Staff Paralegal (Batavia)

Job Description

Job Description

Organization Overview:

Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. (NLS) is the largest nonprofit civil legal services provider in its five-county service area. Its mission is to seek equitable justice by providing access to legal advice, representation, and education to those in our community who, due to financial vulnerability, disability, discrimination, or abuse, require protection and advancement of their civil legal rights. With offices in Batavia, Buffalo, Lockport, and Niagara Falls, NLS is dedicated to advancing justice and ensuring equal access to the legal system for individuals and families who cannot afford an attorney.

Each year, NLS serves thousands of clients with low income and vulnerable clients, including people facing eviction or homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, individuals with disabilities, veterans, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and those struggling to access food, healthcare, and other critical public benefits. We also partner with community organizations and medical providers to address legal challenges that impact health and well-being. The NLS Batavia office has a rich history serving Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. Client focus is housing law, public benefits, family law, disability law, and consumer issues.

Position Summary:

Neighborhood Legal Services is seeking a mission-driven Staff Paralegal to join our Batavia Office. The Staff Paralegal will screen individuals and provide follow-up services and referrals as needed, provide community education, and provide limited legal advice and counsel under attorney supervision.

As a member of the Batavia team, the Staff Paralegal will play a vital role in helping people access the legal help they need while supporting NLS’s broader mission to challenge systemic inequality and promote justice across our region.

Essential Functions:

• Screen and interview applicants for assistance; review client eligibility, case priority and case acceptance criteria; determine whether to accept case; provide legal advice, counseling or other brief service under the supervision of an attorney during intake interview.

• Provide legal advice and counsel and extended services on eligible matters in accordance with agency protocols and under attorney supervision.

• Triage and refer matters to appropriate legal units or outside agencies, when needed.

• Legal Assistance and Representation. Handle assigned cases and projects under supervision of an attorney consistent with Bar Rules and LSSP standards for representation. Maintain adequate caseload of administrative cases as assigned, including both routine and major cases, consistent with level of experience; attend to cases on a timely basis; keep clients notified of progress; maintain case files in accordance with program file maintenance policy; close cases promptly upon completion of representation.

• Support attorneys by providing legal assistance and representation in specific cases including contact with client; locating, interviewing and preparing witnesses to testify; factual investigation such as obtaining documents, photographs and other evidence; performing legal research; drafting discovery, pleadings and other legal documents; analyzing, summarizing or indexing litigation documents; preparing charts, tables and other demonstrative evidence for trials; negotiating with unrepresented adverse parties such as landlords, merchants, social workers and public agency employees.

• Maintain docket and calendar; prepare periodic case reports as required; participate in case reviews scheduled by Supervising Attorney.

• Participate in client advocacy projects, development of self-help remedies and other impact litigation, community legal education, community economic development, legislative and administrative advocacy, outreach and other available forms of advocacy.

• Develop a working knowledge of all NLS practice areas and stay up to date on relevant legal changes and resources.

• Maintain a trauma-informed and culturally competent approach when interacting with clients in distress or crisis.

• Participate in ongoing training and supervision to ensure quality and consistency of service delivery.

• Maintain a trauma-informed and culturally competent approach when interacting with clients in distress or crisis.

• Develop a working knowledge of all NLS practice areas and stay up to date on relevant legal changes and resources.

• Work constructively as a team member with other NLS staff on advocacy projects consistent with program priorities.
• Provide advice, co-counseling, training and other informal assistance to other staff in areas of expertise; cover for other advocates when necessary.

• Participate as assigned in the operation of volunteer attorney programs, including recruit and train volunteers; conduct intake, prepare, assign and track cases; coordinate staff support to volunteers; develop and maintain quality control system; help develop relationships with private lawyers and organized bar; and coordinate staff and volunteer components of program.

• Other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies:

• Strong personal work ethic and ability to organize time, manage diverse activities, and meet critical deadlines with minimal supervision;

• Excellent writing, editing, and proof-reading skills, with ability to be detail-oriented;

• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work collaboratively with a dynamic and multi-sector team;

• Curious and self-directed with an ability to anticipate client needs;

• Cultural humility in working with low-income clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and limited English proficiency; and

• Familiarity with diverse communities is a plus.

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor’s degree, or Associates degree in Paralegal Studies, or equivalent experience in legal services, social services, or crisis intervention.

• Experience working with vulnerable populations and knowledge of community resources; and

• Self-motivated and dependable;

• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and communicate complex legal information clearly and empathetically;

• Strong verbal and communication skills for client intake, client follow-up and attorney interface;

• Strong writing skills

• Proficient in computer systems, data entry, and ability to learn new case management and call center software.

• Ability to multitask and manage a fast-paced environment with professionalism and empathy.

• Willingness to work as a team member and contribute to the efforts on any case.

Preferred:

• Bilingual or multilingual (especially Spanish)
• Knowledge of civil legal issues faced by low-income communities.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed service delivery.

Salary:

Salary is based on years of relevant paralegal experience and placement within Steps 1 through 22 of the salary scale. Step 1 of the salary scale correlates to the first year of qualifying paralegal experience. Each progressive step reflects an additional year of relevant experience.

Prior credited experience will be calculated from the date the Employee began working in a qualifying paralegal or legal support role. If there was a break in relevant employment, only applicable years of qualifying experience will be credited.

Current salary steps include but are not limited to:

• Step 1 – $ 53,000
• Step 5 – $ 58,513.27
• Step 10 – $ 64,620.14
• Step 15 – $71,545.86
• Step 22 – $82,976.80

Full-time position with a 35-hour work week and reduced summer hours.

NLS offers a comprehensive benefits package to its employees. This includes health, dental, and vision insurance, a generous PTO policy that includes: 3 weeks of vacation time, 12 paid holidays, plus a week of PTO between Christmas and New Year’s, reduced summer hours; additionally, employees have access to sick and personal leave, as well as eligibility for public student loan forgiveness. NLS also provides life insurance, a pension plan, HRA and Flexible Spending Accounts, paid memberships, and professional development.

How To Apply:

To apply, please send cover letter, resume, and 3 references to View email address on ziprecruiter.com Online at NLS.org/careers In ADP workforce now

NLS is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply. Employer recruits without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, ancestry, sex, gender (including identity or expression), sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or protected veteran status and any such candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.