Paralegal

The Public Interest Law Center, a nationally renowned 57-year-old nonprofit, uses high-impact legal strategies to advance the civil, social, and economic rights of communities in the Philadelphia region facing discrimination, inequality, and poverty. We use litigation, community education, advocacy, and organizing to secure access to fundamental resources and services. Our practice areas include employment, environmental justice, healthcare, housing, public education, and voting.

In the last 20 months, the Law Center has been especially focused on responding to the Trump administration’s unprecedented threats to democracy, the rule of law, and the most vulnerable in our society. We have represented transgender youth and their families in quashing sweeping subpoenas demanding their sensitive medical records, intervened to prevent the federal government from obtaining private voter information that would be used to fuel baseless challenges to voter eligibility, stopped the early termination of consent decrees imposed to remedy discriminatory lending, and sought to continue a race discrimination lawsuit dropped by the EEOC “based solely on a Presidential directive.” We do all this while working to ensure safe, affordable housing for renters, adequately funded public schools, access to employment for people with criminal records, preservation of urban community gardens, and the counting of every vote.

The Law Center is seeking applications for a full-time paralegal to support our major initiatives across multiple practice areas. This is a unique opportunity for a motivated individual to get hands-on experience in civil rights law and high-impact litigation. Reporting to the Director of Operations and working closely with the legal team, the paralegal will have the following principal responsibilities:

Legal Support

• Conduct factual research in connection with cases.
• Assist in preparing legal documents (including checking citations, preparing table of authorities and table of contents, and assembling exhibits); file (including electronic filing) and serve legal documents.
• Organize and analyze discovery, including indexing and bates stamping documents; maintaining written discovery and responses; organizing and maintaining deposition transcripts and exhibits; indexing documents and summarizing transcripts
• Provide support for hearings, argument, or trial.
• Track City Council on a weekly basis and send legislative updates to the relevant attorneys.
• Coordinate with external organizers and other partners.

Garden Justice Legal Initiative Support

• Together with an attorney, publicize and host at least four community education programs per year.
• Monitor GJLI inquiries, including conducting initial intake conversations, maintaining internal databases, and tracking any necessary attorney follow-up.
• Support the administration of the Philadelphia Land Justice Coalition including participating in committee meetings as needed, setting up recurring calendar and zoom invitations, taking notes, tracking attendance, and performing follow-up.

Intern Program Support

• Administer internship program, including implementing evaluation system and coordinating assignments.
• Coordinate hiring application process including posting positions, receiving and reviewing applications, scheduling interviews, and corresponding with applicants.

General Office Support

• Maintain office-wide calendar, filing system, and Outlook contact lists.
• Administer the Legal Server database, including making updates, entering data, training staff, and running reports.
• Assist in recruiting volunteers and overseeing their assignments.
• Staff the front desk as needed when volunteers are unavailable.
• Respond to intake calls and make referrals when appropriate.
• Coordinate office meetings and events, including ordering food as needed.
• Scan, file, copy, and mail documents as requested.
• Assist with the annual fundraising event.
• Work with the technology team to ensure office technology is functioning smoothly.
• Take notes at Board and committee meetings as requested.
• Assist Director of Operations with management of office supplies.

Qualifications

• College degree preferred.
• Familiarity and appreciation of the role and mission of the Public Interest Law Center as well as understanding the importance of public interest law.
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to establish priorities and strategies to complete multiple tasks on time and effectively.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products.
• Experience with case management systems (such as Legal Server) preferred.
• Adaptability, flexibility, and diplomacy.
• High motivation and a capacity for important work within the context of a goal-driven environment.
• Ability to function well independently, while participating in and contributing to a total team effort.

Job Location

The position is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Law Center has a hybrid workweek, which consists of three days in the office – Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – for all staff, with an option to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays.

The Law Center offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and life insurance; short-term and long-term disability coverage; retirement plan with employer contribution; ample paid time off and holidays; paid parental leave; and paid family and medical leave.