Litigation Assistant

Min 5 yrs required

Full-time

No

Organization: The Legal Aid Society
Department: Criminal Defense Practice
Job Title: Litigation Assistant
Experience: Bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent experience and training
Salary Range: $60,000 to $86,577
Location: New York City, NY

Job Description:

The Legal Aid Society, the nation's oldest and largest social justice legal services organization, is seeking dedicated and passionate Litigation Assistants to join our Criminal Defense Practice in various locations throughout New York City. As part of our newly organized Paralegal Services Unit, Litigation Assistants will play a critical role in providing holistic, client-centered representation to over 200,000 individuals facing misdemeanor, felony, and homicide charges.

Responsibilities:

- Manage and organize discovery, investigations, and other case materials into a digital case file using applicable data management platform
- Conduct in-depth analysis of discovery from prosecutors and identify fact and law issues for assigned attorneys
- Review discovery to locate potential sources of additional evidence and notify attorneys and staff
- Understand New York State discovery laws and assist attorneys in filing challenges to prosecutors' certificates of compliance
- Provide insight, analysis, and assistance in litigation and/or mitigation strategy
- Assist attorneys and team in accessing case materials
- Conduct legal research and draft legal documents under attorney supervision
- Act as a liaison between attorneys, clients, and other parties to provide updates and address questions
- Coordinate witnesses and assist in witness preparation for mitigation or litigation
- Oversee the retaining and payment of expert witnesses and coordinate travel and logistics for in-person testimony
- Assist in hearing and trial preparation, including creating trial or case notebooks and gathering trial evidence
- Accompany attorneys to court and provide litigation support during hearings and trials
- Update case management system as needed
- Perform functions in the Paralegal 2 title, as necessary and on a temporary basis
- Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

- Bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent experience and training
- Experience in and/or commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income people is strongly desired
- Excellent writing, verbal, and organizational skills
- Advanced user of Microsoft Suite and other applicable software for document management, collaboration, and workflow automation
- Proficiency in legal research and developing legal arguments with attorney supervision
- Proficiency in computer, electronic data management and file sharing platforms, e-discovery platforms, and e-filing
- Ability to work independently and in a team setting
- Ability to multi-task and prioritize responsibilities
- Some knowledge of New York criminal law and procedures is desirable
- Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required

Salary and Benefits:

The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package, including health insurance, paid vacation, disability and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants when and if an offer is made.

Salary Range/ Salary: $60,000 to $86,577

Salary Transparency:

The salary range listed reflects the potential salaries for the role. Actual salary offers will be dependent on candidate qualifications, including collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Higher Education and Loan Forgiveness:

The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York State to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

The Legal Aid Society is committed to building a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity, and inclusion. We strive to understand and meet the diverse needs of our clients and build strong professional relationships with them. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of our employees.

Work Authorization:

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. The Legal Aid Society is currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.

How to Apply:

All applications must be completed online. Paper submissions will not be accepted. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email .

Equal Employment Opportunity:

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size, religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, marital status, relationship and family structure, genetic information, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Health insurance, paid vacation, disability and life insurance

Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required

Legal research, case management, document management, trial preparation, witness coordination

Bachelor's degree preferred, paralegal certificate or 5+ years legal experience

All applications must be completed online through the LAS Recruitment Portal. For technical difficulties or questions, email .

Qualification and Experience Bachelor's degree preferred, paralegal certificate or 5+ years legal experience

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