The Opportunity
The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU NorCal) is seeking a paralegal. This position is represented by IFPTE Local 20 and is subject to telecommute under the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
Paralegals will manage a range of diverse litigation support projects, in both state and federal court, at all stages of litigation, from initial pleadings to appeals. The work of a paralegal will also involve coordination and implementation of e-discovery solutions, organization of paper and electronic case files for litigation case files. The work of a paralegal will help to manage open records requests, as well as all stages of policy advocacy projects and campaigns. Paralegals will also support the Supervising Paralegal in maintaining department-wide systems and protocols. This position will report directly to the Supervising Paralegal and will be based in one of the ACLU NorCal offices (San Francisco, Sacramento, or Fresno).
Duties & Responsibilities
Coordination of Ongoing and Potential Litigation Serve and file legal pleadings in state and federal court; Create and generate Table of Contents and Table of Authorities in legal briefs; Proof, format, and/or cite check legal briefs and pleadings; Assist with fact development of cases and discovery, including eDiscovery projects and the organization, collection, review, and production of documents obtained from clients and opposing parties; Prepare materials and provide assistance at depositions, court hearings, and trials; Monitor relevant deadlines, calculate court deadlines, and update case calendars; and Conduct Westlaw and PACER searches and document retrievals; other internet research. Coordination of Ongoing and Emerging Policy Advocacy Prepare and maintain documents for tracking legislation and/or media coverage; Track Public Records Act and Freedom of Information Act requests and responses, and where necessary, follow-up to ensure complete responses and assist with review of responses; and Format documents such as letters and reports and assist in the creation of PowerPoint or other presentations. Coordination of Department-Wide Systems & Administrative Tasks Coordinate with case teams on implementation and application of e-discovery strategies; Identify opportunities and implement solutions for improved use of systems and software to streamline workflow across the Department; Facilitate conflicts checks and case opening procedures for litigation matters; Conduct data-related tasks, including data entry, formatting worksheets, and basic analysis of worksheets; Prepare expense reports, reconcile credit card statements, coordinate check requests and contract approvals, book travel arrangements, mail and photocopy bulk materials; Update online case pages and other program materials on Program Teams' web pages; and Collaborate with Supervising Paralegal to provide back-up coverage for the Department's professional staff. Meetings Participate in team, department, and org-wide meetings; help to set a collaborative, inclusive culture for those spaces; engage with ACLU colleagues as well as with external partners.
Qualifications
Education / Experience:
At least 3 years' experience working in a law firm, legal non-profit or legal services organization, or providing paralegal or other litigation support; and A paralegal certificate in accordance with California Business and Professions Code § 6450(c) or a Bachelor's degree.
Required Skills / Competencies:
Strong project and time management skills, including ability to manage and prioritize competing projects and complete assignments under deadlines; Ability to effectively research and coordinate action plans for legal support workstreams (including for complex litigation filings); Working knowledge of ECF and other filing and service procedures in federal and CA state courts; Working knowledge of Westlaw and PACER; Ability to cite check using both Blue Book and California styles of citation; Ability to assist with discovery, including eDiscovery, and the organization, case management, collection, review strategy, and production of documents obtained over the course of litigation; High level of organization, attention to detail, and follow-through; Good judgment, dependable, punctual, and able to maintain a high level of confidentiality; Strong verbal and written communication skills, including strong interpersonal skills; Commitment to pursuing public interest advocacy work, particularly in ACLU NorCal's core Program Areas; Solutions-oriented approach, including the ability to work independently and on a team, and willingness to take initiative while juggling several priorities all with personal enthusiasm; and Ability to occasionally come into the office early or stay late to effectuate filings.
Preferred Skills / Competencies:
Experience and effectiveness in coordinating and organizing logistics, meetings, employee onboarding, and trainings; and Familiarity with conducting database searches in e-discovery databases (e.g., IPRO Eclipse, Relativity, Concordance, etc.) and reviewing documents within these programs for relevance, responsiveness, and privilege; facility with organizing large volumes of data.
Technical Skills:
Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat, PowerPoint, Excel and other Office programs, including facility with mail merge, spreadsheets, tables, and charts; and Familiarity and comfort with e-discovery databases and case management software Employment Type: Full-Time Salary: $ 76,894.00 107,652.00 Per Year