What are the responsibilities and job description for the Mitigation Specialist position at National Legal Aid & Defender Association?
Position Description
Join Michigan’s State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) in our Lansing or Detroit office as a Mitigation Specialist. SADO’s Juvenile Lifer Unit seeks motivated and qualified applicants who can start immediately working with incarcerated clients who are newly eligible for resentencing. The position pays from $53,953 to $90,535, depending on experience. Our office follows a hybrid workplace model that mixes in-office and remote work to offer flexibility and support to staff.
This is a full-time temporary position with funding guaranteed through September 30, 2025. Continuation of this position after September 30 depends on state budget allocation.
Specific Duties Include, But Are Not Limited To
Join Michigan’s State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) in our Lansing or Detroit office as a Mitigation Specialist. SADO’s Juvenile Lifer Unit seeks motivated and qualified applicants who can start immediately working with incarcerated clients who are newly eligible for resentencing. The position pays from $53,953 to $90,535, depending on experience. Our office follows a hybrid workplace model that mixes in-office and remote work to offer flexibility and support to staff.
This is a full-time temporary position with funding guaranteed through September 30, 2025. Continuation of this position after September 30 depends on state budget allocation.
Specific Duties Include, But Are Not Limited To
- Interview, and build rapport with incarcerated clients to learn about their background, the facts of the offense, current experiences while incarcerated, and specific needs upon release;
- Identify, locate, and interview family, friends, community members, and other individuals to compile material in mitigation of sentence;
- Travel extensively throughout Michigan and occasionally out of state to visit clients in prison and interview witnesses
- Obtain, analyze, and summarize records and documents, including prison records, social files, school records, and medical and mental health records;
- Prepare reports, including client and witness interview memos, social history reports, and sentencing memoranda, using creative writing and storytelling techniques;
- Work with SADO's Project Reentry to help identify support for clients transitioning back into the community;
- Identify and consult with appropriate experts to obtain reports and prepare for hearings;
- Prepare clients for testifying in court or presenting allocution;
- In limited circumstances, testify in court;
- Train attorneys and staff on mitigation and parole hearings; and
- Assist attorneys with general hearing preparation such as preparing exhibits, coordinating with witnesses, attending court hearings, and other necessary tasks.
Salary : $53,953 - $90,535
