Paralegal, Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program

About NYLAG

Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combating economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. During COVID-19, most of our services are virtual to keep our community safe. NYLAG’s staff of 300 impacted the lives of nearly 90,000 people last year.

Mission

The New York Legal Assistance Group uses the power of the law to help New Yorkers in need combat social and economic injustice. We address emerging and urgent legal needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community education.

Values that guide us

• We reduce the effects of poverty by providing high quality, effective civil legal services. 
• We partner with our clients to help them transform their lives and strengthen their communities.
• We address our clients’ multiple legal needs by collaborating across our practice areas.
• We are at the forefront of identifying and understanding New Yorkers’ most pressing legal needs, rapidly adapting to meet these needs with innovative programs and partnerships.
• We assess need broadly, recognizing that need is not a function of income alone.
• We collaborate with community organizations and engage pro bono attorneys and volunteers to serve a greater number of people with unmet civil legal needs.
• We achieve systemic change through class actions, impact litigation and by advocating for just laws and policies.
• We work to create a welcoming and inclusive work environment that reflects the communities we serve.
• We teach and train the next generation of legal service professionals.

Job Description:

NYLAG has an opening for a paralegal in its Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program, starting June 21, 2021.  The Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program (EFLRP) advocates for access to health and long-term care services for low-income New Yorkers who, because of aging and/or disability, depend on Medicaid home care services to enable them to remain in their homes and avoid institutionalization. The paralegal will primarily provide legal services to seniors and people with disabilities who need long-term care services such as home care because of chronic health conditions.  These services are primarily paid for by Medicaid, so the position includes counseling clients on the complex rules of Medicaid eligibility, helping them apply, and troubleshooting problems. The paralegal will work as part of a team of lawyers and paralegals within EFLRP who are part of the Independent Consumer Advocacy Network (“ICAN”), a statewide Ombudsman program funded by the State of New York. See https://icannys.org.   ICAN helps people navigate the complex Medicaid long term care system in New York, and advocates for individuals denied needed long term care services by Medicaid managed care plans.  As the state-funded Ombudsman program, ICAN serves a sentinel function, reporting systemic problems to the State that pose barriers to access to services.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct client intake interviews and answer helpline during assigned shifts.
• Provide direct assistance, advocacy, education, and counseling to consumers and/or their caregivers concerning eligibility for Medicaid, problems with enrollment and disenrollment in managed care plans, benefits coverage and access rules and procedures, member rights and responsibilities, and appeals.
• Assist consumers with raising and resolving quality of care issues informally as well as formally through the grievance and appeal processes. 
• Manage their own caseload from initial intake through case resolution, under the supervision of an attorney, including maintaining client case records as directed.
• When restrictions caused by COVID-19 are lifted, travel within New York City is required to clients’ homes to conduct interviews of homebound clients,  and to government agency sites and outreach sites within New York City.  Travel will also be required to an annual statewide ICAN conference in Albany, once pandemic restrictions are lifted.  
• Participate in meetings involving the EFLRP unit, the ICAN Ombuds program, and grants as directed.
• Assist in administration of program, including scheduling of outreach sessions and completing other administrative tasks as assigned by Unit Director.
• With experience, conduct educational presentations for consumers, caregivers and advocates, and assist in writing and updating articles for the website at www.nyhealthaccess.org.
• With experience, participate in city-wide and state-wide coalitions involving policy advocacy for dual eligibles and other Medicaid recipients. 
• Fulfill other responsibilities identified by Supervisor.

Qualifications:

Education/Admittance required: Bachelor’s degree

Experience preferred:   

• Work and/or volunteer experience demonstrating commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income people and immigrants is strongly desired, strong preference given for direct experience with public health insurance programs including Medicaid and Medicare
• Excellent written, oral advocacy, and MS Office software skills;
•  Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team and manage a high volume of cases;

Preferred  language ability:  Fluency in  Russian, a Chinese language, or Spanish is highly desirable. 

NYLAG’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

NYLAG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.

Employment type:

☒ Full-time

☐ Part-time

☐ Temporary

Professional Level:

☒ Entry Level

☐ Professional

☐ Managerial

Salary:

Select one of three options.

1.     Salary range (e.g., step one through step three)

Benefits: Excellent benefits.