Senior Attorney
hace 1 día
East Lansing
Job Description Recruiters, please do not contact us. We are not interested in hiring an agency, freelancer, or independent contractor. Ben Hall Law, PLLC · East Lansing, Michigan · Full-time · $140,000–$160,000 base plus performance bonus The job We need an experienced criminal defense attorney who can take any case that walks in the door and handle it from start to finish without anyone looking over their shoulder. Misdemeanors, OWI, drug cases, serious felonies, and police officers accused of crimes or under investigation for use of force. You don't have to bring in the business. We have the cases. The firm generates the work and provides the case management, legal support, and client success staff to handle it. Your job is to practice law at a high level on at least $1,000,000 a year in criminal cases. You'll handle some of the most serious and complex cases in our criminal practice. You'll be in court, in front of juries, and on the phone with clients who are having the worst week of their lives. Attorneys at Ben Hall Law practice law. They don't handle administrative work, chase down paperwork, manage calendars, or schedule their own hearings. We have people and systems responsible for those things. Your job is to investigate cases, develop legal strategy, write and argue motions, prepare for trial, represent clients, and get results. You are responsible for making sure your cases are handled properly, but you aren't expected to do the administrative work yourself. Client communication is part of the job, not an afterthought. Too many criminal defense clients go weeks without hearing from their lawyer. That doesn't happen here. Every client knows where their case stands, what happens next, and when they'll hear from you. You return calls. You explain things in plain English. You tell clients the hard news yourself, before they hear it in a courtroom. A great result delivered to a client who felt ignored the whole way is still a failure. We also expect you to share your experience with our junior attorneys. You'll be available to discuss difficult cases, review legal arguments, offer feedback, and help less-experienced attorneys develop their skills. This is mentorship, not management. You won't supervise employees, conduct performance evaluations, or manage the criminal department. This is not an entry-level position. We're paying for experience, judgment, and trial skill. We expect you to be productive in your first 30 days. You'll practice with independent professional judgment. Legal strategy is yours, in accordance with the firm's case handling manuals and your professional obligations, with Ben available when you want a second opinion. Our Director of Operations oversees administrative matters, including caseload balance, timekeeping, billing, and operational performance. Nobody without a law license directs how you handle a case. Who we are Ben Hall Law is a growing criminal defense and personal injury law firm based in East Lansing, with a second office in Owosso. We also represent the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services in child abuse and neglect cases under a state contract. Ben Hall spent five years in the Marine Corps, including a combat tour in Iraq. He spent nearly a decade as a police officer, then served as a prosecutor. He's been the officer who made the stop, the prosecutor who charged it, and now the defense attorney taking it apart. That perspective shapes how we approach criminal defense. We file substantive motions and prepare written mitigation for sentencing as standard practice. We keep clients informed from the first call to the last hearing. Our case handling manuals set out how we expect cases handled and how clients are treated. You'll be trained on them and held to them. Even when we could get away with shortcuts, we don't take them. What you'll own Your caseload • Handle a caseload of at least $1,000,000 in annual collected legal fees. The firm generates the cases. You handle them., • Handle criminal cases from initial appearance through trial, sentencing, or other resolution., • Represent clients charged with misdemeanors, OWI offenses, drug crimes, serious felonies, criminal sexual conduct, and other complex criminal matters., • Prepare and litigate substantive motions, including suppression motions, evidentiary challenges, and constitutional issues., • Prepare for and try misdemeanor and felony jury trials as first-chair counsel., • Represent police officers facing criminal investigations, use-of-force investigations, and related proceedings., • Develop case strategy, investigate facts, evaluate evidence, prepare witnesses, negotiate resolutions, and try cases when necessary., • Work with the firm's case management and legal support staff to keep cases moving and deadlines met., • Meet the standards in the firm's case handling manuals for preparation, documentation, client service, and case progression. Client communication • Communicate directly with clients so they understand their cases, options, and next steps., • Return client calls and messages promptly and ensure no client goes without an update., • Deliver difficult news personally, clearly, and promptly., • Prepare clients for hearings and explain what to expect in court., • Document all client communications in the firm's case management system, including telephone calls, emails, text messages, meetings, and other substantive communications., • Follow the firm's established response-time, communication documentation, and case-update requirements., • Work with the client success coordinator to maintain consistent communication throughout the case. Mentorship • Serve as an experienced legal resource for junior criminal defense attorneys., • Give feedback on research, motions, briefs, and case preparation when asked., • Discuss litigation strategy, evidentiary issues, plea negotiations, and trial preparation with less-experienced attorneys., • Share practical courtroom experience and help junior attorneys build confidence and independent judgment. You are not responsible for managing attorneys, assigning their cases, conducting evaluations, or overseeing departmental performance. Your primary responsibility is your own caseload and your clients. What you bring Required • Licensed to practice law in Michigan and in good standing., • At least five years of criminal law experience., • Experience trying both misdemeanor and felony cases to verdict as first-chair counsel., • Strong knowledge of Michigan criminal law, criminal procedure, evidence, and constitutional law., • Experience preparing and arguing substantive pretrial motions., • Demonstrated ability to manage a high-volume criminal caseload while meeting deadlines and keeping every client informed., • Sound professional judgment and the ability to independently handle complex criminal cases in accordance with the firm's case handling manuals and applicable professional obligations., • Ability to work effectively with case managers, legal assistants, and client success staff while maintaining responsibility for the legal work., • Willingness to share knowledge and mentor junior attorneys. Preferred • Ten or more years of criminal law experience., • Prior prosecution experience., • Significant first-chair experience trying serious felony cases to verdict., • Experience representing police officers or public employees in criminal investigations or use-of-force matters., • Experience handling criminal sexual conduct, homicide, complex drug, and serious assault cases., • Experience litigating suppression issues, forensic evidence, expert testimony, and constitutional challenges., • Familiarity with Salesforce or another case management system. We care about what you've actually done in court, not how many years you've held a law license. What success looks like First 30 days. Take over your assigned caseload. Meet every client on it. Know the facts, procedural posture, deadlines, and next step on every file. Every client knows who you are and how to reach you. First 90 days. Your caseload moves on schedule. Clients are informed without having to chase you. All client communications are documented in the case management system. You're prepared to try assigned cases when scheduled, and junior attorneys know they can come to you with difficult legal questions. First year. You handle at least $1,000,000 in collected legal fees. You handle serious criminal matters independently, perform well at trial, meet the firm's case handling and communication standards, and earn strong client satisfaction scores. Junior attorneys benefit from your experience and mentorship. We'll set quarterly targets together based on the firm's case volume and standards. Pay and benefits • Base salary of $140,000 to $160,000, depending on experience., • Quarterly performance bonus tied to collected fees on the cases you handle, compliance with firm case standards, and client satisfaction, subject to applicable professional conduct rules., • Firm-paid medical, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability, and life insurance for the employee., • Four weeks of annual PTO and one week of sick time, subject to the firm's leave policy. PTO accrues during the first year and is front-loaded beginning in the second year of employment., • 401(k) with an employer match of up to 4%., • Firm-provided laptop., • Dedicated case management, legal assistant, and client success support. We pay at this level because we expect someone who has already handled serious criminal cases, tried cases before juries, and shown the judgment to practice independently. How to apply Send your resume and short written answers to these four questions to Careers@BenHallLaw.com: • How many misdemeanor jury trials and felony jury trials have you tried to verdict as first-chair counsel? What were the most serious charges, and what were the results?, • What does the client relationship mean to you, and how do you ensure your clients are happy with the service you provide? Give an example of a time you went above and beyond to make sure a client was informed and happy with your service., • What is the largest criminal caseload you've independently managed? How did you keep cases moving, meet deadlines, and keep every client informed?, • Describe the most complex criminal case you've personally handled from beginning to end. What made it difficult, what decisions did you make, and what was the outcome? Specifics, not descriptions of responsibilities. Applications without answers won't be reviewed. Do not disclose confidential or privileged client information. Ben Hall Law is an equal opportunity employer. Recruiters, please do not contact us. We are not interested in hiring an agency, freelancer, or independent contractor.