Paralegal - Tenant Right to Counsel Project (TRCP)

Job Description

Job Description

Maryland Legal Aid (MLA) advocates with and for Marylanders experiencing poverty to achieve equity and social justice through free civil legal services, community collaboration, and systemic change.

Since 1911, Maryland Legal Aid has provided high-quality legal aid to vulnerable, low-income people and communities – helping to remedy their civil legal issues and become empowered to overcome challenges, achieve stability and independence, and reach their goals. MLA also identifies and seeks to remedy systemic barriers. MLA’s core work includes eviction and foreclosure prevention, family law, children’s rights, consumer protection, securing public benefits, and access to healthcare. MLA advocates operate primarily through the courts, via individual representation of indigent clients, but also engage in impact litigation, public communication and outreach, and policy advocacy.

Through this holistic approach, Maryland Legal Aid serves to amplify the voices of tens of thousands of economically disadvantaged and vulnerable Marylanders each year and seeks to be a leader in the legal services field nationwide.

Job Summary:

MLA is committed to ensuring legal representation for all Marylanders facing eviction or forced displacement. Since its inception in October 2022, MLA’s Tenant Right to Counsel Project (TRCP) has represented over 1,600 households. Now, operating across the state, TRCP seeks to hire one paralegal (internal or external) or case-handling paralegal (internal only) in the Cecil/Harford office, located in Bel Air, MD, who is passionate about public interest law and social justice and wants to work closely with communities burdened by systemic socioeconomic barriers to prevent eviction and homelessness.

Housing insecurity was endemic in Maryland even before the massive economic and social disruptions that marked the COVID-19 pandemic. As the uneven economic recovery disparately impacts the communities MLA represents, our legal services are as critical now as ever to preventing evictions, fighting unfair rental practices, and preserving affordable housing.

TRCP staff attorneys work at the front line of Maryland’s housing justice movement, interviewing renters by phone and at court on their day of trial, and engaging them through grassroots outreach. TRCP is building a committed, collegial, and hard-working team to lead multi-faceted advocacy focused on trial representation, appeals, community outreach, and policy work. Our paralegals provide both support and leadership in these efforts.

The Tenant Right to Counsel Project prioritizes training, professional development, and mentorship. The Paralegal position offers potential advancement to case-handling responsibilities, including representation of clients in certain proceedings before Maryland’s district courts (as permitted by Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. art. § 10-206(b)). For both new and experienced paralegals, TRCP offers a welcoming place to gain valuable skills in a fast-paced, rigorous, and compassionate work environment.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist attorneys in all aspects of representation in Failure to Pay Rent , Tenant Holding Over , and Breach of Lease eviction cases.
• Regularly attend court as part of MLA’s same-day representation program to assist attorneys and clients
• Assist attorneys in all aspects of representation in administrative hearings regarding the retention or recovery of housing subsidies.
• Participate in client intake in-person in the office on a regular basis and in community outreach initiatives.
• Continue professional development and education by attending trainings and other programs sponsored by Maryland Legal Aid.
• Maintain case records for clients in the LegalServer case management system.
• All the above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation.

Qualifications:

• Ability to use a computer, web-based applications, and computer programs such as Office 365, including Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent communication, research, critical thinking, and writing skills.
• Self-starter with the ability to juggle multiple priorities and meet regular deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to provide quality legal advocacy and representation for a low-income, diverse client base.
• Ability to travel locally and regionally in Maryland as needed.
• Knowledge of Westlaw Edge or other legal research software is a plus.
• Prior experience and/or interest in providing nonprofit legal services is a plus.
• Spanish language proficiency is desirable.

Work Environment

Work duties are typically performed in a general office setting with regular interaction via telephone, videoconference, instant messaging, and email, in-person, and in a courtroom. Certain work duties may be performed in community settings.

Salary & Benefits

Paralegals will be paid in accordance with MLA’s Workers Union's current salary scale, which is subject to annual revision through collective bargaining negotiations. Relevant professional experience counts toward salary determination. Paralegals are eligible for additional compensation for conferred degrees and certificates ranging from ($500 - $4000). For example:

• one (1) year of experience is $52, 494.
• three (3) years of experience is $54, 482.
• five (5) years of experience is $56, 470.

The current salary range for the paralegal classification is $51,500 - $91,258.

In addition, MLA provides employees with a generous benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off, sick leave, 14 annual paid holidays, a hybrid work arrangement, and more.

Additional Requirements:

• Cover letter and updated resume required of all applicants.
• References will be required at the time of the final interview.

Commitment to Equal Opportunity

Maryland Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We are committed to creating an inclusive and respectful workplace, reflective of our core values, for all employees.