Civil Rights Paralegal Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Description

For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our office, located in downtown Chicago at 200 N. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways. This position requires residency in the Chicago metropolitan area of Illinois or Northwest Indiana. This position will require travel for some outreach or to meet with clients.

Overview:

Legal Aid Chicago's Immigrants & Workers' Rights Practice Group (IWR) includes the areas of employment, immigration, migrant farmworker, and human trafficking law. IWR's four teams work both independently and in an interdisciplinary manner when these areas of law overlap. IWR's primary work is to provide direct services to clients in Cook County and can also provide services throughout Illinois.

Position:

Legal Aid Chicago seeks a full-time Supervisory Attorney to supervise our farmworker legal services team.  The position will supervise a Staff Attorney and a team of paralegals who conduct statewide outreach to farmworkers, both domestic, migrant, and those working in the U.S. on special visas. This position will require travel for some outreach or to meet with clients. This position will report to IWR's Associate Director or Director.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain a caseload of individual cases that may include the following legal issues: wage and hour violations, housing conditions, employment contract law, health and safety violations, pesticide exposure, immigration-related remedies, and other related legal issues
• Supervise staff attorneys and paralegals on their statewide farmworker outreach efforts and their cases, including editing written work, guiding on case strategy and supporting the development of litigation skills
• Conduct regular case reviews, complete performance evaluations, and oversee professional development
• Maintain case files and accurate timekeeping in an electronic case management system and ensure compliance by supervised staff
• Maintain basic knowledge in other areas of law handled by Legal Aid Chicago to ensure that clients' legal needs are identified and met in those areas
• Participate in training, complex litigation and advocacy to address systemic issues for farmworkers
• Engage in outreach and engage with stakeholders in the farmworker community
• Represent Legal Aid Chicago on relevant community task forces, committees, or other government or non-profit bodies connected with our work
• Work collaboratively with Legal Aid Chicago supervisors, staff, students, and volunteers 
• Participate in training to agencies, advocates, clients, or community groups about legal services and rights impacting low-income people
• Participate in other activities related to agricultural workers including permissible legislative and administrative advocacy, media relations, and fundraising
• Manage grant reports and grant compliance, as needed
• Other duties assigned by the Practice Group Director and leadership.

Salary and Benefits:  

The budgeted salary range for this position is $95,204 - $105,204, which reflects an applicant with a law school graduation date between 2021 and 2011.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bilingual Supervisory Attorneys are eligible for an additional stipend
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 21 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 401(a) retirement plan with an employer contribution after 3 months of employment
• $100,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
• Chicago Bar Association Membership, at no cost
• Reimbursement of annual ARDC registration fees
• Monthly internet stipend
• Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program

Requirements

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applications from individuals with relevant experience, particularly those who have direct experience with communities we serve or perspectives that help us understand and serve our clients better.

• A J.D. degree and be licensed to practice law in Illinois or be licensed in another state and able to waive into the Illinois bar
• At least four years of experience in a farmworker program or other relevant experience and an understanding of the unique vulnerabilities of agricultural workers
• Strong oral and written communication skills, highly developed organizational and interpersonal skills, great client counseling skills, and genuinely enjoy interacting with clients
• The successful applicant will be collegial and demonstrate a commitment to and experience with our client communities and/or people living in poverty, and applicants are encouraged to share that experience in their cover letter. The applicant's personal background, experience, or professional background should reflect an ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, co-workers and the community we serve
• Applicants must be willing to travel to the communities, courthouses, and clinics that we serve
• Applicants must demonstrate flexibility and can work well independently and as part of a team
• Spanish fluency required

To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and the contact information of two primary professional references and one alternative professional reference. For applicants with previous work experience, at least one reference must be a former supervisor. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled.

Legal Aid Chicago is firmly committed to creating a diverse workplace and is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of creed, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital or parental status, alienage, disability, political affiliation or belief, military or military discharge status, ex-offender status, family responsibilities, reproductive health decisions or any other protected status.

If an accommodation is needed to complete this application, contact Human Resources at humanresources@legalaidchicago.org.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries regarding an application status. We will contact candidates who are selected for the next stage of the hiring process.