Bilingual (Portuguese and/or Haitian Creole) Paralegal/Intake Specialist

Title: Bilingual Paralegal/Intake Specialist

Status: Full-time, Non-Exempt

Location: Boston or Belchertown, Massachusetts/Hybrid

Organization:

Victim Rights Law Center (VRLC) is a nonprofit law center that provides free legal representation to survivors s of rape, sexual assault, and sexualized stalking in Massachusetts and offers national training and support for lawyers and advocates on the civil legal needs of survivors of sexual violence. VRLC’s mission is to transform the response to sexual violence. Through survivor-centered legal representation, training, and advocacy, we shape the national conversation and build a movement that expands justice for survivors.

All applicants must support VRLC’s mission and philosophy regarding our commitment to improving the response to sexual violence, empowering survivors, and deepening inclusiveness. This position will be filled by someone with a strong work ethic, a passion for mission-driven work, and a commitment to addressing the needs of marginalized communities.

VRLC strives to build and strengthen a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This includes building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities and professionals we serve. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color may self-select out of opportunities if they don’t meet 100% of the job requirements. People of color, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, survivors, immigrants, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. The VRLC will gladly assist applicants in need of accommodation. For assistance, contact humanresources@victimrights.org.

Description:

The Paralegal/Intake Specialist is the first contact clients have with VRLC. The Intake Specialist will conduct phone screenings with rape, sexual assault, and sexualized stalking survivors seeking legal assistance, provide support to attorneys representing survivors, draft grant reports, and conduct outreach events with community partners.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct initial phone screenings with rape, sexual assault, and sexualized stalking survivors seeking civil legal assistance and/or criminal justice advocacy in Massachusetts
• Assess potential clients for eligibility for services and provide referrals
• Assist attorneys with legal casework and other administrative tasks related to direct client representation such as:
  • Drafting client correspondence
  • Using DocuSign to secure client signatures on legal documents
  • Requesting audio recordings of court proceedings
  • Drafting court pleadings
  • Conducting legal research using LexisNexis
  • Drafting legal memoranda, and
  • Compiling reporting data for state and federal funding
• Assist clients in gathering assault-related information and documents for their legal cases in the areas of housing, education, employment, immigration, privacy, protection orders, benefits, victim compensation and address confidentiality
• Maintain regularly updated referrals library on OneNote, and support with outreach to other local service providers to expand referral network and to ensure survivors are efficiently and accurately connected to holistic resources.
• Assist with drafting federal and state grant reports
• Work collaboratively with the direct services team and external teams to meet the legal needs of survivors
• Attend outreach events, meetings, and trainings to develop further expertise in the field and build relationships with organizations working with survivors in Massachusetts
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Highly motivated, organized, and able to handle several tasks at once
• Attention to detail and follow-through
• Fluency in Portuguese and/or Haitian Creole

Preferred Qualifications:

• B.A./B.S. and/or relevant work experience
• Experience working with trauma survivors and/or underserved communities
• Experience working in a law office

• 19 paid vacation days
• 12 paid holidays per year
• Summer and winter paid week-long office closures
• Generous sick time
• Paid parental leave
• Health, Dental, and Vision insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with employer match
• Organization-sponsored life insurance
• A fun, caring, and innovative work environment

Must be fluent in Portuguese and/or Haitian Creole.