Palestine Legal seeks a part or full time, temporary Paralegal to join our diverse nationwide team to provide support for the organization’s legal and advocacy work during a continuing crisis period of repression.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Palestine Legal seeks a part or full time, temporary (6 months, with possibility of extension up to 12 months) Paralegal to join our diverse nationwide team to provide support for the organization’s legal and advocacy work during a continuing crisis period of repression.

Palestine Legal is an independent organization dedicated to protecting the civil and constitutional rights of people in the U.S. who speak out for Palestinian freedom. Our mission is to bolster the Palestine solidarity movement by challenging efforts to threaten, harass and legally bully activists into silence and inaction. Palestine Legal is committed to a movement lawyering approach, and we strive to put into practice our values.

The Paralegal will be responsible for supporting Palestine Legal’s docket of active cases and agency complaints, including through handling client agreements, fact-gathering, preparing administrative complaints and court filings, proof-reading, supporting attorneys on internal file management, project managing a case calendar, and more. They will report to a senior staff attorney and work closely with other attorneys and team members. 

The position requires extreme attention to detail, great initiative, a problem solving mentality, strategic thinking, strong project management skills, great interpersonal communications skills both with attorneys and clients. The ideal candidate has considerable paralegal experience, preferably in a non-profit environment, and is passionate about work that challenges efforts to silence or ignore Palestinian and Palestine solidarity voices and experiences in the US.  

The position is non-exempt. The position will be remote.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Conduct fact-gathering with clients for active casework, in close collaboration with attorneys.

  • Support preparation of documents for casework, including briefs, complaints, etc., including formatting, ensuring proper citations, compiling relevant evidence, proofreading, etc.

  • Project manage the legal team’s calendar for administrative and court filings to ensure timely filings and manage support needs around filings.

  • Manage relationships with clients and collaborating attorneys related to casework, including ensuring relevant agreements are executed, scheduling meetings, and ensuring files are updated.

  • Support with court filings where needed.

  • Support attorneys with internal document filing related to casework. 

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Participate in organizational meetings and planning processes as needed.

  • Undertake flexible responsibilities to be determined on an as-needed basis.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

  • 3-10 years of paralegal experience, preferably some in a non-profit legal setting.

  • Paralegal certificate is a plus, but not required if candidate has equivalent level of experience.


KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

  • Commitment to the mission and values of Palestine Legal and with connections with in the Palestinian community and/or movement for Palestinian rights.

  • Familiarity with and/or directly affected by the legal suppression that Palestinian rights activists face in the United States and with a deep understanding of the Palestine issue in general.

  • Demonstrated commitment to social justice and human rights issues and to working with, and taking direction from impacted communities, clients, and grassroots organizations to advance their goals.

  • Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and project management skills.

  • Strong interpersonal skills, including ability to communicate with clients in clear and compassionate ways, and with lawyers.

  • Advanced skills in Microsoft Word and Adobe.

  • Strong initiative and a knack for problem-solving.

  • A strong sense of integrity, while maintaining flexibility and a sense of humor.

  • Strong work ethic.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

The Paralegal position will report directly to a senior staff attorney. They will also work closely with other attorneys on the team, and with co-counsel and clients.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Travel is not anticipated for this role. Candidate must be able to sit for long periods and type on a computer and must be able to communicate frequently by phone and electronically.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

This is a remote position. If the staff person is in New York City or Chicago, they will have the option of using Palestine Legal’s NYC or Chicago offices.

SALARY AND BENEFITS: This is a part or full time (20-30) hours per week, out of a 35-hour work week) non-exempt staff position. The hourly rate is calculated based on years of relevant experience. The hourly rate range for this position for the 3-10 years of experience required is $32.13 – $42.06, according to our established compensation scale, based on years of relevant experience. Excellent health and other benefits are provided, depending on employment status, in a work culture that encourages a healthy work-life balance.

TO APPLY: Please email 1) a resume and 2) a brief cover letter explaining your interest and why you think you’ll excel in the position to jobs@palestinelegal.org, subject line “Paralegal.”

The projected start date is in May 2024.

Palestine Legal recognizes that job seekers from marginalized communities (for example, women, LGBTQ+ people, and people of color) can be less likely to apply for jobs if they don’t meet every single qualification listed. We encourage you to consider applying even if you may not meet every attribute listed. Our priority is to find the right candidate for the position.

Palestine Legal, a project of Tides Center, is an “at-will” and equal opportunity employer. Applicants and employees shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy and gender expression) identity, color, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance.

Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.