Senior Staff Attorney

SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediate
DEADLINE TO APPLY: April 18, 2025
Deadline May be Extended or Position May be Filled Immediately

The Standing Chapter 13 Trustee for the Northern District of Alabama is accepting applications from qualified individuals for full-time employment as senior staff attorney in the Trustee’s office. The senior staff attorney works under the direction of the Chapter 13 Trustee. The position is available immediately and requires regular appearance on behalf of the Trustee for formal hearings before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama in Huntsville, Florence and elsewhere as may be required.

The duties of the position are comprehensive and demanding. The senior staff attorney must assist the Trustee in meeting the duties of a fiduciary, which require the diligent exercise of good faith and loyalty in the administration of estates in Chapter 13 cases under the Trustee’s supervision.

DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

  1. Attends and conducts §341 meetings of creditors.
  2. Represents the Trustee at hearings and other legal proceedings before the Court.
  3. Reviews petitions, pleadings, statements, applications, plans, motions, claims and other documents for legal sufficiency and initiates and/or recommends appropriate strategy to the Trustee.
  4. Receives, reviews and responds to legal pleadings and Chapter 13 plans via CM/ECF, while drafting and reviewing Trustee pleadings.
  5. Performs legal research and prepares briefs, responses, and legal memoranda for the Trustee.
  6. Provides technical assistance and responds to inquiries of attorneys, debtors, creditors, court employees, and the public on matters involving chapter 13 cases.
  7. Assists the Trustee in the management of operations and office personnel, including direct supervision.
  8. Assists employees with legal matters concerning case administration while also serving as a resource for the Trustee on legal issues.
  9. Provides assistance with the management of financial operations under the Trustee’s supervision.
  10. Serves as a back up to the Trustee in the performance of her legal, management and financial duties as requested by the Trustee.
  11. The senior staff attorney must assist the Trustee in complying with all provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code and Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure.
  12. Intra-district travel will be required; however, it is anticipated that overnight travel, other than for training purposes, will be infrequent.

REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE:

  1. Must not be related by affinity or consanguinity within the degree of first cousins to any Bankruptcy or District Court Judge presiding in the Northern District of Alabama, the U.S. Bankruptcy Administrator for the Northern District of Alabama, a federal judicial officer in the Northern District of Alabama, or a federal court employee in the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, United States District Court or Office of the Chapter 13 Trustee for the Northern District of Alabama.
  2. Must not be employed by a state, county, or municipal governmental agency that appears before the Court as a creditor when employment with the Trustee begins.
  3. Must not be employed by the Federal government when employment with the Trustee begins.
  4. Must possess integrity and good moral character.
  5. Must possess a Juris Doctor.
  6. Must be an attorney in good standing of each bar in which the applicant is a member and be a member in good standing of the Alabama State Bar.
  7. Must be admitted to practice law in the Northern District of Alabama.
  8. Must have superior analytical, research and writing skills and be proficient in computer assisted research.
  9. Must be free of prejudices against any individual, entity, or group of individuals or entities which would interfere with unbiased performance of the senior staff attorney’s duties in assisting the Trustee.
  10. Must exhibit by demeanor, character and personality that the applicant would be able to competently assist the Trustee in performing and discharging her statutory duties.
  11. Must possess strong communication and interpersonal skills.
  12. Must be proficient with all Microsoft Office products, Adobe, Lexis Nexis and the use of information technology.
  13. Must possess competent typing skills and the ability to draft and prepare pleadings and correspondence without assistance.
  14. Proficiency with the Court Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system and PACER.
  15. Must have the ability to assist the Trustee in providing timely and accurate reports required by the Court, the U.S. Bankruptcy Administrator and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
  16. Must have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in the practice of bankruptcy law.

INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS:

Applicant must be a U.S. Citizen or eligible to work in the U.S. Only well-suited and qualified applicants will be selected for personal interviews. Those selected for interviews should be prepared to provide a self-edited writing sample and professional references. The selection process will be confidential and competitive. The selected applicant will be required to undergo a background check prior to employment. Trustee Office employees are “at will” employees subject to removal at any time.
The senior staff attorney’s annual salary and benefits are part of the Trustee’s annual operating budget, which is subject to review and approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and the U.S. Bankruptcy Administrator. The starting salary will be competitive but dependent upon years of specialized experience and qualifications.

In addition to salary, benefits presently include, subject to applicable participation requirements:

  • Participation in a health, dental and vision plan.
  • Participation in a short-term disability plan.
  • Participation in a retirement plan.
  • Vacation, sick and emergency leave.
  • Paid Federal holidays.
  • Benefits are subject to change.

Only emailed applications will be accepted.

Submit resume, cover letter, self-edited writing sample, professional references and three-year salary history via email to: treata.shelton@ch13decatur.com.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Chapter 13 Trustee’s Office is committed to prohibiting discrimination in employment based on race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, disability including those related to pregnancy or childbirth and any other protected class as established by law. This Equal Employment Opportunity policy is designed to ensure equal treatment for all employees, including in hiring or any decision affecting job status or pay. All employees, including supervisors and managers, are responsible for adhering to this policy.