Seton Hall University School of Law has an immediate opening for a full-time Paralegal in its Center for Social Justice (“CSJ” or “Center”), located in Newark, NJ, to support its clinical and pro bono programs. The focus of the work will be transactional legal programming. The position is supported by a grant from the New Jersey State Bar Foundation.
The Center for Social Justice is home to the Law School’s vibrant clinical program including Civil Litigation; Criminal Defense and Community Advocacy; Equal Justice; Family Law; Health Advocacy and Collaboration; Housing Justice and Legal Design; Immigrants’ Rights/International Human Rights; and Impact Litigation. The Center also houses the Pro Bono Service Project, through which law students volunteer with projects at the CSJ and at legal services and government offices.
This is a full-time, in-person position, and its continuation is dependent on renewal of grant funding. Work hours are flexible, as some weekend and evening work might be required at times.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Paralegal’s primary role is to provide support for transactional clinics at the Center for Social Justice. This includes the Transactional Law Clinic, which operates as part of the weekend curriculum at the Law School and provides assistance to nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. In addition, the Paralegal will support the Community Wealth Building Transactional Law Clinic, which assists community groups and organizations with transactional legal services regarding projects designed to produce systemic economic change within historically disinvested neighborhoods. The Paralegal may also support the Nonprofit Advising Project, a pro bono initiative to provide limited scope representation to nonprofits in the greater Newark area. In addition, the Paralegal will provide support for other programs funded by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation in the areas of health law, immigration, and criminal defense.
The Paralegal will provide a wide range of support for the programs, including, but not limited to:
• serving as the first point of contact for prospective clients and as liaison with community organizations and clinic partners;
• supporting incoming cases by conducting thorough intakes and a preliminary screening and assessment as to eligibility for our services;
• developing marketing and outreach materials for the transactional programs;
• researching potential clients and client referral partners;
• scheduling client meetings;
• organizing client, client-related, and prospective-client events;
• drafting preliminary documents for clinic cases;
• preparing correspondence and documents to assist in legal representation;
• drafting and filing documents with applicable government agencies/courts when law students are unavailable;
• preparing and compiling client documents for signing;
• managing clinic case files;
• assisting with grant reports;
• procuring reports and records as needed with clinic cases; and,
• supporting general operations at the Center for Social Justice.
Required Qualifications:
Position requirements:
• Bachelor's degree or paralegal certificate, or equivalent educational experience.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
Desired Qualifications:
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred, but not required.
Salary Range:
$30.604 per hour-Grade 20
Exempt/Nonexempt:
Physical Demands: General Office Environment
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and list of three references. The cover letter should address the position requirements listed above.
Review of candidates will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
Seton Hall University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation or sex. The Law School is located in downtown Newark, just a block from Newark Penn Station and a short train ride to NYC.
Benefits Information:
Full Time Benefits
Life today is complex. That’s why Seton Hall University offers a comprehensive package of benefits and programs to help you simplify and enrich your life.
These benefits are important elements of your total university compensation package. Benefits include but are not limited to bundled medical, prescription, and vision insurance, dental insurance, and life insurance, and retirement plan. More information is available at https://www.shu.edu/human-resources/benefits.html.
Seton Hall University is located in South Orange, New Jersey, 14 miles from New York City. It is the oldest Catholic diocesan institution of higher education in the United States and is home to about 6,300 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate students. A vibrant and culturally inclusive community, Seton Hall pursues academic excellence and ethical development in a collaborative environment and prepares its students to be servant leaders in their professional and community lives. Seton Hall University is an equal opportunity employer. It honors diverse perspectives and welcomes employees from all faith traditions. In turn, its employees respect Catholic beliefs and values, engage in servant leadership, and support the University’s mission as a Catholic institution of higher education.
