Paralegal - Children & Families (CHAMP-V+LAW)

Description

For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our office, located in downtown Chicago at 120 S. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways. This position may require travel to court or other outreach events.

CHAMP-V LAW* is a collaborative research project led by UChicago Medicine to evaluate a novel community violence prevention strategy. This medical-legal partnership adaptation will utilize school-based community health workers to connect students and families to resources – including legal aid - to address social determinants, such as housing instability, access to food and healthcare, and personal safety. Legal Aid Chicago will coordinate referrals for legal assistance, conduct intakes, and provide legal representation for eligible clients whose legal issues fall within Legal Aid Chicago’s priorities.

* Community Health Advocates in Mitigating and Preventing Violence with Legal Aid Wraparound (CHAMP-V LAW)

Position: Legal Aid Chicago has one opening for a full-time paralegal within the CHAMP-V LAW project with an immediate start date. This position will report to a Supervisory Attorney in the Children & Families Practice Group.

Responsibilities include:

• Coordinate referrals received from community health workers and conduct initial screenings with child and adult clients
• Schedule and conduct intakes for identified clients on a wide range of civil legal issues
• Present new cases at weekly case acceptance meetings
• Provide litigation support to attorneys in all stages of litigation including, but not limited to, drafting and responding to discovery and drafting of pleadings
• Participate in outreach and training at social service and other community agencies
• Provide advice and referrals to individuals not accepted as clients to additional or alternative legal services and to necessary social services
• Work collaboratively with partners to support the project
• Attend training and maintain up-to-date knowledge on relevant issues
• Make appropriate referrals inside Legal Aid Chicago and to external partners
• Assist with investigations
• Track data related to grant and assist on related reporting
• Maintain case files and accurate timekeeping in electronic case management system
• Assist attorneys with administrative tasks and
• Other duties as determined by the Supervisory Attorneys and Directors

Salary and Benefits:

This position is part of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. The Collective Bargaining Agreement sets employment terms and compensation is determined by the CBA salary scale, based on paid experience.

The budgeted salary range for this position is $45,760-$50,738, which reflects 0-10 years of paid, credited experience.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bilingual Paralegals are eligible for an additional stipend
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 15 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four (4) floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 403(b) retirement plan with an employer contribution after one year of employment
• $50,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
• Monthly internet reimbursement
• Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program

Requirements

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applications from individuals with relevant experience, particularly those who have direct experience with communities we serve or perspectives that help us understand and serve our clients better.

An undergraduate degree is strongly preferred. Applicants must have excellent oral and written communication skills. Good organizational and information-gathering skills as well as strong and versatile computer skills are essential. Applicants must have the ability to work well independently and as part of a team.  Spanish fluency preferred but not required.

To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, and the contact information of two primary professional references and one alternative professional reference. For applicants with previous work experience, at least one reference must be a former supervisor.  Applications reviewed on a rolling basis, and the positions will remain open until filled.

Legal Aid Chicago is firmly committed to creating a diverse workplace and is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age religion, marital or parental status, alienage, disability, political affiliation or belief, military or military discharge status, ex-offender status, family responsibilities, reproductive health decisions, or any other protected status.

If an accommodation is needed to complete this application, contact Human Resources at humanresources@legalaidchicago.org.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries regarding application status. We will contact candidates who are selected for the next stage of the hiring process.

Salary : $50,000