.
  • MLRI offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment.
  • MLRI provides very generous benefits including health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, 403(b) employer match, 403(b) plan employer contribution of 5% after 6 months of employment, as well as vacation, holiday, and family leave.
  • MLRI’s salaries are based on scale and commensurate with skills and years of relevant experience.  For example, for this position the annual salary range for someone with 10 years or so of experience is $105,000 – $117,000 depending on applicant level of experience.  Internal equity considerations and average salary of the peer range will be reviewed and taken into consideration.

To apply:

To apply, please email a resume and thoughtful cover letter outlining your experience and qualifications to humanresources@mlri.org, with “Websites Project Director” in the subject line.  

Application Deadline:

Application materials will be reviewed, and interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis; interested and qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to submit their application materials as soon as possible.

Training Staff Attorney: MA Legal Aid & Community Education (LACE) Project

The Opportunity:

Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) seeks a creative, collaborative, and entrepreneurial staff attorney to support the development and implementation of MLRI’s new statewide civil legal aid training program, called the Massachusetts Legal Aid & Community Education (LACE) Project. The Training Staff Attorney will work closely with the Director of Training and MLRI staff to develop and implement the program’s structure and curriculum and support the Commonwealth’s advocate community. This position will report to the Director of Training.

About MLRI:

Founded in 1968, MLRI is a nationally recognized nonprofit poverty law and policy center that provides statewide advocacy and leadership in advancing laws, policies, and practices that secure economic, racial, and social justice for low-income people and communities. We pursue systems change through litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, coalition building, community lawyering, and other strategies that address systemic harm to low-income people. MLRI is also the statewide multi-issue poverty law support center for the Massachusetts civil legal aid delivery system; our advocates provide substantive expertise and technical assistance to frontline legal aid field program advocates and to many other advocates and providers who serve low-income people and communities in Massachusetts. Please see www.mlri.org for more information.

Job Responsibilities:

The Training Attorney will play a significant role in the development of the Legal Aid & Community Education Project. The Training Attorney will, among other responsibilities:

Training Program Design and Implementation

  • Support the development of a statewide training program for legal and non-legal advocates across the MA legal aid community;
  • Collaborate with the Director of Training and subject matter experts to design a comprehensive skills-based training series;
  • Collaborate with the Director of Training and subject matter experts to design a wide variety of substantive legal trainings in civil legal practice areas;
  • Help to develop and distribute a variety of resources to support advocates’ learning, including training materials, content for MLRI’s Learning Management Software (LMS), workbooks, guides, newsletters, and other resources;
  • Support the development of training program/materials for training faculty to ensure that faculty use evidence-based/best practices teaching methods throughout trainings;
  • Conduct ongoing trainings for training faculty;
  • Collaborate with the Training Coordinator to implement remote and in-person trainings so that participants (and faculty) have access to all materials, platforms, announcements, and other communications.

Training Program Community and Outreach

  • Help to identify and recruit faculty/subject matter experts to help design trainings;
  • Help to identify and recruit training faculty teams to conduct trainings;
  • Support training faculty providing and facilitating remote and/or in-person trainings for legal and non-legal advocates;
  • Help to develop an integrated evaluation model to continuously assess the training program’s effectiveness;
  • Help to analyze feedback from program evaluations to efficiently and effectively adapt trainings to support changing advocate needs;
  • Help to develop and facilitate a space to build an advocate community, both during and after advocates have attended training(s).

Desired Qualifications and Experience:

  • JD. and admission to, or eligible for admission to, the Massachusetts bar
  • Minimum 7 years legal experience, with at least 5 years post-law school legal experience preferred
  • Experience planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating online, virtual, in-person and self-directed/on-demand training programs, as well as the innovative use of technology to support learning;
  • Experience using/providing instructional material through Learning Management Software (LMS);
  • Experience teaching law/legal concepts and/or conducting and facilitating trainings to individuals, small, and large groups;
  • Familiarity with evidence-based pedagogy and best practice for working with adult learners;
  • Strong interpersonal skills, empathy, and a demonstrated commitment to working with marginalized communities;
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate with racially, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse community groups and coalitions;
  • Excellent writing and legal research skills;
  • Commitment to MLRI’s mission to serve low-income, historically and presently marginalized, and vulnerable populations by advancing a race equity agenda through a community-driven advocacy lens.

Salary and Benefits:

MLRI offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. MLRI provides a very generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, 403(b) plan employer contribution of 5%, as well as vacation, holiday, winter recess and family leave.

MLRI’s salaries are based on scale and are commensurate with skills and years of relevant experience. For example, for this position the salary range is $70,000 – $91,800 depending on the applicant’s level of experience. Internal equity considerations and average salary of the peer range will be reviewed and taken into consideration.

MLRI is currently operating on a hybrid schedule and is committed to a fair and equitable workplace that promotes work-life balance.

How to Apply:

Please email the following the required materials to humanresources@mlri.org with “Training Staff Attorney” in the subject line:

  • Cover letter that outlines experience and qualifications
  • Writing sample
  • Resume

Deadline for Submission:

Application materials will be reviewed, and interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis; interested and qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to submit application materials promptly.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

MLRI is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We believe that having a staff, board, and volunteers with diverse personal and professional backgrounds and lived experience enhances our ability to meet our mission and creates an environment where all members of our community can thrive. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with lived experience of poverty and/or racism, and people from underrepresented and historically marginalized groups.