The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is one of the leading national civil rights legal organizations, with the principal mission of fighting racial discrimination faced by African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities. The Lawyers’ Committee was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar’s leadership and resources in combating racial discrimination and the resulting inequality of opportunity—work that continues to be vital today.
The Investigator and Legal Assistant/Paralegal will perform a variety of investigative tasks and provide support to Lawyers’ Committee attorneys during all stages of litigation, and on programmatic initiatives, advocacy and policy projects, and other activities. This position will work with the Criminal Justice Project and one or more substantive project area(s), based on need, and will work closely with the project teams.
Persons with a paralegal certification will have paralegal in their title (Investigator and paralegal) whereas those who do not will have legal assistant in their title (Investigator and legal assistant).
Specific Duties and Responsibilities:
The core responsibilities of this position at the Lawyers’ Committee include but are not limited to:
Conduct plaintiff outreach and witness interviews;
Serve as liaison to clients and witnesses;
Conduct factual research, including through public records requests and access to databases.
Travel routinely in the United States, with travel responsibilities including driving;
Compose public education materials, including reports, brochures, or social media pages;
Manage and organize case files, case dockets, and litigation calendars. Includes meticulous management of electronic case files, and management of ECF and PACER accounts.
Provide support for editing, production, and filing of briefs, exhibits, and other documents, including formatting, proofreading, and cite-checking, as well as tables of authorities.
Under the direction of attorneys, manage administrative and logistical aspects of litigation, such as organizing discovery requests and responses, coordinating depositions, scheduling meetings, etc.
Assist in the preparation of legal documents, such as motions, briefs, affidavits, extension requests, and correspondence to the court and opposing parties;
Stay informed about court rules, local rules, and internal court operating procedures, including deadlines.
Provide administrative and other support for hearings, trials, expert interviews, depositions, oral arguments, and speaking engagements.
Use electronic/online systems to obtain cases and pleadings in matters related to LCCRUL work.
Prepare internal reports, including, as requested, weekly updates, board books, the information needed for grants and development, lobbying hours tracking, and updates to tracking of projects and issues.
In coordination with project staff and the Communications team, provide text to update relevant web pages.
Coordinate, manage, and track communications with partners, co-counsel, amici, coalition partners, etc.
Provide support for, and schedule, events, and meetings. Attend and take notes at meetings, including coalition taskforce meetings.
Coordinate with accounting to ensure timely submission and processing of timesheets, travel, and other expenses, including attorney bar/court memberships;
Assist with travel arrangements;
Other duties and special projects as assigned.
Requirements and Competencies:
Associate’s degree plus a paralegal certificate, or bachelor’s degree strongly preferred;
At least one year of experience in related positions, preferably as an investigator and/or litigation paralegal/legal assistant;
Ability to travel as needed, including the ability to drive. Must possess or be able to complete requirements for Driver's License within 60 days;
Strong research skills and proficiency performing research using various tools, including the internet and other media sources;
Excellent communications skills, including the ability to regularly communicate with multiple internal and external stakeholders;
Demonstrated strong writing and editing skills, and the demonstrated ability to review and synthesize factual information;
Ability to take initiative in identifying and solving problems;
Experience conducting witness interviews;
Close attention to detail;
Experience in and proficiency in learning databases, program management software, and other tools. Knowledge of Asana, PACER, ECF, and relational case management databases is a plus;
Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to multi-task and prioritize work to ensure timely completion;
Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
Proficiency in Office 365 and its apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as video communication formats (Teams, Zoom, etc.);
Willingness to become licensed as a notary public in D.C. (with fees and costs paid by the Lawyers’ Committee)
Ability to communicate fluently in Spanish is a plus;
Demonstrated commitment to working with and for communities of color and/or low-income communities;
Experience working in diverse environments; and
Commitment to the mission and goals of the Lawyers’ Committee.
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume, including graduation completion dates. No calls will be accepted. The position will remain open until filled, and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Salary and benefits are competitive for a nonprofit legal organization. Staff Benefits include Employer Sponsored (Medical, Dental, and Group Life & AD&D); Voluntary Benefits (Vision Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Supplemental Life) coverage; the opportunity to participate in the 403(b) Retirement Plan; Voluntary Flexible Spending (Medical and Dependent Care) and Stipends (Cell Phone and Commuter/Parking Benefits); 12 paid Holidays; and Vacation/Sick days.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: The Lawyers’ Committee embraces diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We strongly encourage candidates of color and candidates from underrepresented communities to apply. The Lawyers’ Committee does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibility, personal appearance, genetic information, matriculation, political affiliation, or any other status protected under law.
Accessibility Assistance: Although calls will not be accepted regarding questions about the position, if you are an individual with a disability and need assistance completing the online application, please call 202-662-8600 and ask for an applicant accommodation; send an email with the subject line “Applicant Accommodation” to [email protected].
Important Vaccination Requirement: The Lawyers’ Committee requires employees to be fully vaccinated (including all eligible boosters) against COVID-19 unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. Being fully vaccinated means an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination.