Paralegal I, Homeowner Protection Team
Job Description
Position Overview
For 50 years, Bet Tzedek Legal Services has provided high-quality, free legal services to Los Angeles’ most vulnerable residents. The Homeowner Protection team continues this legacy by focusing on protecting homeowners at risk of losing ownership or equity in their homes to promote housing stability and preserve intergenerational wealth in high-need communities.
Bet Tzedek seeks a paralegal to provide legal administrative support through maintaining client records, scheduling appointments, conducting intake interviews, preparing pleadings and discovery, and processing, filing, and serving legal documents in administrative and civil litigation matters. The role also involves compiling project statistics and supporting various administrative processes. This position is designed as hybrid/remote, though occasional in-office or alternative location work may be required based on business needs.
Compensation: $60,538.10-$62,644.42 (DOE/DOQ)
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct client intake, screening potential clients for program eligibility, gathering substantive facts, collecting and organizing evidence, and participating in case reviews under an attorney’s supervision.
- Provide advice, counsel, and limited services under an attorney’s supervision.
- Clearly and professionally communicate with clients, opposing counsel, courts, government agencies, and financial institutions to help resolve client matters.
- Support attorneys with case administration, including calendaring deadlines, coordinating with clients, drafting and serving correspondence, and preparing discovery requests, responses, court pleadings, and forms.
- Coordinate the filing and service of appropriate legal documents.
- Prepare administrative agency and court forms and manage their filing and service under supervision.
- Assist with outreach and education efforts, including delivering “Know Your Rights” presentations and supporting legal clinics.
- Maintain well-organized legal files and ensure timely, accurate entry of case and client information in the case management system.
- Assist with the administrative processes involved in opening and closing files.
- Coordinate volunteer and pro bono attorney participation in legal clinics and casework.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- A paralegal certificate/degree in paralegal studies from an ABA-approved institution OR a bachelor's degree with at least 1 year of law-related experience under an attorney (who is an active California bar member for the preceding 3 years).
- Thorough knowledge of legal terminology, court rules, and procedures.
- Demonstrated competency with the Internet, web-based applications, and MS Office.
- Demonstrated competency with case management systems.
- Exceptionally organized, self-motivated, and goal-oriented.
- Commitment to Bet Tzedek’s mission of providing free legal services to those in need.
- Commitment to applying principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in job performance.
Preferred Qualifications
- California Notary Certificate.
- Experience with state court systems, including state court e-filing systems.
- At least 2 years of experience in a law firm, nonprofit, or in-house legal department supporting multiple attorneys.
- Bilingual and biliterate in both English and Spanish.
- Familiarity with legal databases (Lexis/Nexis and/or Westlaw).
Benefits & Perks
- A generous number of paid holidays, vacation, and sick days annually.
- Personal and floating holidays.
- Compensatory time for exempt employees.
- 18 weeks of paid parental leave (after 1 year of employment).
- Medical, dental, vision, chiropractic, and acupuncture coverage for employees and dependents, including HMO office visit co-pay reimbursement.
- Life/accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, long-term disability insurance, and an Employee Assistance Plan.
- Voluntary (employee-contributed) life/AD&D, accident, critical illness, hospital confinement, and pet insurance.
- Employee-contributed 401(k) and 403(b) plans.
- Healthcare and childcare flexible spending accounts.
- Commuter transit and/or parking benefits.
How to Apply
Please visit https://bettzedek.org/careers/ to submit a letter of interest, resume, and writing sample for “Paralegal I - Homeowner Protection.”
Note: All positions are subject to funding; ongoing employment cannot be assured. Bet Tzedek is a unionized environment, and the final offer will be based on an internal equity review and candidates’ relevant experience, skills, background, and bar date, if applicable. Candidates from traditionally underrepresented and historically oppressed communities are strongly encouraged to apply.