DESCRIPTION:

Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc. (“SALA”) is accepting applications for a full-time paralegal. The paralegal will work in the Volunteer Lawyers Program (“VLP”) unit. The VLP recruits and works with the private bar to facilitate lawyers to provide pro bono legal services to indigent clients in the areas of family, consumer, housing, bankruptcy, guardianship/probate, and employment law. This position will report directly to the VLP Director.

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATIONS:

A paralegal certification from an accredited paralegal college and/or an undergraduate degree. Substantial experience in the legal profession may be considered in lieu of education or certification.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Applicants must type 60 wpm, have computer experience and skills (Word, Excel, databases), be able to work in person and online remotely in video and audio format, be able to manage their own workload, and speak in a clear and articulate manner.
2. Applicants must exhibit a high degree of sensitivity and awareness of the problems and issues related to the low-income community. They should have initiative, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work well in a multi-cultural setting.
3. Applicants must be able to handle a high volume of cases, clients, communications, and recordkeeping in a timely, efficient, professional, organized, and responsive manner.
4. Spanish language skills required.
5. Applicant must be skilled in the use of databases or legal document management systems.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Interviewing and communicating with clients and volunteer attorneys, maintaining detailed notes in client files, entering daily timekeeping records, producing monthly and quarterly data reports, and performing case/client intakes;
2. Regularly updating client case notes, evaluating cases for closure, closing cases following legal regulations;
3. Keeping current on the state of the law and procedures within their areas of practice;
4. Doing limited legal research and preparing and drafting documents as well as helping volunteers update pro per packets;
5. Participating in community legal education and outreach; this may include but is not limited to student intern training;
6. Coordinating and hosting one-on-one legal clinics in person as well as remotely at SALA’s satellite offices, local courthouses, and libraries; communicating with clients and volunteer attorneys; scheduling clients and volunteer attorneys;
7. Maintaining an organized list of clients, updating clinic calendar, scheduling clients for all clinics;
8. Providing support services to volunteer attorneys in these clinics, which includes pro se packet preparation, preparation of conflict of interest client lists, maintenance of the presentation materials including client and attorney forms and paperwork, laptops, attendance at all scheduled clinics (or arrangements for other staff to cover), entering all case documentation and notes on legal services given into the case management system contemporaneously, and producing monthly reports;
9. Assisting with annual VLP appreciation luncheon in the fall as needed;
10. Other duties as assigned by the VLP Director and Executive Director or his/her designees.

COMPENSATION:

Salary range $30,481 – $52,961 depending on experience; up to five percent additional compensation to individuals fluent in Spanish. Excellent benefits package including health insurance, disability insurance, and pension plan. Excellent work/life balance with thirty-five-hour workweeks and generous leave provisions.

EOE:

We are committed to an environment of mutual respect, collaboration, and equal opportunity for all employees, and strongly encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, people who have been affected by mass incarceration, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We believe in building and sustaining an organization that is reflective of the communities we serve, and is diverse in work background, experience, education, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental and physical abilities. We believe that the resulting diversity is both a source of program strength and a matter of fundamental human fairness.

CONTACT:

Hiring Committee
Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc.
Continental Building
2343 E. Broadway Blvd, Suite 200; Tucson AZ 85719-6007
(520) 623-9465 / Fax: (520) 594-6554
Email: salahr@sazlegalaid.org
DEADLINE: Open Until Filled; Submit cover letter, resume and three references