Benefits Paralegal

Job Description

Job Description

Social Security Benefits Attorney (SSDI)

Lawyers-Helping-Heroes Project

Description

The Justice Center (TJC) is a legal aid nonprofit organization working to increase and promote access to justice from the Pikes Peak region. Our services help individuals with limited means obtain legal advice, legal representation, and practical legal resources. 

TJC is launching a new and innovative project:  Lawyers-Helping-Heroes . This project will benefit active-duty members of the United States military who are approaching separation and veterans who recently separated from military service.

Lawyers-Helping-Heroes operates through two established programs:

Ask-a-Lawyer: providing free legal advice
Find-a-Lawyer: providing legal representation

TJC is seeking an experienced paralegal to assist the Veterans Benefits Attorney and the Social Security Benefits Attorney. The paralegal will assist with beneficiary intake, legal services, claim preparations, record collection, case management, and grant reporting.

The paralegal will perform all legal work under attorney supervision and will not independently provide legal advice or representation.

This is a grant-funded position ending June 30, 2027. Employment after that date will depend on additional grant funding.

Project Results

The Lawyers-Helping-Heroes Paralegal will assist the project team in reaching the following results:

• Provide legal advice to a minimum of 600 beneficiaries through the Ask-a-Lawyer program
• Provide legal representation to at least 30 beneficiaries with their initial VA claims through the Find-a-Lawyer Program
• Provide legal representation to at least 30 beneficiaries with their initial SSDI claims through the Find-a-Lawyer Program
• Develop legal resources for legal professionals and veterans, including 10 videos to be posted on social media

Responsibilities

1. Assist with Legal Advice Services

• Participate as a call screener in the weekly remote Call-a-Lawyer project
• Participate as an email screener in the daily Email-a-Lawyer project
• Participate as a paralegal in the in-person Meet-a-Lawyer project 
• Communicate with beneficiaries regarding required documentation

2. Assist with Direct Legal Representation

• Assist the VA and SSDI Benefits Attorneys with at least 60 initial claims, including:
  • Opening new case files
  • Obtaining required agreements, including authorizations and consents
  • Scheduling appointments
  • Requesting, collecting, reviewing, and organizing military personnel records, discharge documents, service treatment records, medical records, employment records, financial records, and all other important documents requested by the attorneys
  • Assisting in form preparations under attorney supervision
  • Aiding in preparing correspondence, supporting statements, evidence summaries, and claim materials
  • Communicating with beneficiaries, healthcare providers, government offices, and other record custodians as directed by the supervising attorneys
  • Tracking requests for records and follow up on outstanding documents
  • Monitoring claim notices, requests, deadlines, and case progress
  • Preparing files for attorney review and identify missing information
  • Maintaining regular communication with beneficiaries
  • Maintaining complete and timely electronic case files
  • Recording services, case progress, results, and grant-required information
  • Assisting with closing completed matters and providing final documents to beneficiaries
  • Protecting beneficiary confidentiality and follow all applicable professional, VA, and Social Security Administration requirements

3. Assist with Training and Legal Resources

• Track recurring beneficiary questions and report them to the attorneys
• Assist with creation of supporting templates, checklists, sample documents, practice guides, presentations, and other legal resources
• Assist the attorneys with preparing and delivering CLE courses
• Assist with producing at least 10 educational videos for social media
• Maintain and organize project training materials and legal resources

4. Grant and Program Administration

• Maintain accurate beneficiary, service, and case progress information
• Track progress toward all project results
• Prepare statistics and supporting information for grant reports
• Assist with project evaluations and SWOT analyses
• Notify attorneys and Program Manager of deadlines, missing information, or concerns affecting project results
• Use project resources responsibly

5. Other Responsibilities

• Work with TJC staff and partner organizations
• Support TJC activities, including fundraising
• Provide weekly reports to supervising attorneys
• Participate in monthly staff meetings

Requirements

The ideal candidate will have the following skills, education, and experience:

Required

• Paralegal studies: certificate, associates degree, bachelor's degree or equivalent
• At least 2 years of paralegal work or comparable legal-support experience
• Experience communicating respectfully with active-duty military members, veterans, and their dependents 
• Familiarity with military records, discharge documents, VA forms, and Social Security Administration forms
• Ability to manage multiple case files, tasks, and deadlines accurately
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information
• Commitment to legal aid services

Preferred

• Experience assisting with VA benefits claims
• Experience assisting with SSDI claims
• Experience using VA and Social Security Administration systems
• NALA certification
• Colorado notary public commission
• Spanish proficiency
• Military service

Compensation

• $23 - $27 per hour
• This is a grant-funded position ending June 30, 2027

Schedule

• Hybrid
• In person availability in the 4th Judicial District is required for Meet-a-Lawyer clinics, staff meetings, beneficiary meetings, and other project needs.

Language

• English required
• Spanish preferred