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Paralegal Opportunities in the Nonprofit Sector

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published January 21, 2013

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left

Positions for trained paralegals in the public interest sector are very often dependent on funding by the government or by foundation grants.
 
Paralegal Opportunities in the Nonprofit Sector

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) The American Civil Liberties Union is an example of an agency employing paralegals which is supported by foundation grants and private donations.

The national headquarters is located in New York City. There are affiliate organizations located through¬ out the United States. The larger affiliates and the national headquarters employ paralegals. Some of the larger affiliates are located in California, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and Texas.

This organization deals with issues that relate to civil liberties as set out in the United States Constitution. Some examples of the kinds of cases that the ACLU may become involved in against the government and its agencies include sex discrimination, abortion, separation of church and state, children's rights, alien rights, and pornography. These cases are often controversial in nature.

The paralegal's job involves continual contact with attorneys and the public. Informational interviewing and making referrals to other private agencies are other aspects of an ACLU paralegal's job.

Specific job duties of these paralegals include performing factual research and investigative work. Their pretrial and trial work includes digesting depositions and assisting the attorneys in the courtroom by compiling data and charting statistical information.

Many of these paralegals work on legislative projects : They attend legislative hearings to collect information. To apply for a paralegal job in the ACLU, a resume should be sent to the office manager. For further information regarding the American Civil Liberties Union write to its headquarters

Legal Aid Societies A Legal Aid Society employs paralegals in the civil and criminal divisions. The criminal division represents clients accused of murder, rape, burglary, robbery, serious assaults, and child abuse. The civil division handles landlord-tenant, consumer credit, Social Security, Medicaid, and divorce cases. The funding for these organizations comes from county and state governments with some appropriations from the federal government.
Legal Services Corporation funds 30 percent of the civil division of the Legal Aid Society and determines the eligibility guidelines for the Society’s clients. In addition, major corporations may make donations. A paralegal working in a Legal Aid Society may write and serve subpoenas, submit reports on the results of an investigation, serve orders and have them certified, interview clients who are incarcerated, and testify in the courtroom on behalf of clients.

The Legal Services Corporation The Legal Services Corporation is a federal independent agency which provides funding to legal services groups nationwide, representing the urban and rural poor. This corporation which began in 1974 employs attorneys, paralegals, intake officers, com¬ munity workers, and secretaries who provide legal services to these economically disadvantaged. Its headquarters is in Washington, D. C.
United States

Its board of directors is comprised of individuals employed in various segments of the legal community. The Legal Services Corporation has offices in every state of the union and in Puerto Rico. Many of these offices employ paralegals as members of their staffs.

These offices are considered to be "community-based" since they are located in the neighborhoods of many of their clients. The paralegals who work in this corporation are employed to assist attorneys in areas of law, which affect individuals: welfare, employment, housing, and immigration.

The clients who cannot afford basic civil legal services include single mothers, homeless families, immigrant families, victims of consumer fraud, the elderly, and the handicapped. Legal Services also assists tenants, workers, and people who have been discriminated against in employment, housing, or other matters.

In the local offices, paralegals, under the direction of lawyers, assist Legal Services clients by interviewing them; opening case files when the client has been determined to have a legitimate claim; instructing the client on what to bring to an administrative hearing; preparing clients and witnesses for direct testimony; and representing the client at an administrative hearing and to an appeals board.

The paralegal on occasion will perform questioning and cross-examining. He/she may also write and submit legal memoranda to the hearing officer. Of course only the attorney can bring a court action on behalf of the client.
In addition to the Legal Services Corporation's local offices, there are the national support centers, which also employ paralegals. These centers specialize in a single area of law: women and family law, employment law, welfare law, immigration law, or consumer law. The centers will provide assistance to the local offices when they are asked.

For instance, in a complex case, the support centers may assist in discovery work or order documents and evidence.
Each of the national support centers deals with all of the issues that confront its clients. The women and family law center, for example, handles cases involving divorce, custody, child support, termination of parental rights, domestic violence, and child abuse.

A college degree and paralegal training is helpful in obtaining a position with organizations funded by the Legal Services Corporation. Good communication skills are stressed since paralegals have a great deal of client contact and are also requested to write legal memoranda. Speaking a second language in addition to English can also be of assistance in the job. Most importantly, however, is the paralegal's commitment to the clients. The paralegal must be aggressive in representing them.

About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

  • Immigration law
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Insurance defense
  • Family law
  • Trusts & estates
  • Municipal law
  • And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

  • Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
  • Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
  • Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
  • Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys

Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes

If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.

With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

  • Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
  • Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
  • Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.

This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

  • Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
  • Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
  • Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
  • Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.

Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation

If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.

? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

About LawCrossing

LawCrossing has received tens of thousands of attorneys jobs and has been the leading legal job board in the United States for almost two decades. LawCrossing helps attorneys dramatically improve their careers by locating every legal job opening in the market. Unlike other job sites, LawCrossing consolidates every job in the legal market and posts jobs regardless of whether or not an employer is paying. LawCrossing takes your legal career seriously and understands the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.LawCrossing.com.
Gain an advantage in your legal job search. LawCrossing uncovers hidden positions that firms post on their own websites and industry-specific job boards—jobs that never appear on Indeed or LinkedIn. Don't miss out. Sign up now!

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