Paralegal Casehandler, Homeless Rights Project Law Reform Unit

$60,033 - $91,932/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 Paralegal Casehandler in the Homeless Rights Project at the Legal Aid Society's Law Reform Unit plays a crucial role in advocating for homeless families and individuals. This position involves managing client intake, providing legal advice, conducting outreach, and supporting policy advocacy efforts related to public benefits, housing, and homeless rights. The role requires strong organizational skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.

Responsibilities

• Help manage intake from Homeless Rights Hotline and provide advice and assistance to clients
• Advocate on behalf of homeless families and individuals wrongfully denied shelter or placed in inappropriate or unsafe shelter placements
• Interview clients, review case records, and represent clients in administrative proceedings
• Conduct outreach and monitoring at intake sites for families and individuals seeking shelter
• Develop community education materials and conduct trainings for clients and other advocates
• Attend meetings and conduct intake off-site as needed, including during evening hours
• Conduct factual and legal research
• Organize and analyze information obtained in discovery
• Organize and manage electronic and paper litigation files
• Attend negotiation sessions, court proceedings, and legislative hearings
• Carry out other tasks of general assistance to the work of the Law Reform Unit
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field or paralegal certificate from an ABA-accredited paralegal program
• Excellent written, oral advocacy, and computer skills
• Capacity to assist people in crisis
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team and manage a high volume of cases
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate successfully with other groups and organizations
• Excellent organizational skills

Nice-to-haves

• Proficiency in languages other than English, especially Spanish

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Paid vacation
• Disability insurance
• Life insurance