Paralegal (Litigation)

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Title: Paralegal

Department: Litigation, U.S. Program Division

Center Background: The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global human rights organization working to ensure that reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights worldwide. With offices in New York City, and Washington, D.C.; Nairobi, Kenya; Bogota, Colombia; and Geneva, Switzerland, the Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization changing law and policy throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States. Our 270+ diverse professionals are committed to advancing the Center’s human rights mission through game-changing litigation, legal policy, and advocacy work. This has powered the Center’s exceptional growth to an operating budget of over $60 million and won the respect of law firms in countries around the world. Our global pro bono network includes over 3,000 lawyers across 6 continents, 88 countries, and 140 law firms. Last year, law firms contributed over $35 million USD in pro bono legal services. The Center’s Strategic Plan sets a high mark for impact: By 2030, half of the world’s population will be living under stronger protections for reproductive rights than they were in 2020. The Center has a record of success to back up this ambitious goal. Since our founding in 1992, the Center has transformed how reproductive rights are understood and applied by courts, governments, and human rights bodies worldwide on issues including maternal health, abortion, assisted reproduction, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights. We have won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies. The Center has also led development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights. It has built the legal capacity of women’s rights advocates in more than 65 countries and counting. To learn more about the Center, please go to

The Job:

The Paralegal supports the work of the attorneys in the U.S. Litigation Unit and reports to the one of the Senior Attorneys on the Litigation team. The U.S. Litigation team conducts impact litigation in state and federal courts across the country to expand people’s access to non-discriminatory, high-quality reproductive health care – including abortion care, maternal health care, and assisted reproduction. The ideal candidate is highly organized, attentive to detail, adept at problem solving, capable of balancing multiple projects and working in a fast-paced environment and thrives at collaborating on teams.

The position will be based in the Center’s New York City office in a hybrid model of 3 days in-office, 2 days working from home.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Providing paralegal support on cases including but not limited to:

1. Proofreading documents
2. Bluebooking, cite checking, preparing tables of contents and tables of authorities for court filings
3. Finalizing briefs, exhibits, and other documents and filing them with the court through electronic filing systems
4. Researching, reviewing, and summarizing court rules.

• Maintaining electronic and paper case files and docket sheets using PACER, state court efiling systems, and iManage’s document management system.
• Booking and coordinating travel for attorneys in the Litigation Unit and sometimes for clients and partners.
• Processing invoices and reimbursement requests and generating expense reports.
• Training future paralegals.
• Assisting with factual and legal research, as needed.
• Participating in and/or project managing litigation unit, cross-Division, and/or cross-organizational working groups. For example, groups focused on issue areas or specific policy outcomes for the U.S. Division.
• Executing other administrative and document management tasks, upon request.

Compensation: This position's salary is $34.58 an hour, 35 hours a week, for an estimated annual salary is $62,930. This salary reflects a position based in New York City or Washington, D.C. This salary will be subject to a downward locality adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside the location listed in this posting. Note that most of the salaries listed on our job postings reflect New York, NY salaries, where our National offices are headquartered.

Union Status: This position will be part of the CRR Union, a shop within Local 2110 United Auto Workers—Technical, Office, and Professional Workers Union.

FLSA Exempt Status: This position is non-exempt.

Level: P2a - Associate

Benefits:

• Health: The Center provides a comprehensive health insurance plan with no in-network deductible and best-in-class reproductive healthcare coverage, including infertility . The Center also offers Dental and Vision coverage.
• Well-being: The Center offers resources to help prevent and recover from burnout through different programs that enable mental, physical, and community well-being. The Center provides generous leave, including paid parental leave, personal days, vacation, and sick leave. We are closed the last week of December to allow staff to spend winter holiday time with their loved ones.
• Investment: After the first year of employment, the Center will contribute 7.5%* of your annual salary to a 401(k) (*applicable only in US and Kenya).

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Center is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage people from all communities to apply. If you are excited about this role but unsure about whether your experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles. To learn more about the Center’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, please visit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Center for Reproductive Rights.

Center policy on visa sponsorship for U.S.-based positions: Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by The Center for Reproductive Rights.

Qualifications:

• At least 2 years of professional experience required, ideal candidate has a university degree (baccalaureate or higher).
• Paralegal position is ideal for someone looking for approximately 2-3 years of work experience prior to law school, graduate school, or the next step in their career.
• Excellent organizational, written, and communication skills.
• Able to work independently, multitask, and provide quick turnaround on assignments while collaborating as part of a team and maintaining a positive attitude.
• Commitment to both the Center’s mission and inclusive equity work.