Paralegal

Lawyers' Committee For Civil Rights Under Law - Washington, DC

Full-time - Mid Level

Washington, DC

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is a prominent national organization dedicated to racial justice, established in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy. The organization employs legal advocacy to promote racial justice, ensuring that Black individuals and other people of color have the necessary voice, opportunity, and power to realize the promises of democracy. The Paralegal position is crucial in supporting the organization's legal work across various program areas, including Criminal Justice, Digital Justice, Economic Justice, Educational Opportunities, Fair Housing, Race-Motivated Violence and Intimidation, and Voting Rights. As a Paralegal, the selected candidate will play a vital role in assisting Lawyers' Committee attorneys with general administrative support related to litigation, education, advocacy, policy projects, and other activities. This position will primarily focus on one or more substantive project areas while also providing assistance across other projects as needed. The Paralegal will be responsible for managing and organizing case files, providing support for the preparation and filing of legal documents, and ensuring compliance with court rules and deadlines. Additionally, the role involves conducting factual research, preparing internal reports, and coordinating communications with various stakeholders. The ideal candidate will be meticulous, organized, and collaborative, with a strong commitment to advancing racial justice and civil rights. This position offers an opportunity to contribute significantly to impactful civil rights litigation and advocacy efforts throughout the country.

Responsibilities

• Manage and organize case files in the electronic case management system, including case documents, information, and calendars.
• Provide support for editing, production, and filing of briefs, exhibits, legislative testimony, and other documents, including formatting, proofreading, and cite-checking.
• Under the direction of attorneys, manage administrative and logistical aspects of litigation and/or project work, such as organizing discovery requests and responses, coordinating depositions, scheduling interviews, meetings, hearings, etc.
• Prepare and proof routine legal documents.
• Stay informed about court rules, local rules, and internal court operating procedures, including deadlines.
• Provide administrative and other support for hearings, trials, and oral arguments.
• Conduct factual research, including through public records requests and access to databases.
• Use electronic/online systems to access case dockets and acquire case filings in matters related to LCCRUL work.
• Prepare internal reports, including weekly updates, board books, information needed for grants and development, and updates to tracking of projects and issues.
• In coordination with project staff and the Communications team, provide text to update relevant web pages.
• Coordinate, manage, and track communications with partners, co-counsel, amici, etc.
• Provide support for and schedule events and meetings.
• Coordinate with accounting to ensure timely submission and processing of timesheets and expenses.
• Other duties and special projects as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree and/or a Paralegal Certificate is strongly preferred.
• Deep dedication to the advancement of racial justice and civil rights.
• At least two years of experience in a related position, preferably as a Paralegal.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to multi-task and prioritize work to ensure timely completion.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Ability to review, analyze, and summarize factual information.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• A high degree of proficiency in Office 365 and its apps, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as video communication formats (Teams, Zoom, etc.).

Nice-to-haves

• Preferred experience in and a high degree of proficiency in learning databases, program management software, and other tools.
• Knowledge of Asana, PACER, ECF, and relational case management databases is a plus.
• Preferred experience working in diverse environments and demonstrated experience working with and for communities of color and low-income communities.