Temporary Paralegal Casehandler, Housing Justice Helpline

The Legal Aid Society • New York, NY

10d

About The Position

The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice is seeking Temporary Paralegal
Casehandler for the Housing Justice Helpline. The Temporary Helpline Paralegal
is on the front lines of assisting individuals and families to avoid eviction
and preserve affordable housing. They will staff the Housing Justice Helpline
answering calls of NYC tenants providing information, advice, brief legal
services, and referrals while under the supervision of an attorney.

This position is funded through a temporary grant, and the continuation of the
position is dependent on funding availability. The position is funded for an
initial period of 12 months, with the possibility of extension based on
continued funding and project needs. If funding is not continued, the Temporary
Paralegal Casehandler will be eligible to apply for other internal positions or
be transferred into a comparable position.

Requirements

• Eligible candidates must have at least one of the following: A bachelor’s degree (strongly preferred) A paralegal certificate from an ABA accredited paralegal program At minimum a high school diploma / GED and 4+ years of legal work experience 4+ years of combined higher education and legal work experience
• Excellent written, oral advocacy, and computer skills
• Excellent organization skills with ability to multi-task and manage a large workload
• Prior experience utilizing Excel in school or professional settings required
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate successfully with other groups and organizations

Nice To Haves

• Experience assisting people in crisis is desirable
• Experience staffing a help/hotline or switchboard is preferred
• Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required
• Experience in and/or commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income people and immigrants is strongly desired

Responsibilities

• Conduct telephone intake and client interviews, provide advice, direct assistance, and assess requests for services
• Identify, assess, and escalate time sensitive and emergency legal issues to supervisory staff
• Provide oral and written advocacy to or on behalf of clients
• Conduct factual and legal research
• Handle a high volume of individual cases
• Assist callers with completing court forms including pleadings in eviction cases and termination hearings to be filed pro se
• Advocate with various agencies regarding government benefits
• Maintain case records
• Conduct policy advocacy on behalf of clients
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• health insurance
• paid vacation
• disability
• life insurance
• qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level