General Intake Paralegal
Intake Paralegal
ORGANIZATION
Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) is a non-profit legal services program primarily funded by the Legal Services Corporation that serves low-income residents of Philadelphia County and farmworkers throughout Pennsylvania. For Philadelphia residents who are low-income, elderly, or disabled, our legal assistance is often crucial to protecting their homes, their children, their safety, and their livelihood.
POSITION
PLA seeks to immediately hire a full-time paralegal to perform intake and provide brief advice, service, and referral to clients. This position requires the paralegal to conduct telephone interviews with prospective clients during which a determination of financial eligibility and the identification of the legal problem(s) is made. If eligible, the paralegal will conduct an intake interview to determine what the legal problem is and what level of assistance PLA can provide. The paralegal will provide counsel and advice, brief service, pro se assistance in a variety of legal substantive areas, and complete referrals to pro bono agencies under the supervision of an attorney. The ideal candidate will possess excellent knowledge of PLA practice areas and knowledge of other community resources for appropriate referrals. There is intensive in-house training and close supervision will be provided. Paralegals may be asked to conduct face-to-face interviews with applicants when a prospective client needs or requests an in-person appointment.
QUALIFICATIONS
- A college degree (2 year or 4 year) is preferred.
- Ability to interact and communicate calmly with people.
- Ability to analyze complex factual scenarios and, after training, identify the legal problem.
- An interest in the law and in lawyering;
- Strong analytic and reasoning ability;
- A strong commitment to racial justice;
- The ability to manage conflicting demands;
- A commitment to improving the well-being of low-income communities.
- Maturity, self-motivation, and ability to adapt quickly.
- Prior work or volunteer experience at a non-profit serving low-income clients is preferred.
- Strong interviewing, writing, organizational and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to follow up with clients and explain legal concepts, options and deliver legal advice under supervision of an attorney.
- Compassion, understanding, patience and a talent for working cooperatively with a broad spectrum of people;
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to speak, read, and write a second language preferred, but not required.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
Salary is dependent upon experience, starting at $40,000. PLA offers a generous benefits package in addition to salary: health insurance premiums paid in full for employee and family, cash incentives for health insurance opt out, vacation, personal, and sick leave, thirteen (13) paid holidays, 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution based on years of service, life insurance and short and long-term disability benefits.
Work Location:
PLA’s office is at 718 Arch Street in Philadelphia. Staff may request to work from home up to 3 days per week.
Application Process:
Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) is an equal-opportunity employer. PLA values a diverse work environment and strongly encourages women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, people with disabilities, people who have experienced poverty or homelessness, and people who have had prior contact with the juvenile, criminal, or child welfare systems to apply. PLA invites all applicants to include in their cover letter a statement about how your unique background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and legal services practice.
Send cover letter, resume, references, and five-page writing sample, preferably in one PDF document, to work@philalegal.org.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled. We encourage applicants to submit applications as soon as possible.