Bilingual Tenant Advocacy Paralegal
HEMPSTEAD – LONG ISLAND, NY
Employment Status: Full-Time FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Practice Group: Tenant Advocacy
I. ORGANIZATION INFORMATION
Empire Justice Center, a highly respected, statewide legal services organization, is seeking a Bilingual Tenant Advocacy Paralegal. This is an opportunity to join one of the most effective organizations serving low-income individuals and families in New York State.
Empire Justice Center attracts and employs dedicated, determined, and passionate advocates who, together, make a significant impact on the lives of low-income New Yorkers. We achieve our successes through direct legal representation and high-impact litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, and by providing training and technical assistance to other advocates who are 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.
II. POSITION SUMMARY
The Empire Justice Center is pleased to announce the opening of a full-time Bilingual Tenant Advocacy Paralegal. The paralegal will be responsible for the 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 case 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 the related legal needs of our housing clients 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 formulate a broader response to the crisis of inadequate housing.
III. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Excellent communication skills.
• Monitoring the status of high-volume cases.
• Flexibility and experience working as a team.
• Working with low-income clients and immigrants.
• Ability to organize, plan, prioritize, meet deadlines, and work under pressure.
• Fluency in Spanish and English and ability to translate documents into English and Spanish and provide interpretation in Court and in the office.
• Ability to respond to cultural differences among organizations, client population, and staff.
• Provide litigation support to attorneys.
• Conduct client intake.
• Maintain client files, case records, and other legal documents.
• Provide case support and document/data management.
• Schedule client meetings and conduct any necessary follow-up after client meetings.
• Administrative tasks associated with Tenant Advocacy Attorney’s responsibilities.
• Conduct outreach to Long Island immigrant communities.
• Collaborate with statewide tenant advocacy advocates and attorneys to develop strategies to strengthen and promote tenants’ rights and to formulate a broader response to the crisis of inadequate housing.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by your supervisor and/or to meet the needs of the organization.
IV. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)
• Working knowledge of New York legal and court procedures.
• Strong client communication skills including the ability to translate documents and provide translations.
• Willingness and ability to travel to serve clients in a geographically wide-spread area on Long Island.
• Experience in interviewing and counseling clients, preferably in both English and Spanish.
• Familiarity with community resources, including housing, social services, and financial assistance programs.
• Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team of attorneys, paralegals, and support staff.
• Successful completion of Spanish bilingual assessment.
V. SALARY
Salary is dependent on years of experience and based on the organizational pay scale. This position could be filled by a paralegal or a senior paralegal. The beginning salary for the paralegal position, with a minimum of 3 years of experience, is $36,904 and the salary for a paralegal, with 15 years of experience, is $54,376. The beginning salary for a senior paralegal with a minimum of 8 years of experience, is $45,744 and the salary for a senior paralegal, with 15 years of experience, is $55,936.
This position will receive an additional $1,500 per year bilingual pay differential upon successful completion of a bilingual assessment.
VI. BENEFITS
We are an organization that supports and encourages a work/life balance. Empire Justice Center offers a generous benefit package including:
❖ Health insurance (employer pays 100% premium for a high quality, co-pay insurance plan).
❖ 403(b) eligibility with 1% employer match and additional employer contribution.
❖ Generous vacation, sick, personal, and holiday time.
❖ Bilingual compensation for qualifying employees.
❖ Loan Repayment Assistance Program.
❖ Dental Insurance (employee paid).
❖ Vision Insurance (employee paid).
❖ Generous Bereavement Leave.
❖ 35-hour full-time work week.
❖ FSA Eligibility.
Empire Justice Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and desires a diverse and inclusive workforce. Empire Justice Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age (40 or older), sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
TO APPLY: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. If interested e-mail a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and contact information for three professional references aware of this application to employment@empirejustice.org.
Please include Bilingual Tenant Advocacy Paralegal and First/Last Name in the subject line of the email. No phone calls or hard copies please.
|