Tenant Advocacy Paralegal, ROCHESTER – TELESCA CENTER

Empire Justice Center, a diverse and highly respected statewide legal services organization, seeks a paralegal for our Tenant Advocacy practice group. This is an opportunity to join and grow in one of the most influential organizations serving marginalized low-income individuals and families in New York State.

Empire Justice Center attracts and employs a diverse team of dedicated, determined, and passionate advocates who significantly impact the lives of low-income New Yorkers. We succeed through direct legal representation, high-impact litigation, and legislative and administrative advocacy. As an organization, we provide top-notch training and technical assistance to other advocates to ensure fairness and justice for New Yorkers. We thrive on our commitment to supporting justice for populations that have historically experienced high levels of oppression. These populations include racially diverse individuals and families experiencing poverty, housing insecurity, immigration issues, and domestic violence. Additionally, the organization advocates for people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and school-age children facing discrimination and violations of their civil rights in schools.

Our offices in Rochester, Albany, Westchester County, and Long Island offer staff an exciting, dynamic, inclusive working environment with a solid commitment to work/life balance, teamwork, diversity, wellness, and personal/professional development.

Position Summary

The Tenant Advocacy Paralegal is part of and supports a team of attorneys in the Tenant Advocacy practice group through various tasks, including litigation support, factual investigation, file management, case data entry, intake and screening of potential clients, legislative and policy advocacy support, and other assignments as needed. The Tenant Advocacy Paralegal is supervised by the Managing Attorney or another position in the practice group.

Benefits

We are an organization that supports and promotes a healthy work-life balance. Empire Justice Center offers a generous benefit package including:

• Health insurance (employer pays 100% premium for a high-quality, co-pay plan).
• 403(b) eligibility with 1% employer match and additional employer contribution.
• 3% Non-Elective Annual Contribution made by Empire Justice Center.
  • Benefit eligible after 12 months of employment.
• Generous vacation, sick, personal, and holiday time
  • 14 Paid Holidays
  • Vacation: 10.5 hours/month; Sick: 7 hours/month; Personal: 35 hours/year
• Bilingual salary enhancement for qualifying employees.
• Loan Repayment Assistance Program.
• Voluntary Supplemental Disability.
• Dental Insurance (employee paid).
• Vision Insurance (employee paid).
• $150K Group Term Life Insurance.
• Generous Bereavement Leave.
• 35-hour full-time work week.
  • NYS Short-Term Disability.
• FSA Eligibility.

Empire Justice Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and strongly desires a diverse and inclusive workforce. Empire Justice Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. It prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type, specifically - race, color, religion, age (40 or older), sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, disability status, genetics, neurodiversity, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Travel to and work in the Rochester Telesca Center office is required to meet client and organizational needs.
  • This position is eligible for a hybrid work request under the organizational policy.
• Engage in administrative duties, including but not limited to taking and returning phone calls, answering correspondence, filing, copying, and scanning.
• Conduct intake interviews for potential clients and accurately enter their information into the Empire Justice Center case management system.
• Develop and maintain the organizational systems for case files and other documents.
• Engage in investigations, including gathering documents from clients, requesting records, interviewing clients and potential witnesses, and gathering and compiling data.
• Coordinate client service and contacts, including scheduling appointments with attorneys.
• Case management: entering and tracking client information into various databases, opening and closing files, organizing client and case information for practice group review, coordinating follow-up services for clients, including using translation services and referrals.
• Keep accurate case and time records in the case management system.
• Provide legal information to clients and others under the supervision of an attorney.
• Maintain confidentiality of client information and files.
• Prepare legal documents.
• Help to identify systemic issues that create barriers to the receipt of housing assistance for low-income communities and individuals.
• Collaborate with advocates and attorneys from partnering organizations to find other resources to preserve clients’ housing.
• Work closely with teams within the Rochester office to identify and assist with related legal needs that housing clients may have, including immigration issues, language access, services for crime victims, and access to public benefits.
• Calendar and track court or settlement deadlines.
• Prepare outreach materials, conduct outreach on the availability of services, and distribute community education materials.
• Assist in the collection and reporting of case closing information as required by grant and contract providers, and provide them with timely reports.
• Assist attorneys in the preparation of memoranda or other documents for state legislative offices in support of lobbying efforts.
• Provide litigation support to practice group attorneys.
• Attend training, presentations, and events as needed, both online and in person.
• Regularly participate in calls and meetings with other practice group staff.
• Run selected database reports.
• Maintain and update the referral database and provide outside referrals.
• Must demonstrate high comfort and commitment to working with people and clients who are disadvantaged and/or disabled.
• Please note that all positions will supervise other practice group members if needed.
• Due to limited resources, all staff are expected to perform administrative and other support-related duties to serve our clients and fulfill our mission as a non-profit legal services organization.
• Other duties as assigned by your supervisor and/or to meet the organization’s needs.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Demonstrated excellence in utilizing the Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, PowerPoint), with the ability to learn and adapt to other applications quickly.
• Must demonstrate strong analytical and communication skills, including proficiency in technology that facilitates the delivery of communication, documents, and other materials.
• Ability to communicate and write effectively.
• Practice effective time management and demonstrate an ability to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated case management experience.
• Strong presentation and public communication skills.
• Ability to schedule appointments and manage calendars.
• Administrative skills, including database and file management.
• Must demonstrate excellence in technology systems, facilitating the creation and delivery of communication, documents, and record-keeping, among other tasks.
• Skilled in problem management.
• Strong organizational skills and adept at managing multiple priorities.
• Strong document drafting skills.
• Demonstrate a keen attention to detail and a high level of accuracy in handling data.
• Spanish language proficiency is preferred but not required.
• Ability to work in the office and the community to meet professional responsibilities, as determined by the supervisor.
• Experience in and commitment to working with marginalized communities.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.