Paralegal, SAVE YOUR HOME PHILLY HOTLINE

Position

Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) seeks to immediately hire a full-time paralegal to work with low-income Philadelphia residents in danger of losing their homes.

Background

PLA provides free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals and families in Philadelphia. 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.

Join a tight-knit and committed team of paralegals who operate the “Save Your Home Philly” Hotline, a central point of contact for Philadelphia homeowners at risk of losing their homes. Supervised by an experienced homeownership attorney, the Save Your Home Philly Hotline paralegals respond to calls and inquiries from homeowners with a variety of legal issues: those behind on their mortgage or real estate tax payments, those with a need to prove ownership through probate or another quiet title action, those that are at risk of immediate sheriff sale of their home, and those that can access mortgage payment assistance programs. The Hotline staff work in close collaboration with attorneys and paralegals in PLA’s Consumer Housing Unit, as well as Community Legal Services, Philadelphia VIP, and a network of housing counselors to assist homeowners in navigating the legal system, understanding and safeguarding their rights, and avoiding homelessness. The Hotline is a critical piece of the network of services available in Philadelphia for low-income homeowners to preserve neighborhood and family stability.

Responsibilities

Paralegals can expect to have a variety of responsibilities as part of a team of advocates, including:

• Interviewing and advising clients faced with mortgage and tax problems
• Interviewing and advising clients with “tangled titles”, or claims to homeownership without having a record deed in their name
• Interviewing and advising clients about wills and estate planning
• Evaluating a client’s situation and making appropriate referrals
• Advocating for clients with mortgage companies and taxing authorities in writing as well as over the phone
• Helping clients navigate City assistance programs
• Researching, understanding and utilizing statues, regulations and city ordinances
• Coordinating and managing case referrals
• Tracking policy developments and disseminating new information to other paralegals on the team
• Conducting outreach with other community organizations on housing issues

Qualifications

Working at PLA is a hands-on, skill-building experience. No prior legal experience or knowledge of housing or consumer law is necessary. A successful candidate will be a compassionate listener, like problem solving, enjoy helping others, and value a collegial workplace centered on service.

Qualifications include:

• Two- or four-year college degree
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Commitment to improving the well-being of low-income communities
• Compassion, understanding, patience and a talent for working cooperatively with a broad spectrum of people
• The ability to work effectively under stress with clients in high-stress states
• Maturity, self-motivation, and ability to adapt quickly
• Strong time management and organization skills, and ability to manage a client caseload
• A sincere and strong commitment to helping others
• Prior work or volunteer experience at a non-profit serving low-income clients is preferred
• Spanish or other language fluency a plus
• Computer literacy, including the ability to learn and navigate between online databases

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.

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; life insurance; and short- and long-term disability benefits.

Spanish or other language fluency a plus