Full-Time Paralegal Client Advocate, Juvenile Rights Trial Office (Brooklyn)
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Job Description
The Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice is seeking a Paralegal Client Advocate in the Brooklyn Trial office. Paralegal Client Advocates (PCA) are integral members of the interdisciplinary team with lawyers, social workers, and other supporting roles that support the legal representation of children, youth and young adults in matters before NYC Family Courts and Criminal Court Youth Parts; including child welfare, youth justice, public defense, PINS (Persons-In-Need-of-Supervision), custody, guardianship, visitation and termination of parental rights cases.
The Paralegal Client Advocate plays a critical role on the team by supporting both administrative needs and direct client representation. As an advocate, the PCA extends the legal representation beyond the courthouse and into the community. The PCA will promote the client’s directed interest, support the clients’ ability to navigate, address and resolve complex issues in their home, school, agency and community, support family integrity and ensure comprehensive and holistic delivery of services.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
- Serve as a point of contact for clients and families, providing support and advocacy throughout their legal case
- Conduct client meetings, home visits, field visits and interviews in diverse settings, including schools, community spaces, residential facilities, and detention centers
- Advocate for clients during Family Team and Discharge Conferences, suspension hearings, IEP meetings, and other critical interactions
- Liaise with court officials, school personnel, probation officers, ACS staff, medical providers, and other stakeholders to ensure clients’ needs are met
- Advocate for housing, benefits, and community services through agencies such as HRA and NYCHA
- Aid clients’ navigation of systems of care, including education, medical and mental health services
- Conduct investigations, observe interactions, and provide testimony when necessary
- Draft and review memorandums, administrative advocacy letters, case reports, and litigation support documents, including documents necessary for class action and appellate cases
- Assist with motion practice, requiring advanced writing skills and legal understanding
- Monitor compliance with court orders and support clients through reentry, permanency transitions, and placement processes
- Participate in training modules and contribute to the professional development of interdisciplinary teams
- Support organizational initiatives to create a uniform practice across all boroughs
- Collaborate and communicate in an interdisciplinary environment
- Maintain and prioritize workload by maintaining data reporting and required case management
- Handle institutional assignments including intake coverage
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree (preferred) or paralegal certificate from an ABA accredited paralegal program
- Experience working with children, youth, and families in community or court environments
- Ability to work within and value a collaborative team model
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills
- Strong research, writing, and computer skills
- Demonstrated skills in advocacy and interviewing
- Proficiency in other languages (Spanish language desired), but not required
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The salary range represents a good faith estimate of the range we expect to pay for this role. The actual salary offered may vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.
Salary Range: $60,033 – $91,932
The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Click here to read more about benefits.
Higher Education and Loan Forgiveness
The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.
hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs
WORK AUTHORIZATION
All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)
HOW TO APPLY
All applications must be completed online via the career portal. We do not accept emailed applications. Submit the following documents as a combined PDF:
- Cover Letter
- Resume
For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jo**************@le*******.org.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients (people), to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us and our ability to build strong relationships with our colleagues. Every member of our community is expected to continuously learn about the dynamic, evolving, and emerging field of knowledge of identity, bias, and systemic forms of oppression and participate in productive efforts to dismantling bias in all forms.
How to Apply
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