Paralegal (Education Law)
For more than 50 years LAF has provided people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago with comprehensive free legal services to resolve non-criminal issues. Each year LAF’s more than 80 attorneys and other staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Our work helps about 35,000 people each year. LAF seeks a litigation paralegal for the education law team within the Children and Families Practice Group. Responsibilities Include: The paralegal will work with the staff of the Children and Families Practice Group. Under the supervision of LAF attorneys, the paralegal will handle intake and screening for LAF’s Education Law work and do follow-up on those cases. The majority of cases are special education or school discipline matters for youth in DCFS care. This includes contact with DCFS caseworkers, foster parents, and youth in care. After intake interviews, the paralegal will present cases at team Case Acceptance Meetings. The paralegal will draft documents including: letters to clients, caseworkers, and other professionals; memoranda describing client needs in education; summaries of educational records; grant reports; and community outreach materials. The paralegal also assists the attorneys with maintaining and organizing legal research and trial preparation.
Qualifications: Applicants must have a college degree (except for current internal applicants as specified in the Collective Bargaining Agreement) and excellent oral and written communication skills. Excellent organizational skills are essential. Ability to gather information and then summarize it concisely is important. Familiarity with the following legal areas preferred but not required: special education, school discipline, and child welfare/juvenile court issues. Driver’s license and Spanish fluency helpful but not required. Salary: Depends on experience. Generous fringe benefits.
To Apply: Send cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of two professional references by April 16, 2019 to: resume@lafchicago.org. Type “CFPG Education Paralegal” in the subject line of your e-mail. No phone calls, please. We invite you to share in your cover letter any professional or personal experience that has made you aware of challenges faced by low-income families in Cook County. LAF values diversity, is an Equal Opportunity Employer, does not discriminate on the basis of disability, and encourages candidates with experience working with our client population to apply.