Paralegal / Community Outreach Coordinator

Temporary Paralegal / Community Outreach Coordinator

Focusing on Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid-Use Disorder

(Philadelphia, PA)

The Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PILP) works to ensure equal access to justice for the devastatingly high number of indigent incarcerated and institutionalized people within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PILP provides civil legal services to over 100,000 persons housed in county jails, state and federal prisons, detention centers, and state hospitals. We engage in direct representation, class action litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, and pro se assistance to incarcerated persons with legal reference materials and referrals. 

Our organization is committed to ensuring that the most marginalized members of our community behind bars are afforded their statutory and constitutionally protected rights. PILP’s litigation docket includes cases involving COVID-19, solitary confinement, physical and sexual assault, disability rights, transgender rights, women’s issues, freedom of religion, mental health and medical care, and other conditions of confinement. 

PILP is seeking a part-time paralegal/community outreach coordinator (15-18 hours per week) to work on a new grant-funded project to address the opioid overdose epidemic through litigation and advocacy to increase the availability of vital medical treatment to people living in jails and prisons. The paralegal/community outreach coordinator will work in close collaboration with an attorney who will focusing exclusively on this project, which will include filing records requests for county jail policies relating to Medication for Opioid-Use Disorder/Medication-Assisted Treatment (MOUD/MAT), drafting a report analyzing state wide trends, answering intake from incarcerated individuals seeking MOUD/MAT, investigating potential legal claims, and representing clients in cases related to denial of MOUD/MAT, including potential class action litigation. This position is funded through a partnership with Vital Strategies.

This position lasts from the present - September 30, 2021. The position is part-time for 15-18 hours/week. It possibly can be extended depending on additional grant funding and budget.

This position is for the Philadelphia office. Due to COVID-19, PILP staff are primarily working remotely, but applicants should be located in the Philadelphia area.  We continue to reassess the remote work situations as we move forward.

Responsibilities:

• Reviewing intakes related to opioid-use disorder
• Interacting with potential clients and their families
• Assisting with filing and reviewing records requests under Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law
• Assisting with drafting, designing, and reviewing a report analyzing county jail policies on MOUD/MAT
• Assisting with litigating cases on behalf of incarcerated individuals related to denial of MOUD/MAT
• Relationship building and outreach with other advocates and community organizations interested in increasing access to MOUD/MAT in prisons and jails
• Organizing and convene a group of advocates for a roundtable on access to MOUD/MAT in prisons
• Developing info sheets about the right of access to MOUD/MAT for incarcerated people
• Conducting visits to prisons and institutions to meet with clients
• Working closely with the legal team, issue experts, and clients to investigate and develop potential cases

Qualifications:

·       Bachelor’s degree is a plus

• Familiarity with Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Prior experience with Medications for Opioid-Use Disorder/Medication-Assisted Treatment and related advocacy is a plus.
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong work ethic, initiative, sound judgment, and creativity
• Willingness to travel and work outside of normal business hours
• Commitment to social justice work and the role of PILP in safeguarding the rights of incarcerated and institutionalized people
• Awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds
• Bilingual capabilities, especially Spanish, are also a plus

Salary/Benefits: The pay rate for a paralegal/community outreach coordinator starts at a minimum of $15/hour (the hourly rate may be higher for those with more experience).

Opening/Closing Date: PILP will accept applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. PILP is seeking to fill this position as quickly as possible.

To Apply:

Please send a cover letter, resume and references to the email jobs@pailp.org, with the subject line “PILP JOBS: MOUD Position.”

The Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project values a diverse work environment and strongly encourages women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and people who have had prior contact with criminal justice system to apply. 

NON-DISCRIMINATION CLAUSE

The Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PILP) is an equal opportunity employer. PILP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sexual or gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status.