Intake Paralegal/Legal Services Assistant, Disability Advocacy Project (DAP)

MANHATTAN LEGAL SERVICES, a part of Legal Services NYC, is seeking an Intake Paralegal/Legal Services Assistant to join its Disability Advocacy Project 

Manhattan Legal Services is part of Legal Services NYC (LSNYC), the largest provider of free civil legal services for low-income people in the country. The Manhattan office is dedicated to providing high-quality legal services in the areas of housing, family law, public benefits, employment, immigration, consumer, education, and disability rights, and LGBTQ/HIV advocacy. We work in partnership with community-based organizations in the communities we serve to address the causes of homelessness, hunger, and family disintegration. This is an exciting opportunity for skilled and motivated advocates. 

The Intake Paralegal/Legal Services Assistant will work on our Disability Advocacy Project unit (“DAP”) and include HRA MAX SSI work. The DAP assists persons with disabilities with obtaining and retaining Social Security benefits based on physical and/or mental impairments. The unit assists persons who encounter barriers to receiving culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate health services. The unit’s clients, who receive a wide range of health services, range from minors to older adults throughout Manhattan. As its core practice, the DAP assists and represents persons in their Social Security claims and matters in the various appeal steps following a benefit denial, including reconsideration, Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings, Appeals Council, and Federal Court. The DAP also handles a certain number of Social Security applications and benefits suspensions, terminations, and overpayments. 

Roles and Responsibilities 

The Intake Paralegal/Legal Services Assistant will: 

• Conduct eligibility screenings of potential clients, including obtaining necessary demographic data and helping to identify the scope of a client’s request for assistance.  

• Conduct intake and interviewing clients, both virtually and in-person, in the office and at off-site locations. 

• Enter and track client information in databases and grants management systems, running data reports, and assisting in grant compliance or audit preparation.  

• Open and close case files and ensure compliance with program protocols. 

• Coordinate follow-up services, including appointments, referrals, and client correspondences, and gathering documents and other information. 

• Maintain client-related files, including copying, scanning, uploading, and distributing documents.  

• Provide litigation support to attorneys, including, interviewing and gathering documents from clients, investigating facts, requesting and reviewing medical records, and assisting with preparing cases for ALJ hearings, Appeals Council and Federal Court appeals.  

• Interface with the Social Security Administration and other government agencies on behalf of the unit’s clients.   

• Assist clients with filing Social Security applications online and manually.  

• Assist clients in Social Security benefits suspensions, terminations and overpayments.  

• Successfully balance intake paralegal duties with an independent caseload and litigation support work. 

There is a community outreach component to the work, such as: doing client intake at external outreach clinics; establishing relationships with community-based organizations and governmental entities which may include meetings or events after-hours or on weekends; training external service providers; and maintaining up-to-date educational materials. 

Required Qualifications and Skills 

• Substantial experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds—specifically, transgender and gender non-conforming people, gay and lesbian individuals, people living with HIV/AIDS, substance users, people living with mental illnesses, and people who have experienced trauma. 

• Experience conducting legal intake. 

• Experience interacting with government officials and advocating for clients in agency settings. 

• Experience with data collection and working on grant compliance. 

• Proficiency with HIPAA confidentiality laws and regulations. 

• Humility, a keen understanding of power and privilege, and a willingness to accept input and feedback, especially from clients. 

• Ability to work and finish tasks independently and set and meet internal deadlines. 

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, juggle multiple deadlines, keep clear records, communicate proactively, and remain accountable to commitments. 

• Strong writing and verbal communication, and organizational skills. 

• Applicants must be willing and able to participate in person outreach events to represent the DAP, throughout Manhattan. 

• Proficiency with case management software. 
• Fluency or proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English, especially Spanish or Chinese, strongly preferred. 

To Apply 

Please submit a cover letter, resume, 2 writing samples, and three references, with at least one former manager. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls, please. 

Manhattan Legal Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, and people over 40 are welcome and are encouraged to apply. Bar associations and other organizations: Manhattan Legal Services seeks and welcomes your recommendations for candidates who meet the foregoing qualifications and, in addition, requests that you or your organization encourage such candidates to apply. 

Dependent on work history and experience.