Organization Overview:
Colorado Legal Services (CLS) is Colorado’s statewide nonprofit legal aid program, with thirteen offices providing civil legal assistance to low-income Coloradans throughout the state. CLS provides free legal assistance in a broad variety of legal areas, including family law, public benefits, eviction defense, consumer protection, services to survivors of serious crime and human trafficking, and many others.
CLS has strengthened lives, assisted families, and supported communities–one person at a time for over 100 years. We are committed to providing high-quality, free legal advice and representation to eligible individuals throughout Colorado. We have a long history of successful impact and advocacy. CLS strives to bring about substantive, transformational change in the lives of those we serve.
At CLS, we value representation. We value and respect our staff's wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We ensure representation of our client communities in our staff, Board of Directors and leadership teams. We also envision a fair, just, trusted, and harm reductionist legal system which emphasizes access to and implementation of true justice for every Coloradan.
Position Summary:
Colorado Legal Services seeks a full-time Paralegal/PAI Coordinator to join our team in Craig, Colorado. The Northwest Colorado Legal Services Project (NCLSP) serves 11 counties from Moffat to Grand to Gunnison. This position is pivotal to NCLSP’s volunteer attorney program and to facilitating legal services for underserved communities. The Paralegal/PAI Coordinator recruits and supports a volunteer team of attorneys and non-attorneys who provide essential client services in rural Colorado. This role works closely with the rest of the NCLSP team to assist with client screening, to coordinator and host pro bono clinics, and to refer cases of serious legal need to a panel of dedicated private attorneys. The Paralegal/PAI Coordinator also does outreach activities with the legal community to promote and expand the private attorney panel and with partner organizations to ensure potential clients and agencies know about our services and how to access them. This position will be in Craig, CO where the regional office is located, but will be required to do some travel throughout the NCLSP 11-county region, with one optional remote day each week. This is a unionized position covered by CLS’s collective bargaining agreement. CLS offers career development and advancement opportunities as well.
Essential Duties:
- Volunteer Management: Recruit,
onboard, and coordinate new volunteer attorneys, LLPs and other volunteers as needed. Provide training and support to volunteers as needed. Complete annual volunteer recognition activities.
- Referrals: Refer appropriate cases to volunteer attorneys for both pro bono and contract legal assistance.
- Monthly Clinics: Manage and host 1st Thursday, telephone advice clinic staffed by both pro bono attorneys and volunteer non-attorney screeners. For 2 monthly clinics provide client follow-up as needed and case management to close cases for roughly 8-12 cases per month.
- Case Management: Monitor staff and PAI contact cases. Provide program compliance guidance, process invoices from attorneys, maintain expenditures records, respond to attorney and client question for referred cases, and document volunteer work.
- Staff Office: Staff the Craig office in-person four days/week, managing walk-in hours, applicants, ordering office supplies and checking the mail (one workday per week can be remote).
- Client Interaction: When appropriate, screen phone, online, and walk-in applicants for program eligibility. Cover phone intake for Craig office and other CLS offices as needed.
- Conduct full intake interviews with accuracy, attention to details, respect, and in accordance with case handling protocols and procedures.;
- Paralegal Duties: Provide paralegal and case support as needed to the NCLSP attorneys, such as legal research, legal drafting, and assistance with legal procedures.
- Legal Community Outreach: Develop and maintain relationships with Bar Associations and other court or legal community groups to promote support for civil legal aid.
- Community Outreach: Build relationships with local service providers and community resources through outreach events and partnering events.
- Grant & Program Reporting: Assist Managing Attorney with grant reporting and PAI data collections for grants. Complete timekeeping and all other required data management responsibilities
- Legal Knowledge: Develop and maintain familiarity with basic legal terminology, legal ethics, and general legal procedures. Maintain a working knowledge of legal issues most often presented by CLS clients including family law, housing law, debt law, and other legal topics as directed.
- Teamwork: Communicate and participate in remote team meetings, trainings, and case review.
- Technological Knowledge: Learn and effectively use technology including CLS’ case management system, Zoom phones, Teams, the Court’s e-filing system, and other office and email systems.
- Innovation: Collaborate with NCLSP team members and local partners to identify, research and develop new PAI activities or programs to meet current or emerging client needs.
- Communication: Treat all applicants with respect through compassionate and professional communication that acknowledges each client’s cultural norms and provides service in each client’s primary language. Maintain absolute confidentiality of all information concerning applicants and clients.
- Skills development: Participate in CLS trainings and conferences to maintain and develop skills including legal knowledge, empathy with client communities, and volunteer management. CLS offers trainings both remotely and in-person.
Required Qualifications:
- Education: A high school diploma or GED.
- Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills to engage compassionately with applicants and teammates, while maintaining professional boundaries, confidentiality, active listening, and attention to detail.
- Technological Skills: Experience with Microsoft Word, spreadsheets, email, and database software. Ability to learn new technology, including an online phone system, case management systems, file sharing software, and remote communication tools like Teams and other virtual meetings.
- Volunteer or client services experience, preferably with low-income, non-English speakers, or other vulnerable communities.
- Be able to work with a team and independently, organizing your time and managing multiple tasks and deadlines with attention to detail.
- Travel: Be able to travel to participate in local Bar Association or other community meetings, outreach events, trainings, or NCLSP team activities.
- Demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of low-income persons, seniors, and non-English speakers.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bilingual Spanish/English speaker.
- Work experience in or knowledge of the legal system.
- 1+ years of customer service or public interaction with low-income or other vulnerable communities.
- Demonstrated understanding of or experience with issues faced by marginalized communities.
Compensation and Benefits:
We offer a generous plan that includes 100% employer paid premiums for employee health, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance, as well as partial employer paid premiums for spouses/dependents, based on a sliding scale. We also offer Dependent Care and Medical Flexible spending accounts, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). CLS contributes $200/month to each employee's 403(b) retirement account and matches 100% of employee contributions up to 3% of employee salary; vesting occurs gradually will full vesting after 3 years of employment. Additionally, CLS offers generous paid time-off and 13 paid holidays per year.
CLS values its employees’ commitment to working hard for the population it serves and recognizes the importance of work/life balance. We promote and foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically safe work environment, striving to be a “Best Place to Work” in Colorado.
How to Apply:
Please submit your resume and cover letter via the “Apply for This Job” link for this job opening on our careers page by July 19th. We will not be reviewing applications sent via e-mail or physical mail. If you have questions about this position or any other positions at Colorado Legal Services, contact Karen Vilner, Director of People and Culture, at [email protected].
