General Intake Paralegal - Bilingual
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 bilingual (English and Spanish) full time paralegal for its General Intake Unit. The unit currently consists of two (2) paralegals and a Supervising Attorney. The primary focus of the position is to conduct face to face and telephone interviews with prospective clients during which a determination of financial eligibility and the identification of the legal problem(s) are made. Paralegals complete referrals to pro bono agencies and provide advice and brief services 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.
RESPONSIBILITIES
· Under supervision of an attorney, triage calls, evaluate the merit of cases, explain legal concepts to clients, and prepare correspondence and documents to assist in the representation of clients;
· Interview applicants and clients by phone to determine eligibility, issue spot, ascertain and investigate relevant facts, and conduct research;
· Create and maintain case files in PLA’s case management system, complete administrative tasks including, but not limited to, entering notes and time into the system;
· Manage a caseload by taking prompt action on assigned cases;
· Organize information and use technical resources so that information necessary to assist applicants and clients is easy to access and can be transferred to other staff for extended representation;
· Participate in PLA efforts to achieve office and program goals;
· Develop knowledge of relevant law and community referral resources through training, CLE, and other educational opportunities;
· Ensure that requirements of grants and contracts which provide funding for PLA are met and assist with grant reports as needed;
· Abide by all professional and ethical standards of excellence; and
· Perform other duties as assigned or necessary for the effective operation of the office.
QUALIFICATIONS
• A college degree (2 year or 4 year) is preferred.
• Ability to speak, read, and write Spanish is required.
• Strong communication and interviewing skills.
• Ability to interact and communicate calmly with people.
• Ability to analyze complex factual scenarios and, after training, identify the legal problem.
• 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 writing and problem-solving skills.
• Strong customer service skills.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
This is a union position. Salary is dependent upon experience, starting at $48,350. PLA offers a generous benefit package in addition to salary: language differential for Spanish language ability after proficiency testing, health insurance premiums paid in full for employee and family, cash incentives for health insurance opt out, vacation and personal days totaling at least 20 days, twelve days of sick time annually, 10 weeks of paid parental 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 located 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 and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds to apply. PLA does not discriminate in the selection of employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, genetics, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, PLA complies with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall and transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Interested applicants should forward a resume and cover letter addressed to the Hiring Committee, preferably in one PDF document, by email to: work@philalegal.org.
Application deadline is rolling, candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. The position will remain open until filled and applications will be accepted until that time.