Administrative Assistant/Paralegal- Consumer Rights & Economic Justice Project

ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL
Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and Economic Justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.
Public Counsel operates eight legal projects: Children's Rights, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants' Rights, Veterans' Rights, the Audrey Irmas Project for Women & Girls' Rights, and our impact litigation project, Opportunity Under Law.
Public Counsel has a full-time staff of over 150. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities.
ABOUT CONSUMER RIGHTS & ECONOMIC JUSTICE
Public Counsel's Consumer Rights & Economic Justice ("CREJ") Project is one of the oldest projects within Public Counsel. Our mission is to advance Economic Justice by providing legal counsel for, and advocacy on behalf of low-income individuals and their families, addressing inequalities in bargaining power, opposing those who take advantage of the vulnerable, and holding wrongdoers accountable.
Public Counsel's Appellate Self-Help Clinic has been operating out of the Second District Court of Appeal since 2008. The Appellate Self-Help Clinic is part of the Consumer Rights & Economic Justice ("CREJ") Project, which also includes the Federal Pro Se Clinic.
JOB SUMMARY
This is a full time entry-level Administrative/Paralegal position. The successful candidate will join the Consumer Rights & Economic Justice team.
The principal responsibilities will be to provide administrative support to the Clinic and the Supervising Staff Attorney in the implementation of a State Bar funded Courts Partnership Grant to deliver self-help and limited legal services to appellants in the Second District (4 days per week). The duties will include:

• Provide mini-workshops or make presentations to small groups at the courthouse or in local communities as outreach to spread the word about Clinic services;
• Set up and administer virtual and in-person clinics;
• Liaise with volunteer attorneys regarding litigant appointment scheduling and follow-up;
• Maintain client case files on our databases (LegalServer and Excel);
• Provide support, as needed, to the Supervising Attorney;
• Coordinate grant reporting, data entry, and outcome tracking for case work as directed by the Supervising Attorney;
• Perform various clerical duties such as record-keeping, document copying, e-Filing, etc. ; and,
• Complete other duties as assigned

Requirements
ESSENTIAL JOB SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and either:
• paralegal certificate/degree in paralegal studies from an ABA-approved institution OR at least 1 year of experience in legal services or a law office;
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Comfort with practicing trauma-informed legal-related advocacy: empathy, responsive listening restraint from judgment, and demonstration of authentic care and concern;
• Ability to work well as part of a team, but also be able to work independently;
• Strong written and oral communication skills;
• Detail-oriented and superior organizational skills;
• Adaptability and receptivity to new and evolving technologies;
• Ability to read, write and speak fluently in Spanish is strongly preferred; and
• Ability to staff the courthouse clinic located in the Second District Court of Appeal in Downtown Los Angeles four days per week and one day at the Public Counsel office in Koreatown.

JOB TYPE AND BENEFITS

• Full time Non-Exempt position working 37.5 hours per week; a four day week schedule may be possible.
• Bargaining
• The starting salary rate is $53,000
• This position is currently funded through December 2024. Public Counsel cannot guarantee employment past this time.
• Public Counsel offers a competitive benefits package including:
• Medical, dental, and vision Coverage with both HMO and PPO options,
• The option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account,
• A 403(b) retirement plan with elective contribution and an employer contribution after a year of employment, and
• Employer-paid life insurance and disability plans.
• Generous paid time off
• Parking and transit benefits

HOW TO APPLY
We value lived experiences and experiences working with clients across a range of settings. Please consider discussing such experiences in your cover letter, especially if they are not reflected in your resume.
PUBLIC COUNSEL VACCINATION POLICY AND COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
Public Counsel requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees, including new hires . Pursuant to federal and state laws, Public Counsel will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship.
Public Counsel is generally office-based and will be an effective hybrid-workspace as of June 6, 2022. As such, employees with Public Counsel will be required to work in the office at least one day per week, at the discretion of the head of department. This policy is subject to redesign by leadership. Public Counsel will work in a manner consistent with public health and local and state emergency orders.
PUBLIC COUNSEL EEO POLICY
Public Counsel is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate against employees or prospective employees on the basis of union membership or activity, race, religious creed, religious observance, ethnicity, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or predisposition, military service, military and veteran status, pregnancy, child birth and related medical conditions, marital and family status, national origin, ancestry, age, medical conditions as defined by state or federal law, or disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.
All qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.
Our leadership team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities discipline, discharge and general treatment during employment.