Paralegal/Communications Associate

Public Interest Law Project • Oakland, CA

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Public Interest Law Project (PILP) seeks a paralegal/communications associate to support our legal and administrative team. We are looking for a detail-oriented, organized, and collaborative colleague committed to our mission and enthusiastic to play a critical role in pursuit of PILP’s mission.

About the Public Interest Law Project: Since 1996, PILP has provided crucial litigation and advocacy support to local legal services and public interest law programs throughout California. Responding to the elimination of federal funding for state and national legal services support centers, PILP was established to ensure that local legal services programs could continue to participate in major litigation and advocacy on behalf of low-income people. Today, PILP is one of California’s premier legal services support centers and works to advance racial and economic justice for and in partnership with low-income communities and communities of color by building the capacity of legal services organizations through impact litigation, trainings, publications, coalition building, and systemic advocacy. Our current priorities include work to increase and preserve affordable housing; fight displacement; eliminate discriminatory zoning; support unhoused communities; prevent homelessness; and expand access to public benefits, income support, and supportive services.

Position Summary: The Paralegal/Communications Associate will provide support to our legal and administrative teams involving the full breadth of support staff activities, including administrative work, fundraising, communications, scheduling, document preparation and management, and assisting attorneys with preparing for civil litigation, trainings, and publications.

Requirements

• Associate or bachelor's degree
• At least two years’ legal experience or paralegal degree
• Expertise in housing, homelessness, and/or public benefits issues.
• Experience creating and managing content for social media, websites, email marketing, or other digital communications platforms.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including strong copywriting, editing, and proofreading abilities.
• Knowledge of OneLegal, TrueFiling, and similar e-filing systems
• Outstanding organizational skills
• Experience with data collection and creating reports
• Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and in the communities PILP serves
• High levels of emotional intelligence and cultural competency, including being curious, self-aware, cognizant of bias, empathetic, patient, and willing to listen, and having a growth and open mindset
• Detail-oriented and demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks, set and respond to changing priorities, and flexibility to work independently and collaboratively
• Excellent word-processing and computer skills, including proficiency with Adobe and Microsoft Office Suite
• Familiarity with Salesforce or other case management systems/databases and other cloud-based systems and/or aptitude for quickly learning new technology and software systems and ability to troubleshoot basic issues independently
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with internal and external teams to produce results
• A self-starter
• Equivalent education or experience can be substituted for all minimum qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to fact and cite-checking, document formatting, and other essential administrative tasks on PILP’s litigation and advocacy matters
• Perform legal and data research as needed
• Assist in responding to and propounding discovery
• Prepare and file pleadings and discovery requests
• Assist in coordination and materials production for trainings, publications, legislative and administrative advocacy, and other relevant activities and events
• Participate in regular skills-based training sessions
• Provide trial and hearing preparation and litigation support for attorneys
• Organize and manage case files, including developing and maintaining electronic case and document databases
• Other related duties as assigned.
• Support with communications and newsletters, including posting to website and social media
• Maintaining mailing lists
• Support with development, including supporting grant-related data collection and reviewing grant-related materials
• Other administrative and program support items as assigned and special projects, including providing coverage for other roles as needed

Benefits

• liberal vacation and leave policies
• fully employer-paid medical, dental and life insurance benefits, including for dependents
• a $1500 self-insurance health reimbursement policy
• a generous employer-contributed retirement plan ranging from 10% to 15% of salary that fully vests after three years

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree