Public Benefits Paralegal - Housing and Disability Advocacy Project (HDAP)

Inland Counties Legal Services Inc.•Riverside, CA

19d•$24 - $42

About The Position

Inland Counties Legal Services is seeking a Paralegal to join our Public Benefits Team, specifically for the Housing and Disability Advocacy Project. Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc. is a nonprofit organization providing legal services to vulnerable populations in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Legal services are provided by attorneys, or paralegals under the direct supervision of an attorney. Levels of service include advice and counsel, limited action (includes negotiations and preparation of legal documents), as well as direct representation before administrative law and civil courts. ICLS provides legal assistance in eight practice groups: Elder Law, Consumer, Housing, Family Law, Immigration, Systemic/Impact, Health Law, and Public Benefits. Visit our website at www.inlandlegal.org for more information. Paralegals also get the opportunity to conduct at least one community legal education presentation (preferably on-site within ICLS’ service area) and attending at least one community resource event if they’re interested in doing so per year. You’ll also get the opportunity to expand your legal network by working collaboratively with Pro Bono volunteers and learning about the amazing civil legal aid community – local, statewide, and national.

Requirements

Willingness to learn from and work with others.
Patience with clients and self.
Easy to talk to and approachable for both staff, clients, and the community ICLS serves.
An openness to communicate both challenges and an intentional practice to express gratitude to their colleagues.
Determination to get the best outcome for clients.
Curiosity and desire to learn about client’s experiences that led to their legal issue including systemic injustices that have historically disadvantaged persons of color and folks with low income.
Passion and dedication to access to justice via civil legal aid.
Hard-working but appreciates a work-life balance; has boundaries and respects others’ boundaries.
Has a healthy and sustainable practice to manage stress and vicarious trauma or is willing to learn practices that may be helpful in these regards.
Community Centered; Inquisitive
Passion for learning and personal/professional growth
Interested in mentorship for self and mentoring others as experience is gained;
Active listening skills
Trauma-informed interviewing skills
Trauma-informed advocacy
Legal writing and research skills
Courtroom/trial experience (will be gained at ICLS for those with limited experience)
Analytical skills
Negotiations
Previous experience conducting street outreach to unhoused folks, or working with similar populations required

Nice To Haves

Bilingual preferred
Experience conducting a homeless point-in-time count for San Bernardino or Riverside county a plus

Responsibilities

Accept HDAP referrals from partner organizations and make contact with the referrals within 72 hours of receipt. Note that the initial communication may be challenging and may require a visit to where the person is located in the community (e.g. motel, encampment, or community partner location).
Travel to client locations weekly including locations not intended for human habitation such as unhoused encampments, parks, and other locations that clients frequent. Safety is incredibly important; travel and home visits are done with an additional staff member and visits should be halted if the staff member does not feel safe in the environment.
Assess HDAP referrals holistically including assisting in applying for CalFresh, General Relief/General Assistance, CAPI, and obtaining vital documents if needed.
Maintain regular contact with HDAP clients (at least once every 30 days) and assist in developing application for disability benefits including – assessing most recent treatment and medical history, if necessary, coordinating with health law team for assistance in obtaining health insurance coverage, challenging denials or delays in treatment, and transportation.
Requesting and obtaining client’s medical records. Maintaining multiple databases updated with client contact information.
Represent clients in various administrative legal proceedings on a variety of public benefits including CalWORKs, CalFresh, General Relief/General Assistance, CAPI, and others.
Represent clients by providing direct representation at all stages of the disability application process including at administrative hearings with the State Hearings Division. Representation includes negotiating the matter, if necessary, with an Appeals Specialist to avoid the need for a hearing
Meet clients in the community – this may include conducting intake and outreach activities at various locations including community-based organizations, homeless shelters, homeless encampments, motels, and client homes. Safety is of the utmost importance and these types of outreaches/intakes are done in partnership with an additional experienced ICLS staff member, and at times with the assistance of members from partner community-based organizations.
Requesting and reviewing medical records to determine whether the client has the sufficient evidence needed to apply, maintain, or restore disability benefits with the Social Security Administration.
Become SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) certified, in both adult and child criteria, to aid in your ability to properly assist clients with applying for and obtaining disability-based benefits.
Become familiar with and follow Legal Services Corporation regulations and other funder requirements as appropriate.
Maintaining physical files in compliance with program and funder requirements, including ICLS’ Case Management System Legal Server, and San Bernardino County HMIS.
Engage monthly with HDAP partners, provide report outs on clients, and coordinate efforts to locate clients if they are not able to be located.
Access to reliable transportation
Ability to travel to community events in ICLS's service area
Ability to participate in events outside of regular work hours
Once trained and experienced in this work, handle a minimum caseload based on tier:
Comply with MCLE requirements for paralegals in accordance California Business and Professions Code §6450(d): Every two years, commencing January 1, 2007, any person that is working as a paralegal shall be required to certify completion of four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in legal ethics and four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in either general law or in an area of specialized law. All continuing legal education courses shall meet the requirements of Section 6070. Certification of these continuing education requirements shall be made with the paralegal's supervising attorney. The paralegal shall be responsible for keeping a record of the paralegal's certifications.