Temporary Coordinating Paralegal, Legal Hand

$57,074 - $62,317/Yr

Unclassified - New York, NY

Full-time - Entry Level

New York, NY

251-500 employees

About the position

About NYLAG: Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combating economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. During COVID-19, most of our services are virtual to keep our community safe. NYLAG's staff of 380 impacted the lives of nearly 129,000 people last year. The Community Access Programs Unit has an immediate opening for a temporary Coordinating Paralegal to join the Legal Hand Call Center Serving East Harlem team! Along with the supervising Center Attorney, this position is responsible for the operation of the Legal Hand Call-In Center, including recruitment, training, and management of the center's volunteers, outreach to the community, maintenance of Center technology and social media, and record keeping and reports. The Coordinating Paralegal, with the supervision of the Center Attorney, will undertake a lead role in organizing and assisting in the management of the Legal Hand, East Harlem Call Center. This position will be responsible for managing shifts on one weeknight and one weekend day each week and will be in-person at the East Harlem Action Center once a week. Originally established in 2015, Legal Hand now has three existing virtual call-in help centers that provide legal information and resources to community members by phone, text, and email. Legal Hand relies on trained law-students and community volunteers to work with community members seeking assistance with legal questions. NYLAG operates the fourth call-in center and the first based in New York City in partnership with Fordham Law School, Legal Hand, Inc, Health and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Along with the Center Attorney, the Coordinator will have the unique opportunity to help shape the services that build empowerment and increase access to justice for the community visitors.

Responsibilities

• Maintain, develop, and implement the East Harlem Call Center operations and procedures under supervision of Center Attorney.
• Oversee the daily operations of the Call-In Center including regular evening and weekend hours.
• Manage intake procedures and case assignment process in collaboration with the Center Attorney.
• Create a warm and welcoming environment for community volunteers and visitors.
• Oversee the recruitment, onboarding, and scheduling of volunteers and law students, ensuring proper task assignment and daily supervision.
• Maintain and build relationships and partnerships with local community-based organizations, local officials, and legal services organizations.
• Create engaging and informative content for social media to effectively reach and inform the community.
• Work closely with Legal Hand and the supervising attorney to strategize, plan, and implement outreach initiatives aimed at enhancing community engagement.
• Organize professional development and community education training sessions.
• Assist with data collection, entry, and reporting.
• Examine community needs and work with the Center Attorney to evaluate delivery of services.
• Assist in the development of materials and/or training presentations as needed.
• Other duties and responsibilities as needed.

Requirements

• Two years of paralegal experience required.
• Bilingual in Spanish, Mandarin, or Wolof required.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work in multi-disciplinary settings, maintaining strong relationships with multiple agencies and organizations in the community.
• Demonstrated experience and competence with working with a particular community or area of interest that is relevant to the project.
• Ability to work independently and highly organized with the ability to juggle multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated patience, empathy, persistence, and openness in delivering client services.
• Enthusiasm for partnering with community-based advocates and organizations.
• The ability to work some evening and weekend hours.

Benefits

• Commuter assistance
• Disability insurance
• Health insurance
• 401(k)
• Flexible spending account
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance