Paralegal II - DNA Unit

$54,975 - $79,308/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 Legal Aid Society's Criminal Defense Practice is seeking a dedicated Paralegal II to join the DNA Unit, which provides essential citywide support on DNA-related issues. This full-time position involves a variety of responsibilities aimed at enhancing the unit's effectiveness in advocating for clients and managing legal processes. The Paralegal II will play a crucial role in project management, ensuring that litigation deadlines are tracked meticulously, including Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests and amicus briefs filings. Additionally, the paralegal will manage a repository of court decisions, motion templates, and a master calendar for the DNA Unit, which is vital for maintaining organized operations within the unit. In this role, the Paralegal II will also be responsible for conducting research and drafting the DNA Unit newsletter, providing support to attorneys during hearings and trials, and obtaining necessary trial transcripts and scientific journal articles. The position requires the paralegal to serve as a liaison between attorneys and clients, assisting clients in completing forms and releases, compiling case materials, and handling correspondence with experts and clients. Furthermore, the paralegal will coordinate tasks related to the DNA Unit's annual national DNA conference and in-house forensic training sessions. The position also involves conducting standard legal research and drafting policy and legal memoranda, subpoenas, and orders to produce. The Paralegal II may also perform functions of a Paralegal I on a temporary basis as needed. This role is essential for the effective functioning of the DNA Unit and requires a commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income individuals.

Responsibilities

• Project management, including tracking litigation deadlines and other deadlines.
• Manage repository of court decisions, motion templates, experts list, and master DNA Unit calendar.
• Research and draft DNA Unit newsletter.
• Provide support for attorneys during hearings and trials, including obtaining trial transcripts and scientific journal articles.
• Obtain and copy court files and DNA-related records.
• Serve as a liaison between attorneys and their clients; assist clients in completing forms and releases; compile case materials for clients and experts; handle basic correspondences with experts and clients in connection with cases.
• Coordinate and organize tasks related to DNA Unit's annual national DNA conference, in-house and external forensic trainings.
• Conduct standard legal research; draft policy and legal memoranda, subpoenas, and orders to produce.
• Perform functions of Paralegal I title unrelated to the Paralegal II title, as necessary and on a temporary basis.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Paralegal certificate from an ABA accredited paralegal program or bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• Experience in and/or commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income people is strongly desired.
• Excellent writing, verbal, and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in legal research.
• Proficiency in computer and word processing skills.
• Ability to work independently and in a team setting.
• Ability to multi-task.
• Some knowledge of New York criminal law and criminal procedures.
• Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Paid vacation
• Disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Generous benefits package