Open Door Legal
Housing Paralegal/Legal Assistant (Bilingual, Spanish-speaking)
Open Door Legal, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
Housing Paralegal/Legal Assistant
(Bilingual Spanish-speaking)
Full-time, Exempt
Hybrid, (at least three days in office)
About Us:
At Open Door Legal (ODL), we’re pioneering the country’s first system of universal access to civil legal representation to dramatically reduce poverty and prove that the law really can belong to all of us. We believe that injustice is the heart of poverty, and we're looking for someone to join us in having a systemic impact on how we, as a society, ensure justice for all. We are currently based in San Francisco.
Overview of Position:
We are hiring a Bilingual Spanish-speaking Housing Paralegal/Legal Assistant to provide critical support to our housing team. The Housing Paralegal/Legal Assistant will be the main point of contact for helping our Spanish-speaking clients navigate their legal journey, as well as being a crucial part of building successful cases. Overall, this position is intended to be a challenging yet extremely rewarding experience for someone looking to make a difference in clients’ lives.
Responsibilities:
Embrace and embody our mission of universal access to civil legal aid and our values of passion, grit, dynamism, caring, and teamwork.
Interpret and/or take notes at all housing law intakes requiring Spanish interpretation, virtually and in person.
Provide clear information to guests and clients regarding their case, maintaining frequent communication throughout the process.
Be responsible for civil procedure tasks that support our housing attorneys in their civil litigation in San Francisco.
Advise clients on proper small claims defense and affirmative small claims case initiations (with attorney supervision).
With attorney supervision, draft pleadings, propound and respond to discovery, assist attorneys in drafting motions, and conduct legal research.
Support housing team members, interns, and volunteers in meeting our organization’s mission in other ad hoc projects and tasks.
Provide services and support to our low-income clients with sensitivity to cultural, socio-economic, and disability differences.
Requirements:
At least an associate’s degree or equivalent (a paralegal certificate is fine).
Comfortable translating and interpreting from English to Spanish and vice versa.
Ability to commute to any of ODL’s offices three days a week.
Strong time management skills and the ability to organize time and manage diverse activities.
High level of comfort learning and using technology and cloud-based case management systems.
Must genuinely enjoy and be motivated by working with low-income clients.
Must actively demonstrate cultural humility and sensitivity to barriers low-income residents face.
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.
Bonus Points:
Previous experience as a paralegal, legal assistant, or client advocate.
A paralegal certificate.
Basic knowledge of California and/or San Francisco housing law.
Experience with filing and interacting within the San Francisco Superior Court.
Experience working with low-income and vulnerable populations.
Starting compensation for a legal assistant is $70,500-$86,500; for a paralegal, it's $72,500-$88,500.
Benefits:
Loan Repayment Assistance for staff pursuing 10-year public interest debt forgiveness.
Medical/Dental/Vision Plan offerings at 100% coverage.
Paid mental health benefit.
Generous paid time off (four weeks vacation and two weeks sick/care).
Flexible work hours.
Generous paid parental leave.
401K/Retirement Account.
Strong organizational culture with an eNPS of 100.
We believe everyone is always learning and provide professional development opportunities.
Applications submitted prior to September 20, 2024 will receive priority consideration.
Ideal Start Date: September 2024
Open Door Legal is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, age, or any other legally protected characteristics.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at whitney [at] opendoorlegal [dot] org.
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(Bilingual Spanish-speaking)
Full-time, Exempt
Hybrid, (at least three days in office)
About Us:
At Open Door Legal (ODL), we’re pioneering the country’s first system of universal access to civil legal representation to dramatically reduce poverty and prove that the law really can belong to all of us. We believe that injustice is the heart of poverty, and we're looking for someone to join us in having a systemic impact on how we, as a society, ensure justice for all. We are currently based in San Francisco.
Overview of Position:
We are hiring a Bilingual Spanish-speaking Housing Paralegal/Legal Assistant to provide critical support to our housing team. The Housing Paralegal/Legal Assistant will be the main point of contact for helping our Spanish-speaking clients navigate their legal journey, as well as being a crucial part of building successful cases. Overall, this position is intended to be a challenging yet extremely rewarding experience for someone looking to make a difference in clients’ lives.
Responsibilities:
Embrace and embody our mission of universal access to civil legal aid and our values of passion, grit, dynamism, caring, and teamwork.
Interpret and/or take notes at all housing law intakes requiring Spanish interpretation, virtually and in person.
Provide clear information to guests and clients regarding their case, maintaining frequent communication throughout the process.
Be responsible for civil procedure tasks that support our housing attorneys in their civil litigation in San Francisco.
Advise clients on proper small claims defense and affirmative small claims case initiations (with attorney supervision).
With attorney supervision, draft pleadings, propound and respond to discovery, assist attorneys in drafting motions, and conduct legal research.
Support housing team members, interns, and volunteers in meeting our organization’s mission in other ad hoc projects and tasks.
Provide services and support to our low-income clients with sensitivity to cultural, socio-economic, and disability differences.
Requirements:
At least an associate’s degree or equivalent (a paralegal certificate is fine).
Comfortable translating and interpreting from English to Spanish and vice versa.
Ability to commute to any of ODL’s offices three days a week.
Strong time management skills and the ability to organize time and manage diverse activities.
High level of comfort learning and using technology and cloud-based case management systems.
Must genuinely enjoy and be motivated by working with low-income clients.
Must actively demonstrate cultural humility and sensitivity to barriers low-income residents face.
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.
Bonus Points:
Previous experience as a paralegal, legal assistant, or client advocate.
A paralegal certificate.
Basic knowledge of California and/or San Francisco housing law.
Experience with filing and interacting within the San Francisco Superior Court.
Experience working with low-income and vulnerable populations.
Starting compensation for a legal assistant is $70,500-$86,500; for a paralegal, it's $72,500-$88,500.
Benefits:
Loan Repayment Assistance for staff pursuing 10-year public interest debt forgiveness.
Medical/Dental/Vision Plan offerings at 100% coverage.
Paid mental health benefit.
Generous paid time off (four weeks vacation and two weeks sick/care).
Flexible work hours.
Generous paid parental leave.
401K/Retirement Account.
Strong organizational culture with an eNPS of 100.
We believe everyone is always learning and provide professional development opportunities.
Applications submitted prior to September 20, 2024 will receive priority consideration.
Ideal Start Date: September 2024
Open Door Legal is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, age, or any other legally protected characteristics.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at whitney [at] opendoorlegal [dot] org.
#J-18808-Ljbffr