Paralegal, Strategic Litigation
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW:
The Innocence Project is a notâforâprofit organization that works to exonerate innocent prisoners through postâconviction DNA testing and develop and implement policy changes to prevent wrongful convictions and otherwise reform the criminal justice system.
JOB SUMMARY:
The Paralegal provides support to Strategic Litigation (SL) attorneys at the Innocence Project and is a vital part of the Strategic Litigation team. The person that fills this role must be actively engaged in department happenings, eager to learn all facets of the department and is expected to assist with case research, development and management, time-sensitive litigation matters, and should be detail oriented enough to organize and maintain litigation resources to efficiently and effectively meet the needs of both the Strategic Litigation department’s cases and those of outside counsel who seek our assistance. This position is ideal for someone with a strong interest in law and a desire to attend law school or pursue other postgraduate education in a related field. The Paralegal reports to the Director of Strategic Litigation and works closely with the Senior Fellow, Strategic Litigation.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE AND CASE MANAGEMENT:
- Preparing court documents for filing, proofreading briefs, reviewing citation format in briefs for completeness in accordance with Bluebook; copying, collating, binding documents and exhibits, preparing tables of contents and tables of authorities, reviewing and summarizing court rules
- Arranging for litigation-related travel and related reimbursement
- Responding to requests from outside counsel for materials and litigation support
- Managing SL attorneys travel and speaking schedules
OTHER DUTIES IN SUPPORT OF THE STRATEGIC LITIGATION DEPARTMENT:
- Review and succinctly summarize scientific literature for SL attorneys on a weekly basis
- Track and record SL attorneys’ litigation, consultation and trainings for quarterly reports to the Innocence Project’s Board of Directors
- Draft SL listserv emails disturbing exemplar briefs, judicial opinions and scientific literature
- Assist in creating and maintaining litigation-related resources, such as expert witness CVs, their prior trial testimony and research, model briefs and motions
- Collaborating with the SL attorneys, the Forensic Policy Advocate and members of the Research Department to maintain a database of scientific literature
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelors degree, preferably in natural or social science
- 1-2 years work experience is strongly preferred
- Superior editing and proof reading skills required
- Familiarity with Legal Search Engines such as Westlaw and LexisNexis strongly preferred
KEY COMPETENCIES:
- Energetic self-starter who is highly organized, persistent, detail-oriented and works well under pressure
- Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, prioritize and effectively manage workload, and regularly meet deadlines
- Commitment to social justice; particularly the mission of the Innocence Project
- Strong interpersonal and written communication skills and flexibility to work with different personalities
- Strong interest in the field of law
- An ability and willingness to travel is preferred
- Sense of humor a must!
COMPENSATION:
The salary for this position is competitive and the Innocence Project offers an excellent benefits package, including health, dental and vision insurance, Flexible Spending Account, 401k plan with company-match, and paid Transitcheks.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Please email a brief cover letter and resume as one attachment to: hr2@innocenceproject.org, with “Paralegal” in the subject line. Please note in your cover letter where you learned of the job vacancy. All .zip file attachments will be deleted without being read. No phone calls, please. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
The Innocence Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to workplace diversity