Be a critical member in a team of social justice advocates! The Public Justice Center in Baltimore is seeking a paralegal for the Workplace Justice Project.
The Public Justice Center (“PJC”) and the Workplace Justice Project
The Public Justice Center pursues systemic change to build a just society. Founded in Maryland in 1985, the PJC uses legal advocacy tools to pursue social justice, economic and racial equity, and fundamental human rights for people who are struggling to provide for their basic needs. The PJC is a civil legal aid office that provides advice and representation to low-income clients, advocates before legislatures and government agencies, and collaborates with community and advocacy organizations. Our website is www.publicjustice.org.
The Workplace Justice Project attacks structural racism and promotes the fundamental right to work with dignity. We partner with low-wage workers, community and labor organizations, and fellow advocates to promote justice and equity in the workplace. Project attorneys and paralegals litigate to enforce and expand wage laws in both federal and state courts, and they work strategically with partners to develop and advance policies to strengthen workplace rights and protections.
COVID-19 Info: This position and most PJC positions are currently working remotely most of the time, and our current policy provides that staff will be required to come to the office, the courts, or other public meetings only as necessary, but policies concerning COVID-19 may change as the situation changes. The PJC is providing PPE for employees and guests and maintaining other risk reduction measures in the office.
Primary job responsibilities include:
· Conducting client intake on phone and in person, often in Spanish.
· Conducting know your rights trainings and community outreach in Spanish and English.
· Assisting attorneys with gathering facts and documents for cases and case review.
· Supporting litigation including: investigating; organizing, translating, and filing legal documents; assisting with document review and management; and data entry and reporting.
· Participating thoughtfully in team meetings, evaluations, and the development of the team workplan.
· Providing general administrative and office support.
· Receiving, handling or assigning, and monitoring support requests from all staff.
· Maintaining electronic and paper case files.
· Other duties as assigned.
The following attributes are highly valued for this position. Applicants should also identify other skills and experiences that may benefit the PJC.
• Ability to speak, comprehend, and write Spanish and English fluently.
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited school or a combination of Associate’s Degree, Paralegal Certificate, and/or demonstrated skills in writing, research, analysis, and communications.
• Passion for social justice and commitment to the mission of the Public Justice Center.
• Understanding the principles of race equity analysis and applying them to the PJC’s organizational life and to our work.
• Experience with low-income, oppressed, or exploited communities or people.
• Ability to sensitively respond to people seeking services in crisis situations.
• Experience in law office/ litigation support and case management.
• Excellent use of MSWord and Excel; database programs a plus.
• Ability and interest in learning new programs.
• Strong problem-solving abilities, time management, and organizational skills: the ability to manage complex assignments and work collegially with staff.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with others both in and outside of thePJC, including clients, other advocacy organizations, coalition members, governmental officials, and attorneys.
Compensation and terms of employment: This is a full-time, non-exempt position that will require 40 hours in a workweek. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required. This position is based in Baltimore and may require local travel. The salary range for a paralegal begins at $40,000 and increases with experience. A language bonus of $1,000/year is given to Spanish/English bilingual staff. An excellent cafeteria benefit package is included offering health, dental, disability and life insurance, and retirement options.
Applications: This position will be available in mid-June. We will accept applications until the position is filled, but for priority consideration please apply by April 15th, 2022. To apply, please submit – by email only – a cover letter explaining your interest, a resume, a short writing sample, and the names and telephone numbers of three references. Please send applications to: Lena Yeakey, Paralegal at yeakeyl@publicjustice.org with “Paralegal Application from [your name]” in the subject line.
Physical/Mental Demands and Office Environment
The physical/mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The Public Justice Center is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that encourages all interested persons to apply regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, religion, genetic information, physical or mental disability, marital status, or any other legally protected status. We strongly encourage Black, Latine, Indigenous, and other applicants of color, people with disabilities, and other people historically underrepresented in the practice of law to apply.