For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice by dismantling the legal barriers that perpetuate inequality. Legal Aid Chicago staff live our mission through our core values of equity, excellence, inclusion, kindness, and respect.
Position: Legal Aid Chicago seeks a paralegal to enroll individuals and families who live in Chicago into public benefit “safety net” programs, including TANF, Medicaid, and SNAP.
Responsibilities: Most Legal Aid Chicago employees are working remotely currently. However, when the pandemic subsides, paralegals in this position will split their time between one or more City of Chicago Community Service Centers and Legal Aid Chicago’s downtown offices. Under the supervision of a Supervisory Attorney and as part of a paralegal team, the paralegal will screen individuals and families for assistance in applying for appropriate public benefit programs, provide advice on existing applications and redeterminations, engage in informal advocacy with the local FCRC on behalf of clients, and provide follow-up services and referrals as needed. The paralegals will also occasionally represent clients on administrative appeals at the local FCRC. Responsibilities include developing knowledge of the public benefit programs available, interviewing clients to obtain necessary information, and assisting with the preparation and submission of applications and other forms including appeals and redeterminations. Paralegals will also work closely with Legal Aid Chicago attorneys to identify clients with appealable issues and present those cases at a weekly meeting. In addition, the paralegals will conduct outreach and community education in the communities where the City of Chicago offices are located.
Qualifications: Applicants must have a college degree (except for current internal applicants as specified in the Collective Bargaining Agreement), excellent oral and written skills, and a commitment to social justice. Spanish fluency is required. Basic internet and computer skills are required, including familiarity with such programs as Outlook and Excel. Good organizational and case management skills are essential. A background in working with public benefit programs, including lived experience, is a plus. Employees must register and become certified on the State of Illinois STARS system.
Send your cover letter, resume, and the contact information of two professional references to: [email protected]. Please place “PBPG Paralegal” in the subject line of your e-mail. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the positions will remain open until filled. No phone or agency calls, please.