Paralegal Client Advocate

$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 Client Advocate position at the Legal Aid Society involves working with individuals on community supervision to prevent incarceration due to parole violations. The role includes assisting clients with their parole revocation matters and related legal issues, while providing support to staff attorneys throughout the legal process. The position requires significant communication with clients, attorneys, social workers, and court personnel, as well as a solid understanding of the New York State community supervision revocation process.

Responsibilities

• Interview and assess client requests for services, facilitate referrals to partnering service providers and provide other forms of direct client assistance
• Assist attorneys with obtaining and preparing relevant documents for the parole revocation hearings and any other related proceedings, including conducting legal and factual research
• Serve as a critical point of contact for clients and provide extensive advocacy and advice on relevant re-entry services and programs, and advocate for program placement
• Correspond with clients, their families, courts, adversaries, and corrections officials to assist in release and re-entry back to the community
• Assist clients in navigating all systems of care to ensure their needs are met throughout reentry
• Visit Rikers Island Correctional Facilities and other facilities as needed
• Prepare documents for filing
• Write memoranda and prepare reports
• Update information in Law Manager
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Paralegal certificate from an ABA accredited school, Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, or satisfactory completion of a comprehensive in-house training course appropriate to practice area
• Knowledge of New York criminal law and criminal procedure is strongly desired
• Notary Public or willingness to become one
• Excellent writing skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Excellent computer and word processing skills, including Excel
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team
• Experience in and/or commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income people and non-citizens
• Valid NYS driver's license preferred
• Proficiency in a language other than English is desirable

Nice-to-haves

• Proficiency in a language other than English is desirable

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Paid vacation
• Disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility
• Potential assistance from New York State for loan repayments depending on years of practice