Tubman is seeking a full time Staff Attorney to join our collaborative team in supporting the agency’s mission, vision and values.

The Staff Attorney position focuses largely on representation in Order for Protection, Harassment Restraining Orders, and representation in family court matters such as divorce and custody. This position assists clients by providing legal information, advice, referrals, and representation in court hearings. This position emphasizes litigation and contested hearings.

Why work for Tubman?

Tubman’s vision represents the future we want for our clients and the wider community: thriving people, healthy relationships, and peaceful communities. Our mission is to advance opportunities for change so that every person can experience safety, hope, and healing.

Four strategic directions guide our work:

• Clients: Provide streamlined access to exceptional, relevant services.
• Community: Engage the community to take action.
• Culture: Invigorate organizational culture to lead with equity, wellbeing, and engagement.
• Capacity: Strengthen the agency’s infrastructure to better serve clients and the community.

Tubman’s philosophy is rooted in our inspiration and namesake, Harriet Tubman. Facing unrelenting adversities, Harriet Tubman encouraged others to simply “Keep going.” Each year, Tubman serves nearly 16,500 people of all ages, gender identities, and cultural backgrounds who are facing violence, exploitation, homelessness, addiction or mental health challenges. Our culturally responsive services are rooted in decades of research, innovation, experience, and partnership.

Tubman offers a mission-centered culture that values integrity, respect, innovation, partnership, and social justice. Our programs are strength-based, client-centered, and rooted in hope. Our work environment focuses on flexibility, well-being, and work-life balance for all employees.

Tubman’s Commitment to Diversity and Equity

Tubman is fiercely committed to equity and inclusion. We are an affirming workplace that values people’s identities and multiple dimensions of diversity. Tubman is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to hire a workforce that represents the people we serve. Tubman believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion amongst our staff are vital to both our clients’ and the agency’s success. We strive to hire, develop, and retain the best people from a diverse pool of candidates. Black, Indigenous, and people of color, people of all gender identities, people with disabilities, and veterans are all encouraged to apply. Please visit www.tubman.org for our full Racial Equity Plan.

Position Summary

Staff attorneys are a valuable part of our collaborative team providing legal services to victim/survivors of intimate partner violence and other cases. Staff attorneys practice through Tubman’s Safety Project providing advice to clients and volunteers as well as providing exemplary trial advocacy in the courtroom. Staff attorneys also practice through Tubman’s Family Law program providing a vast array of services in divorces, custody, paternity, child support, and more. Staff attorneys can expect to practice primarily in Hennepin, Ramsey, and Washington Counties both on Zoom and in the courthouse.

This is a hybrid position that will be based in our Maplewood and/or Minneapolis offices and will provide legal representation to clients in Washington, Hennepin and Ramsey counties.

Staff Attorneys frequently work in collaborative groups on issues related to victim services and other agency needs. Working within the Tubman team, Staff Attorneys assist in maintaining and developing forms, policies, and procedures for the legal services that Tubman provides. Staff attorneys also work with grants requiring grant reporting and tracking program outcomes, progress, successes, and challenges.

Staff Attorneys provide training both internally and externally regarding issues affecting victim/survivor services and participate in recruiting, training, and mentoring volunteers, law clerks, and interns.

Key Responsibilities

• Takes an active role in engaging our internal and external communities. There are so many ways to get involved at Tubman, including groups like the Shared Language Workgroup, Racial Justice Collective, and Inter-Departmental Workgroup.
• Maintains an active membership with at least one bar association in our service area, which helps the success of the attorney as well as our programs.
• Carries a robust case load emphasizing sustainable and mindful practices oriented to our client’s needs. Tubman recognizes the impact of secondary trauma in doing this work and strongly promotes staff wellness and work/life integration.
• Works with potentially violent fact patterns, and more importantly, the people who have lived those facts.
• Presents facts effectively in courtrooms and at negotiations.
• Collaborates in an ongoing manner with Legal Advocates, as partnering with advocates is a hallmark of Tubman Staff Attorneys.
• Maintains positive professional relationships with teams and clients alike.
• Supervises student interns, volunteer attorneys, and paralegals as needed.
• Reports on grants.
• Engages with LegalServer, our online case file management system, to manage their case load.
• Works with Legal Service Coordinators to accurately and completely track cases.
• Understands that we work in a dynamic field and responsibilities may change as program needs evolve.

Professional Experience and Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate degree and a member in good standing with the Minnesota State Bar
• Litigation and trial experience strongly preferred

• Experience representing low-income and diverse client populations and a demonstrated understanding of the additional barriers to accessing the legal system these populations face

• Experience working with victim/survivors of violence
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Self-Motivating work style and ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrated professionalism and attention to detail

• Ability to prioritize and plan work activities; use time efficiently; and adapt to fluctuations in work pace
• Ability to uphold and implement agency values throughout service delivery

Preferred Candidate

• 2-5 years of litigation and trial experience in family law/domestic violence or other civil non-profit field
• Experience working in a non-profit agency

• Experience with recruiting and training volunteers
• Experience collaborating with legal advocates

• Multi-lingual with an emphasis on legal fluency
• Spanish fluency with an emphasis on legal fluency

Reports to Managing Attorney

Location and Hours

This is a hybrid position. You will spend time at each of Tubman’s two metro locations, at courthouses, and in the community, with an office at Tubman Chrysalis in Minneapolis. Metro-wide travel, occasional evenings and weekends may be required. Much of the work can be done remotely, and Tubman works hard to find remote and on-site work balances that meet the needs of its employees.

Compensation and Benefits

The starting salary for this position is $70,000. Tubman provides a quality benefits package that includes a highly competitive paid-time off program, multiple health plan options, dental, short- and long-term disability and life insurances, as well as other optional health and wellness insurances to meet diverse employee needs, and a 401(k) plan with up to 4% employer match. Tubman is a qualified employer under the Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program. You will also have multiple professional development and personal growth opportunities while at Tubman.

To Apply

Send resume and cover letter to: jobs@tubman.org or mail to Human Resources at Harriet Tubman Center East, 1725 Monastery Way, Maplewood, MN 55109.

The position is open until filled; Preference will be given to resumes received by April 15, 2024.