Paralegal (Community Outreach and Engagement)

ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION

Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) fosters equal opportunity and fights discrimination on behalf of people of color and immigrants. We engage in creative and courageous legal action, education, and advocacy in collaboration with law firms and community partners.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Under the supervision of attorneys, the Community Outreach and Engagement Paralegal will provide support to LCR | BizGrow, our small business project. BizGrow’s mission is to contribute to the economic growth of low-income communities by helping individuals to achieve economic self-sufficiency, and to develop sustainable businesses. 

The Paralegal will also perform community education and related tasks for other LCR program areas as assigned. In 2021, additional duties are anticipated to include coordinating our work on behalf of clients who need pandemic-related assistance, and working with attorneys and grassroots partners on community education related to the upcoming redistricting cycle.

Excellent judgment and initiative are critical components of this position. This position is full time (40 hours/week).

WORK RESPONSIBILITIES (% of time spent)

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to, working with attorneys to:

Assist in the running BizGrow (50% of your time), including:

• Interfacing with volunteers and speakers to plan small business workshops;
• Representing the organization at workshops, legal clinics, and other events designed for small businesses; and
• Meeting with immigrant, women, and minority entrepreneurs to ensure we are serving their legal needs.

Assist in other community engagement projects (50% of your time). In 2021, this will encompass work on pandemic-related relief and redistricting, including:

• Serving as a visible and proactive liaison between our attorneys and our allies, including grassroots organizations, to engage community members in the redistricting process; 
• Coordinating and training volunteers to assist families with emergency rental assistance applications; and
• Engaging in other activities designed to increase public awareness surrounding key civil rights and racial justice issues. 

PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS:

1. SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTING THE ORGANIZATION EXTERNALLY

You will be evaluated based on the ability to represent Lawyers for Civil Rights in events and meetings in connection with the projects you are leading. Additionally, you will be evaluated on the capacity to produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge and analyzing problems.

2. SUCCESSFULLY SERVING AS A RESOURCE INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY

You will be evaluated based on the ability to successfully serve as a resource for the organization’s attorneys and community partners.

3. SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGING IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO ADVANCE OUR MISSION AND ENHANCE OUR VISIBILITY

You will be evaluated based on the ability to successfully engage in community outreach efforts that are strategically and concretely aligned with the goals of the programs you are working with.

QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants must be extremely hard-working, highly self-motivated, creative, analytical, and passionate about civil rights and racial justice. Applicants must be willing to participate in community events and activities in the evenings and on weekends as needed, and have the ability to travel across Greater Boston for community meetings, workshops, and activities (as COVID-19 restrictions allow). The ideal candidate will also have:

• Computer skills, especially for word processing, creating spreadsheets, and drafting community education materials.
• Competency with Google Suite and Zoom. 
• Excellent writing, editing, and analytical skills.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills.
• The ability to work productively and efficiently with minimal supervision.

SALARY

Competitive salary commensurate with experience. LCR also provides a competitive and comprehensive benefits package, including generous vacation and employer-paid health benefits. 

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Language skills are strongly preferred, particularly the ability to communicate fluently in a language relevant to immigrant communities (including, but not limited to Mandarin, Khmer, Haitian Creole or Spanish), including the ability to speak, read, write, understand, and translate from one language to the other as needed.

HOW TO APPLY

Resume and cover letter (including salary request) should be sent to: employment@lawyersforcivilrights.org