[Hamp-law] Paralegal Job, Innocence Project/ NYC

[Carin Rank]

Paralegal - Job
Posted by: Innocence Project
Location: New York, New York, United States
http://www.idealist.org/view/job/khHCDPMWPsXd/

Application deadline: May 1, 2012
Professional level: Entry level
Benefitss: Excellent benefits
Job function: Clerical and data-entry, Legal
Owner's areas of focus: Legal assistance, Human rights and civil liberties

Description

The Innocence Project is a not-for-profit organization that works to
exonerate innocent prisoners through post-conviction DNAtesting, and to
develop and implement policy changes to prevent wrongful convictions and
otherwise reform the criminal justice system. We are seeking a Paralegal
to provide administrative assistance to the Innocence Project’s
attorneys on case management and time-sensitive litigation matters, and
to organize and maintain our litigation resources to efficiently and
effectively meet the needs of both our own DNA exoneration cases and
those of outside counsel who seek our assistance.

Responsibilities:

- Prepare court documents for filing, proofread briefs, review citation
format in briefs for completeness in accordance with Bluebook; copy,
collate, and bind documents and exhibits, prepare table of contents and
table of authorities; review and summarize court rules;

- Arrange for litigation-related travel reimbursement;

- Assist with initial case development by conducting factual and legal
research using online services such as Westlaw or Lexis, assisting with
evidence searches and with preparation of discovery requests and
responses, preparing public records requests and serving as liaison with
laboratories, prisons, clients and/or their family members;

- Maintain electronic and paper case files and docket sheets;

- Draft correspondence;

- Assist in creating and maintaining other litigation-related resources,
such as state-by-state files on DNA testing legislation, a database of
local and/or pro bono counsel, court decisions, motions, and
issue-related model language;

- Respond to requests from outside counsel for DNA related materials;

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate is an energetic self-starter who is highly
organized, persistent, detail oriented, and committed to social justice,
with strong interpersonal and written communication skills. Candidates
must be able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, prioritize and
effectively manage their workload. In addition, candidates must have
flexibility to work with different personalities and be able regularly
meet deadlines. Competency with Windows, Microsoft Office Suite and
basic internet research is required; familiarity with Case Management
software and legal search engines such as Westlaw and Lexis preferred,
as is previous experience preparing documents for filing in court.

How to apply

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with hiring in late
Spring/early Summer. Please email resume and cover letter to
hr2 at innocenceproject.org with “Paralegal” in the subject line. Emails
should be in Word or pdf format; .zip file attachments will not be read.
Applicants holding a J.D. will not be considered for the position. No
telephone calls, please.

The Innocence Project is an equal opportunity employer committed to
workplace diversity.

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