SCOPE:

The Holistic Defense Project Consultant will provide strategic legal and social service integration in collaboration with managed assigned counsel by conducting thorough mitigation investigations and producing individualized mitigation reports, treatment and release plans, and other evidence-informed work product to support client and case outcomes.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate with defense attorneys, investigators, and expert witnesses to integrate biopsychosocial, clinical, and community insights into overall case strategy, ensuring holistic representation for clients.
• Conduct comprehensive mitigation investigations by interviewing clients and collateral contacts, collecting and analyzing records from multiple systems, and integrating relevant social science and clinical research to identify persuasive mitigation themes.
• Prepare creative and persuasive work product, including comprehensive mitigation reports, individualized release plans, status updates, and related documents to support plea negotiations, sentencing advocacy, and alternatives to incarceration.
• Build and maintain relationships with treatment providers, social service agencies, and other partners to expand resource networks that support both client and case outcomes.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and detailed case documentation in the department's case management system to ensure continuity of representation and demonstrate impact.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated commitment to criminal justice, indigent defense, racial equity, and social justice issues and the Wayne County communities.
• Advanced knowledge of the criminal/legal system, including criminal court procedure, indigent defense, alternative sentencing courts in Wayne County, local and state correctional institutions, and probation/parole processes.
• Deep understanding of social, economic, and health factors that influence client behaviors and outcomes, including the ability to interpret and apply peer-reviewed social science and clinical research relevant to mitigation.
• Expertise in trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and empathetic interviewing and assessment techniques.
• Knowledge of best practices for integrating mitigation into criminal defense, including preparation of persuasive reports and strategic case planning.
• Proficiency with evidence-based clinical assessment and screening tools for common mental health and substance use conditions, including familiarity with the DSM-5-TR and commonly prescribed psychotropic medications.
• Familiarity with professional and ethical standards for both lawyers and social workers, including the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct and the NASW Code of Ethics, and the ability to navigate complex ethical dilemmas in legal contexts.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE:

• Master's degree in social work or closely related field.
• At least 2 years of experience working with adults impacted by the criminal/legal system or a similar population.
• Preferred Qualifications
  • Full or limited clinical social work licensure in Michigan.
  • Experience or specialized training as a sentencing advocate or mitigation specialist.
  • Bilingual (Spanish or Arabic preferred).