Paralegal Casehandler, Exploitation Intervention Project

$57,687 - $83,218/Yr

Legal Aid Society - New York, NY

Full-time - Entry Level

New York, NY

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations

About the position

The Exploitation Intervention Project (EIP) of The Legal Aid Society is seeking a full-time Paralegal Casehandler to join its dedicated team in New York City. This role is crucial in providing direct representation and comprehensive services to individuals who have been criminalized due to their experiences of gender-based violence, exploitation, or involvement in sex work. The EIP team is committed to advocating for these individuals in New York City's criminal courts, filing post-conviction motions, and offering immigration assessments and representation. Additionally, the team engages in training sessions, collaborates with an Advisory Board composed of former clients who have experienced trafficking, and actively advocates for legislative reforms that support the rights and needs of these vulnerable populations. The ideal candidate will possess a detail-oriented and inquisitive mindset, recognizing the importance of advocating for low-income individuals. The Paralegal Casehandler will engage in various aspects of the team's work, including policy advocacy and immigration representation. Although the position is based in Manhattan, the candidate must be flexible and available to support project attorneys and mitigation specialists located in other boroughs. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in the lives of individuals facing legal challenges due to their circumstances.

Responsibilities

• Interview clients, assess needs, and make appropriate referrals
• Work with clients to gather information and documentation for mitigation
• Advocate on behalf of clients in criminal court and with New York agencies
• Obtain and review client medical, educational, and criminal records
• Maintain and update case and client databases
• Manage intake for post-conviction relief
• Provide support to project attorneys and mitigation specialists
• Facilitate immigration referrals
• Handle Advisory Board and petty-cash expense reporting and budgeting
• Assist project attorneys with the drafting of legal memoranda, pre-trial motions, subpoenas, and orders to produce
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Paralegal certificate from an accredited school, Bachelor's degree in relevant field or satisfactory completion of a comprehensive in-house training course appropriate to practice area
• Excellent writing, verbal, and computer skills
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team
• Ability to manage a reasonable volume of work and solve problems creatively
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate successfully with other groups and organizations
• Experience in and/or commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income people and immigrants is strongly desired
• Some knowledge of New York criminal law and criminal procedure
• Experience assisting people in crisis is desired
• Some working knowledge of trafficking dynamics and sex worker rights
• Proficiency in Spanish or Mandarin is desirable, but not required

Nice-to-haves

• Proficiency in Spanish or Mandarin is desirable, but not required

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Paid vacation
• Disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility
• Assistance with loan repayments for New York residents depending on years of practice