Legal Services of the Hudson Valley

　　http://www.lshv.org

　　Date Posted: 12/28/2023

　　Job Type: Paralegal –CSS Legal Program, Yonkers, NY

　　Schedule Type: Full-Time

　　About Us

　　For more than 50 years, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) has been providing free, high-quality legal counsel in civil matters when basic human needs are at stake including: eviction and foreclosure prevention, domestic violence, disability, elder law, healthcare, consumer fraud and more. Our services support almost 600,000 poor and low-income families and individuals who cannot afford an attorney in our seven-county service area. With the gap separating those who can and cannot afford legal representation widening each day, we work to ensure that everyone has equal access to justice, regardless of their ability to pay. As the only provider of comprehensive civil legal services in the lower and mid-Hudson Valley (Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan), LSHV is proud to have handled almost 15,000 cases impacting more than 34,000 household members including 13,000 children last year. LSHV has ten offices, a staff of 165, including 100 attorneys and 35 paralegals.

　　Legal Services of the Hudson Valley is dedicated to building a highly skilled workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We are committed to racial justice and promoting equity for all, and we continuously review and strengthen our processes and practices to empower our staff, clients and the communities we serve. Respect is a cornerstone of relationships among our staff. Our affinity groups are self-directed and provide a space for members to support one another and their shared vision. We encourage applications from people of all identities.

　　Position Description

　　Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) has an immediate opening for a paralegal in our Yonkers, NY office. The position is a support position to staff attorneys representing clients with mental health disorders in Westchester County and provides general office support to the whole team, and involves extensive outreach throughout the County.

　　The duties include administration functions in support of attorneys, clients and the office team, which includes screening clients, conducting in-depth interviews of clients for intake, and follow-up investigations of the client’s legal matter. Paralegals engage in technical support, client communication, administrative support for attorneys as well as gathering and collecting essential legal documents. Provision of legal advice and some case handling under the supervision of an attorney may be required including communicating with courts and related personnel, which may involve basic legal writing to prepare letters and affidavits. The paralegal also assists the attorneys in maintaining physical and electronic files in a case management system for clients and applicants for services and in compliance with funder requirements. Additional responsibilities may include supporting team members as needed when other legal professionals are unavailable. The person hired will also be expected to adhere to program and case handling standards, funder requirements, and the highest professional standards.

　　Requirements:

　　Associates Degree;

　　Paralegal certificate or a minimum of two years’ experience as a paralegal;

　　Experience and competency with Microsoft Office environment (Word, Excel, Outlook etc.) and ability to input data efficiently into database;

　　Must be comfortable using new technology programs;

　　Excellent written and verbal communication skills;

　　Strong writing skills

　　Driver’s license and transportation (e.g. car)

　　Preferred:

　　Four-year degree;

　　Paralegal Certificate;

　　Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income persons with prior experience in legal services or similar program;

　　English/Spanish Bilingual

　　Salary: $52,735 to $70,015; DOE, competitive union scale, with excellent benefits that include medical, dental, vision, life insurance and long-term disability coverages, as well as a defined contribution to 403b, loan repayment assistance and paid parental leave. After a brief probationary period, this position may permit work from home up to six days per month.

　　Legal Services of the Hudson Valley is a proud equal opportunity employer. People of all races, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability and veteran status, are strongly encouraged to apply.