Paralegal - Consumer

Description

For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our office, located in downtown Chicago at 200 N. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways. This position requires residency in the Chicago metropolitan area of Illinois or Northwest Indiana. This position may require travel to court or other outreach events.

Position: Legal Aid Chicago seeks one full-time paralegal in the Consumer Practice Group.

Paralegals work alongside attorneys and directly with clients on legal issues. This position will support our work with the Early Resolution Program with Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt (CCLAHD), a county-wide initiative to help resolve eviction and debt issues.

The Early Resolution Program for consumer debt provides limited assistance to debtors in Cook County to advise them of their rights, provide referrals, and assist consumers in reaching agreements with their creditor(s). The program has both a pre-court and in-court component. The pre-court assistance focuses on screening and advising debtors of their rights. The in-court assistance focuses on advice, referrals and negotiation to resolve issues prior to trial. The paralegals support both aspects of this program, providing support to staff attorneys in screening and following up with debtors. This is a hybrid position.

Responsibilities: 

• Conduct telephone and virtual interviews to determine client eligibility for services 
• Assist with providing brief services to clients including providing advice, obtaining documents, sending client correspondence, assisting with court filings and communicating on behalf of clients
• Ensure smooth operations of the consumer early resolution program including client registration and advice
• Engage and provide administrative support to staff in the consumer early resolution program
• Attend training and maintain up-to-date knowledge on relevant issues
• Track data related to grant, pro bono work, and assist on related reporting
• Make appropriate referrals inside Legal Aid Chicago and to external partners
• Maintain case files and accurate timekeeping in electronic case management system
• Other duties as determined by the Supervising Attorneys and Director

Salary and Benefits:

This position is part of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. The Collective Bargaining Agreement sets employment terms and compensation is determined by the CBA salary scale, based on paid experience.

The budgeted salary range for this position is $46,675-$51,428, which reflects 0-10 years of paid, credited experience.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bilingual Paralegals are eligible for an additional stipend? 
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 15 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four (4) floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 403(b) retirement plan with an employer contribution after one year of employment
• $50,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
• Monthly internet stipend
• Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program

Requirements

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applications from individuals with relevant experience, particularly those who have direct experience with communities we serve or perspectives that help us understand and serve our clients better.

• A college degree preferred 
• Computer proficiency, including familiarity with Microsoft Office applications
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills
• The ability to work well under pressure, and to learn and retain new information
• The ability to quickly and thoroughly gather information from clients and then summarize it concisely
• A demonstrated interest or experience working with Legal Aid Chicago’s client populations
• The applicant’s personal background, experience, or professional background should reflect an ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, co-workers, volunteers, and the community we serve
• Ability to work collaboratively with others and to draft documents including letters and basic pleadings is essential

To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, and the contact information of two primary professional references and one alternative professional reference. For applicants with previous work experience, at least one reference must be a former supervisor. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled.

Legal Aid Chicago is firmly committed to creating a diverse workplace and is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of creed, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital or parental status, alienage, disability, political affiliation or belief, military or military discharge status, ex-offender status, family responsibilities, reproductive health decisions or any other protected status.

If an accommodation is needed to complete this application, contact Human Resources at [email protected].

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries regarding an application status. We will contact candidates who are selected for the next stage of the hiring process.