Bilingual Housing Paralegal
LONG ISLAND, NY - FULL TIME
Empire Justice Center, a highly respected, statewide legal services organization, is seeking a Bilingual Housing Paralegal to join our team. This is an opportunity to engage in work that protects and strengthens the rights of low-income individuals and families on Long Island and to focus on getting to the root causes of racial and economic justice.
Empire Justice Center attracts and retains dedicated, determined, and passionate advocates who make a significant impact on the lives of New Yorkers. We achieve our successes through direct legal representation and high-impact litigation, as well as legislative and administrative advocacy. We also provide training and technical assistance to other advocates working towards the same goals.
With offices in Rochester, Albany, Westchester County, and Long Island, our organization offers staff an exciting and dynamic working environment and a strong commitment to teamwork, diversity, and personal/professional development.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BILINGUAL HOUSING PARALEGAL WILL INCLUDE:
Working closely with our Housing team, the paralegal will be responsible for intake and screening of low-income immigrant tenants on Long Island who are at risk of eviction. The position will include accompanying clients to housing court, maintaining cases files and other records, and monitoring the status of a high volume of cases. The paralegal will also provide out-of-court interpretation and document translation as needed.
In conjunction with staff in the Long Island office, the paralegal will help to identify related legal needs of our housing clients in order to provide referrals and linkages. In addition, the paralegal will conduct outreach to Long Island immigrant communities and collaborate with a statewide housing law team to develop strategies to strengthen and promote tenants’ rights and to formulate a broader response to the crisis of inadequate housing.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- At least 2 years of paralegal experience, including litigation support, client intake, maintenance of case records and other legal documents, and handling a high volume of cases.
- Experience in working with low-income clients and immigrants.
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to organize, plan, prioritize, meet deadlines, and work under pressure.
- Flexibility and experience working as a team.
- Fluency in Spanish and English and ability to translate documents into English.
- Ability to respond to cultural differences among organizations, client population, and staff.
DESIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
- Working knowledge of housing law and tenants’ rights
- Familiarity with community resources, including housing, social services, and financial assistance programs.
- Strong client communication skills including learning to deal with “difficult” clients.• Experience in interviewing and counseling clients, preferably in both English and Spanish.
- Willingness and ability to travel to serve clients in a geographically wide-spread area.• Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team of attorneys, paralegals, and support staff
SALARY AND BENEFITS
Salary is commensurate with experience and based on the organization's salary scale. Empire Justice Center offers a generous benefits package, including health insurance, pension, and life insurance, vacation, holiday, personal and sick time. We are an organization that supports and encourages a work/life balance.
Empire Justice Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer who desires a diverse workforce. People of color, women, people who are disabled, people who are elderly, and people who are LGBTQ+are welcomed and encouraged to apply.
TO APPLY:
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. If interested e-mail a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three professional references to: employment@empirejustice.org
Please include, Bilingual Housing Paralegal, First/Last Name to the subject line of the email. No phone calls or hard copies, please. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Bilingual Housing Paralegal
employment@empirejustice.org |
