Veterans Housing Paralegal

Job Summary 

As a Paralegal at ULS, you will provide ethical, competent legal representation to eligible Veterans who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless. You are responsible for ensuring you perform your duties competently, working appropriately with clients, maintaining proper timekeeping, and complying with all rules, laws, and regulations. You will also be required to work and collaborate with the attorney assigned to your cases.  You will do this with intentional excellence to provide meaningful access to equal justice. Your primary duties and responsibilities include meeting regularly with your manager, providing high-quality legal work, and maintaining compliance with ULS guidelines and LSC requirements. You will serve as a paralegal who is directly taking active cases and working with clients. Veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Paralegal

• Attend team meetings that promote discussion about administrative issues, legal skills, and professional development.
• Engage in active team building and create a positive work environment.

Case Management and Legal Work

• Use the ULS case management system, LegalServer, to bill time, manage clients and track case related tasks and deadlines for timely communications, services, and representation.
• Follow case handling protocols and best practices.
• Support a ULS attorney by maintaining an average caseload of 60-120 cases based on the level of service and your other workload and duties.
• Regularly and strategically review case status and tasks, updating as needed.
• Review cases for Case Service Report (CSR) compliance and then properly close cases after successfully passing a test and authorized by manager.
• Actively meet with your assigned attorney to do case reviews and to make sure cases are proceeding timely.

Additional Tasks

• Maintain relationships with current community partners.
• Attend ULS staff meetings.
• Complete appropriate continuing education and certification requirements such as continuing legal education (CLEs).
• Participate in community engagement efforts including at clinics, community education classes, and outreach to further ULS’s mission and maintain relationships with community partners and stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities

• A strong commitment to assisting people with low incomes and special vulnerabilities and promoting meaningful access to civil legal justice. 
• Excellent interpersonal abilities.
• High verbal and written communication skills. 

• High level of adaptability and ability to manage stress.
• Self-motivated, dependable, detailed, and accountable. 
• Commitment and adherence to strict confidentiality rules.
• Work experience in one of the following legal areas is preferred: domestic law, housing, consumer protection, debt defense, public benefits, Native American law, or migrant worker law.

• Ability to communicate effectively with a broad range of diverse people, ability, culture, and ethnic background to maintain good relationships. 

Qualifications. 

• Must be able to pass a Utah Criminal Record background check.
  

• Minimum 2-3 years paralegal experience.
• Prior experience working with veterans preferred but not required.
• Ability to analyze complex situations and make sound decisions to benefit ULS and our clients.

Job Factors/Physical Requirements 

• Must be able to travel to meetings and court proceedings as needed.

• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.

Salary

• $20 - $25