Temporary Staff Paralegal

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Temporary Staff Paralegal will provide direct services to clients with low income with housing issues in Allegany and Steuben Counties at the LawNY® Bath Office. This is a Temporary position and will end on September 30, 2026. 

LawNY’s Bath Office Eviction Prevention Unit provides a variety of legal services including informational hotlines, education and outreach to the community, legal counsel and advice, negotiation with landlords on eviction and habitability issues, as well as representation in formal and informal hearings before housing authorities as well as summary eviction proceedings in town and village courts.

The Temporary Staff Paralegal will work with the Eviction Prevention Unit in Bath to provide direct legal services to eligible clients, and will primarily focus on prescreening applicants for eligibility, completing telephone and in-person intake interviews, preparing electronic and paper case files, obtaining eligibility and compliance documentation, attending case acceptance meetings, and assisting attorneys and paralegals with case work.  

The ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of how civil legal issues affecting low-income communities intersect with social and economic justice. Staff paralegals play a critical role in realizing LawNY®’s vision of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Every employee Staff Paralegal is expected to actively engage in learning and becoming increasingly skilled in practice that supports this vision.

QUALIFICATIONS These are the basic requirements for the position.

• Associate’s degree, and/or relevant work experience, is required.


• Demonstrated commitment to helping poor and disadvantaged people overcome institutional barriers to legal access.

COMPENSATION PACKAGE

The beginning salary for a Staff Paralegal with no experience is $33,670 and the salary for a Staff Paralegal with thirty years of experience is $64,620.  Salary will be based on experience. LawNY is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF).

LawNY® provides an excellent package of fringe benefits including:

•  94% Employer paid Medical Premium with 100% Employer paid in-network deductible 


• 100% Employer paid Dental Insurance


• 100% Employer paid Life Insurance


• 100% Employer paid Enhanced Short-term Disability


• 100% Employer paid Long-term Disability


• Vision Insurance


• 20 Paid Vacation days per year


• 12 Sick days per year


• 5 Personal days per year


• 13.5 Holidays plus 2 floating Holidays per year


• 35-Hour Work Week

RESPONSIBILITIES These are the most significant responsibilities and primary functions of the position.

The Staff Paralegal will provide support to clients and attorneys, primarily in Housing Law matters, to include:

• Prescreen applications for eligibility for legal services.  


• Complete client intakes on LawNY’s electronic case management system.


• Make referrals to other providers and agencies for assistance. 


• Create and maintain client files, both physically and electronically. 


• Obtain eligibility and compliance documentation. 


• Advocate with community and governmental agencies regarding eviction prevention, living conditions of rental units, and maintenance of housing benefits for vulnerable populations.


• Schedule appointments for clients and calendar court dates. 


• Attend case acceptance meetings and present prescreened applications for services. 


• Assist paralegals and attorneys with facilitating communication among parties, e.g., client, attorney, agency advocate.


• Draft correspondence and documents.


• Assist attorneys with preparation of cases, as permitted by law and ethical considerations, as needed.


• Maintain Court calendars, template document bank, and website articles


• Build and maintain relationships with court staff, community groups, and other stakeholders


• Ensure compliance with agency and funder policies.


• Participate in Eviction Prevention outreach activities, as directed. 

ADDITIONAL TRAITS AND SKILLS These are the traits, attributes, attitudes, and skills that speak to the candidate’s ability to succeed in the position. While no one candidate will possess all of the qualities listed, the ideal candidate will have many of these qualities. 

• Prior experience with low-income and other oppressed communities and clients.


• Lived experience with our client communities.


• Strong and proactive problem-solving abilities, time management, and organizational skills.


• Organized and have excellent interpersonal and writing skills. 


• Ability to work under deadlines and manage multiple tasks.


• Experience with the use of trauma informed care practices. 


• Excellent use of Google Drive/GSuite, Word, and Excel; database programs. 


• True fluency in a language other than English that is spoken by our clients.


• Passion for social justice and commitment to the mission of LawNY.

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY®) is a not-for-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services to low-income clients in a 14 county area of Western New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. LawNY® has seven fully staffed field offices in Bath, Elmira, Geneva, Ithaca, Jamestown, Olean and Rochester, satellite offices in Lakeville and Lyons, and a business office in Rochester.

LawNY® has been providing high quality legal representation for 54 years, and today has over 180 employees, including attorneys, paralegals, and a legal support team who work closely across areas of specialization to bring a holistic approach to addressing legal issues affecting our clients and community.

OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR TEAM

LawNY® is committed to fostering a workplace where every team member is respected, valued, and supported for the unique contributions they bring. We acknowledge and protect the many identities, backgrounds, and experiences of our dedicated staff and recognize the strength we collectively bring to our work. Guided by our commitment to acknowledge, assess, and act, we listen and learn from the evolving needs of our team, while continually examining and improving our policies, practices, and expectations to reduce inequities and prevent unfair treatment. Together, we create solutions that advance fairness, access, and meaningful experiences for our team, clients, partners, and the communities we serve. Our goal is an environment where everyone feels safe, included, supported, and empowered to be and do their best.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To review our full application process and tips for your application and interview, see here. https://www.lawny.org/ApplyingtoLawNY

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. To apply, please submit your resume, cover letter, and three professional references through LawNY®’s BambooHR platform found https://lawny.bamboohr.com/careers/285 

For your resume: When outlining your work experience, please label each position as full-time or part-time and describe unpaid volunteer/internships as such. 

For your cover letter: At LawNY®, we are committed to promoting social justice and advancing our mission for all of our team, clients and partners.In your cover letter, please also include an explanation of how you think that your background and experience has prepared you to contribute to our mission, vision and values at LawNY®.

For your professional references: Please include a separate document with three (3) professional references, including their title, company, email and phone number. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT AND REASONABLE ACCOMONDATIONS

LawNY is an Equal Opportunity Employer, dedicated to fostering a fair, inclusive and welcoming environment for our applicants, candidates, staff, clients and partners. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We strongly encourage anyone who meets the basic requirements of this role to apply.

To ensure an inclusive and accessible recruitment experience, if you have any questions about the job, application process or need reasonable accommodations at any stage, please contact Michelle Grillone at [email protected]. 

This position is considered Non-Exempt pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.