Legal Assistant
Civil survival
Seattle, WA, USA
30+ days ago
Full-time
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Summary


Civil Survival is looking for a legal assistant to assist formerly incarcerated individuals across Washington State who face legal barriers to successful reentry into the community. 

Civil Survival’s legal assistant will work with attorneys representing clients in a variety of legal matters, including relief from legal financial obligations (LFOs), vacating unconstitutional drug convictions under State v. Blake, vacating criminal record, and relief from registration for clients convicted of sex offenses. In
supporting Civil Survival’s direct representation, the legal assistant will have a range of responsibilities including communicating with clients, researching court procedures and rules, preparing and filing pleadings, and obtaining records.


The legal assistant will work on a dynamic team that uses creativity, collaboration, and technology to provide high-quality representation to clients. In supporting this work, the legal assistant will manage and continuously seek to improve Civil Survival’s case and file management systems with the goal of allowing Civil Survival to serve as many clients as possible. 

Civil Survival is committed to maintaining a staff that reflects the diversity of experiences of the communities we work with. People of color, those directly impacted by the criminal legal system, people who identify as LGBTQIA2S+, people who are fluent in languages other than English, and those with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. We envision this position as an opportunity for people, including those with lived experience, to begin a career in legal aid and advocacy. A successful legal assistant will have opportunities to grow into other positions with Civil Survival.


Organization Description


Civil Survival organizes system-impacted people, provides legal representation, and advocates for policy reform to restore opportunity to communities harmed by the criminal legal system. We envision a world without incarceration, where people are not limited by their pasts and are valued for their humanity. Civil Survival was founded by people harmed by the criminal legal system to advocate for each other. Our foundational commitment to build an organization made up of members of the communities remains at the core of our identity. Most of Civil Survival’s staff identify as people of color and most have been arrested or incarcerated. 

Civil Survival’s commitments to anti-racist and trauma-informed principles are centered in every aspect of our work. We offer regular race-equity and trauma-informed leadership training to all staff and ground all organizational decision-making in an anti-racist, equity-focused lens. Our leadership philosophy is rooted in the recognition that we all are continuing to grow and learn, and that can only be accomplished with regular feedback, especially from staff to leadership. We are deeply committed to transparent decision-making that centers the perspectives of all members of our team.


These values and commitments have allowed us to increase access to opportunity for those harmed by the criminal legal system. We have done this by:

  • Organizing mass assistance days that provide legal financial obligation relief to hundreds of clients in a single day. During Civil Survival’s mass assistance day in Pierce County, the courts waived over $2.3 million in criminal legal debt.
  • Leading systemic advocacy to make reentry legal relief accessible and automatic. Civil Survival recently led a coalition of organizations to improve Washington’s mandatory legal financial obligations (LFOs) motion forms, making this process and relief available to thousands of additional Washingtonians. Civil Survival also led the effort to pass HB 1412 and HB 1169, which allowed for restitution relief in over 100,000 cases and eliminated $600 in mandatory LFOs for every felony conviction.
  • Remotely hosting weekly Game Changer groups that provide justice-involved individuals a place to learn how to advocate for systemic change, overcome their own reentry barriers, and provide peer support. 
  • Supporting bills that expand legal rights for justice-involved individuals. Civil Survival was closely involved in securing the passage of the New Hope Act, which made significant improvements to Washington’s criminal record vacation process.

 

Job Description

The legal assistant will work under the direction of their assigned attorneys for client work and will generally be supervised by a senior attorney. The legal assistant will work on a team, which currently includes three staff attorneys, two senior attorneys, and one other legal assistant. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Assisting with the client management system, including tracking service requests, client intakes, case management, and conflict check searches.
  • Supporting the legal team in staying organized, including tracking tasks in project management systems, and organizing electronic casefiles.
  • Filing pleadings in municipal, district, superior, and appellate courts while ensuring proper service to all parties.
  • Researching court filing rules and procedures.
  • Communicating with clients and other parties, as necessary, whether in-person, through email, or via phone or video meetings, to assess legal needs, or otherwise gather information to assist in representation.
  • Obtaining court records through online court portals, including the Judicial Information System and Judicial Access Browser System and via direct communications with courts. 
  • Coordinating with clients to collect various case documents that will be utilized in representation. 
  • Filing public disclosure requests for documents related to client work. 
  • Generating and sharing criminal history summaries with individuals interested in reentry legal relief. 
  • Working collaboratively with colleagues.
  • Assisting with special projects and other clerical duties related to litigation and policy advocacy work within the organization.
  • Working collaboratively with the legal team to improve case management systems.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

  • Lived experience with the criminal legal system or familiarity with criminal law is preferred.
  • Knowledge and commitment to learn: court filing protocols; legal terminology; legal forms, documents, and citation; and federal, state, and appellate court rules.
  • Ability to organize case files and documents in a cloud setting, maintaining an electronic case management system, and ensuring compliance with the organization’s procedures to ensure accuracy in the maintenance of records.
  • Strong organization skills—the applicant should be able to manage multiple projects, ensuring that tasks are completed in a timely manner and that lower-priority items do not slip through the cracks.
  • Ability to work with clients with mental illness, substance use disorder, and other disabilities. The applicant should demonstrate an understanding and empathy with the stresses experienced by clients who are impacted by poverty, mental illness, unstable housing, substance use disorder, domestic strife, and other barriers. The ideal candidate will be skilled in helping these clients engage in their own representation through the principles of harm-reduction—meeting clients where they are, in a way that is responsive to their specific needs.
  • Strong desire to work collaboratively, with the ability to work independently.
  • Demonstrated cultural competence and sensitivity in working with diverse clients, communities, and colleagues.
  • Ability to communicate professionally with court staff, colleagues, and partner organizations.
  • Strong drive and initiative, with the ability to manage time well in an environment of many concurrent assignments and deadlines.
  • Willingness and desire to jump in and help on a wide variety of projects, to learn new skills and to take ownership of assignments.
  • Accurate and detail-oriented, with the ability to give and receive feedback effectively.
  • Computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and the ability to quickly learn and master new software applications.
  • Proficiency with LegalServer and Asana is preferred but not required.
  • Full professional proficiency in Spanish is preferred but not required.
  • Problem-solving and research skills.

Location


All Civil Survival staff work remotely. In-person work will periodically be required to file documents, attend events such as court hearings, in-person legal clinics, meetings, and organizational retreats. Travel within Washington will be required periodically, and costs associated with that travel will be paid for by Civil Survival. Applicants from all parts of Washington State are encouraged to apply, especially those in rural counties.

Compensation


The salary range is $51,358.43 to $ 73,099.06/year ($24.69 to $33.76/hour) depending on experience. The legal assistant will work 40 hours per week. Within the salary range for the position, salary increases up to 4% annually, depending on performance. An additional annual cost of living increase is provided at the
discretion of the Board of Directors. Benefits include:

  • 401k match of up to 4% of salary
  • Generous medical and dental benefits for employees and dependent family members
  • 17 paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
  • 15 days of vacation, accrued annually, increasing to 21 days of vacation, accrued annually
  • 12 personal days, accrued annually
  • Short- and long-term disability insurance
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Monthly $50 employer cell phone contribution

Civil Survival is committed to expanding opportunity to people directly impacted by the criminal legal system. For individuals without college education or professional training, we will provide the training and education needed to succeed in this role and grow with Civil Survival. This includes mentorship from an experienced senior attorney and, as appropriate, funding to attend legal/assistant paralegal classes,
community college classes, and other professional development opportunities.


Benefits are provided consistent with current organizational policies and are subject to change. This is a Fair Labor Standards Act non-exempt, at-will position. Continuation in the position depends on both performance and funding.

Equal Opportunity Employer


Civil Survival is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and fosters an environment free of barriers and discriminatory practices. Civil Survival actively promotes mutual respect, acceptance, teamwork, and productivity. We are committed to maintaining an organization whose staff, Board and clients are diverse in background, experience, race, color, national origin, gender, age, religious affiliation, marital status, sexual identity, sensory, mental or physical abilities, veteran status, and other qualities that strengthen the program while reinforcing its commitment to basic fairness. Individuals needing a reasonable accommodation for the application or interview process should contact Teresa Groves (she/her) at ------------ or (206)484-4755.

How to Apply


Please submit the following to Teresa Groves at ------------ by Monday, February 5, 2024 at 11:59 pm. Applications submitted through LinkedIn, Indeed, or any other job posting site will not be accepted. The email subject line should clearly reference “Civil Survival Legal Assistant.”

  • Letter of interest. Your letter of interest should include a description of how your skills and experience will allow you to perform the job qualifications. We value lived experience in the criminal legal system and encourage applicants to share any lived experience in their letter of interest.
  • Resumé.
  • Names and contact information for three professional references. Professional references will not be contacted until the conclusion of the interview process.