Staff Paralegal

Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. (NLS) is the largest nonprofit civil legal services provider in its five-county service area. Its mission is to seek equitable justice by providing access to legal advice, representation, and education to those in our community who, due to financial vulnerability, disability, discrimination, or abuse, require protection and advancement of their civil legal rights. With offices in Batavia, Buffalo, Lockport, and Niagara Falls, NLS is dedicated to advancing justice and ensuring equal access to the legal system for individuals and families who cannot afford an attorney. Each year, NLS serves thousands of clients with low income and vulnerable clients, including people facing eviction or homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, individuals with disabilities, veterans, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and those struggling to access food, healthcare, and other critical public benefits. The NLS Batavia office serves Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties, focusing on housing law, public benefits, family law, disability law, and consumer issues.

About the role

Neighborhood Legal Services is seeking a mission-driven Staff Paralegal to join our Batavia Office. The Staff Paralegal will screen individuals, provide follow-up services and referrals, offer community education, and provide limited legal advice and counsel under attorney supervision. This role plays a vital role in helping people access the legal help they need while supporting NLS’s broader mission to challenge systemic inequality and promote justice across the region.

Responsibilities

• Screen and interview applicants for assistance; review client eligibility, case priority, and case acceptance criteria; determine whether to accept a case; provide legal advice, counseling, or other brief service under attorney supervision during intake.
• Provide legal advice, counsel, and extended services on eligible matters in accordance with agency protocols and under attorney supervision.
• Triage and refer matters to appropriate legal units or outside agencies as needed.
• Handle assigned cases and projects under attorney supervision, maintaining an adequate caseload of administrative cases, including routine and major cases, consistent with experience level.
• Support attorneys by assisting with legal representation, including client contact, witness preparation, factual investigation (e.g., obtaining documents, photographs, and evidence), legal research, drafting discovery and pleadings, analyzing litigation documents, and preparing demonstrative evidence for trials.
• Negotiate with unrepresented adverse parties such as landlords, merchants, social workers, and public agency employees.
• Maintain docket and calendar; prepare periodic case reports; participate in case reviews scheduled by the Supervising Attorney.
• Participate in client advocacy projects, self-help remedies, impact litigation, community legal education, legislative and administrative advocacy, outreach, and other forms of advocacy.
• Develop a working knowledge of all NLS practice areas and stay updated on relevant legal changes and resources.
• Maintain a trauma-informed and culturally competent approach when interacting with clients in distress or crisis.
• Participate in ongoing training and supervision to ensure quality and consistency of service delivery.
• Work collaboratively with other NLS staff on advocacy projects consistent with program priorities.
• Provide advice, co-counseling, training, and informal assistance to other staff in areas of expertise; cover for other advocates when necessary.
• Participate in the operation of volunteer attorney programs, including recruiting and training volunteers, conducting intake, preparing and tracking cases, coordinating staff support, and developing quality control systems.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

• Strong personal work ethic and ability to organize time, manage diverse activities, and meet critical deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with a detail-oriented approach.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with a dynamic, multi-sector team.
• Self-directed with the ability to anticipate client needs.
• Cultural humility in working with low-income clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and limited English proficiency.
• Familiarity with diverse communities is a plus.

Pay

Salary is based on years of relevant paralegal experience and placement within Steps 1 through 22 of the salary scale. Step 1 correlates to the first year of qualifying paralegal experience, with each progressive step reflecting an additional year of relevant experience. Prior credited experience will be calculated from the date employment began in a qualifying paralegal or legal support role.

• Step 1 – $53,000
• Step 5 – $58,513.27
• Step 10 – $64,620.14
• Step 15 – $71,545.86
• Step 22 – $82,976.80

Schedule

Full-time position with a 35-hour work week and reduced summer hours.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous PTO policy, including:
  • 3 weeks of vacation time.
  • 12 paid holidays, plus a week of PTO between Christmas and New Year’s.
  • Reduced summer hours.
  • Sick and personal leave.
• Eligibility for public student loan forgiveness.
• Life insurance and a pension plan.
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) and Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Paid memberships and professional development opportunities.