Fields: law, criminal justice, correctional system, social justice,
Location: NYC, New York
About the Organization: The Innocence Project was founded in 1992 by Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University to assist the wrongly convicted who could be proven innocent through DNA testing. The Innocence Project’s groundbreaking use of DNA technology to free innocent people has provided irrefutable proof that wrongful convictions are not isolated or rare events but instead arise from systemic defects. Now an independent nonprofit organization closely affiliated with Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, the Innocence Project’s mission is to free the staggering numbers of innocent people who remain incarcerated and to bring substantive reform to the system responsible for their unjust imprisonment.
About the Position: The Paralegal provides both administrative and research assistance to the Innocence Project’s attorneys on case management and time-sensitive litigation matters, and organizes and maintains 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. This is not a “traditional” paralegal position in the sense that we ask our paralegals to engage in tasks and make decisions that require enterprising, out-of-the-box thinking. We seek mature, self-motivated individuals who can be effective communicators with different stakeholder groups (supervisors, colleagues and clients), who can take initiative, are self-starters, and are able to manage multiple demanding tasks simultaneously. The Paralegal reports to two Staff Attorneys and works in close collaboration with clinic students from Cardozo Law School. The duties of this position require approximately 40 hours of work per week to be performed in-office with very occasional nights and weekends dependent on deadlines and hearing dates.
Special Requirements/Qualifications:
- Bachelor degree required
- Competency with basic internet research is required
- Familiarity with Case Management software and Legal Search Engines such as Westlaw and LexisNexis preferred
- Strong writing and critical thinking skills
- Previous experience preparing documents for filing in court preferred
- Driver’s license preferred
- Energetic self-starter who is highly organized, persistent and detail-oriented
- Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, prioritize and effectively manage workload, and regularly meet deadlines
- Thrives in moments of unpredictability and performs well under pressure
- Commitment to social justice; particularly the mission of the Innocence Project
- Strong interpersonal and written communication skills and flexibility to work with different personalities
Estimated Salary: $45,000 – $60,000 (estimate) + benefits including health, dental and vision insurance, Flexible Spending Account, 401k plan with company-match, and paid Transitcheks.
Deadline: Not given
Apply Here:
The Innocence Project
Entry Level Jobs for Social Impact 