The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc. has an exciting opportunity for a Legal Assistant to contribute to our impact on Western New York communities. This union position is part of the Criminal Defense Unit team and is initially primarily focused on providing clerical support services to our Staff Attorneys in the Criminal Defense Unit by accurately entering and maintaining case information, preparing case calendars, communicating professionally with clients, courts, agencies, attorneys, staff, and the public, and safeguarding the confidentiality of all case files.
Given the nature of our work, this Legal Assistant is expected to work primarily on-site. This position will be based at the Cheektowaga, NY office; however, will initially work from our Buffalo NY office located at 290 Main St., Buffalo, NY.
Who are we?
The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc. has been providing access to justice and due process to the most vulnerable individuals, children and families in the Western New York Community for over 100 years. Using a holistic approach, we provide quality, client-centered legal representation in a vast range of criminal and civil matters such as mandated criminal defense, mandated child and youth representation, consumer credit, employment, education, family, post-conviction, appeals, housing, employment, and immigration. Please visit our website to learn more.
Why Join Us?
Competitive Pay: Salary for this position is anticipated to be $48,027 per year
Mission-Drive Culture:
- Supportive work environment
- Opportunities to learn and grow through collaboration with colleagues
- Enjoy a full-time, 35-hour work week, and build flexibility into your schedule within the parameters of our collective bargaining agreement.
Comprehensive Benefits Package:
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits for you and your dependents.
- Extensive paid time off programs – holiday, vacation, personal, sick time, and more
- Paid parenthood leave plan.
- 401(k) retirement plan with contributions made by the Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc. between 6 and 8% when eligible.
- Life insurance.
- Voluntary supplemental insurance offering, which include short-term disability, long-term disability, term life insurance plus more.
- Parking expense reimbursement plan, transit plan, flexible spending account, and more.
Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness: Eligible for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation Loan Forgiveness Program.
Key Responsibilities:
- Assists attorneys in interviewing prospective and current clients, witnesses and any other person at various locations, including court detention facilities, gathering factual information related to the case, including financial eligibility data, as required.
- Obtains and assembles all necessary reports, documents, or court records relating to the case.
- Performs field work as required.
- Types from rough draft, verbal instructions, dictating equipment or other as directed by an attorney.
- Prepares letters, motion papers and briefs, memorandums, pleadings, petitions, orders, court and administrative papers, reports, notice of appeal, and other documentary work in proper legal format. Prints and saves the documents in the appropriate directories. Files, mails, and/or delivers documents as directed by attorney.
- Serves legal papers, including subpoenas, as required.
- Presents cases before hearing officers, as required by unit.
- Verifies citations and statutory references contained in legal documents against original sources such as legal texts, reports, etc., making certain that they are correct and in complete conformance with the source material; and does legal research under supervision, as required.
- Maintains specialized knowledge of regulations and laws as required by unit.
- Files and organizes legal research materials as directed.
- Performs other duties as assigned, including assisting other units when needed.
Employment Standards:
- Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered two (2) year college or university with an associate’s degree in paralegal studies; or
- Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered four (4) year college or university with a bachelor’s degree and completion of a course of in Paralegal studies which resulted in a certificate from a regionally accredited or New York State registered institution; or
- Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered four (4) year college or university and one (1) year experience as Paralegal, legal secretary, or legal assistant; or
- Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma and five (5) years of experience as a Paralegal, legal secretary, or legal assistant; or
- An equivalent combination of training, education, and experience as defined by the above standards.
*Degree(s) must have been awarded by a college, university or law school accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. If the degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, the candidate must provide independent verification of equivalency.
Additional Requirements: Possession of a valid NYS driver’s license and access to a registered, insured vehicle available for use during working hours, or demonstrated capacity to meet the transportation requirements of the position.
The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc. values diversity and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of any protected class.
How to Apply: Please send your cover letter and resume to resume@labbuffalo.org or mail them to:
The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc.
Attention: Human Resources
290 Main Street, Suite 400
Buffalo, NY 14202
If you need a reasonable accommodation in submitting the documents outlined above, completing the application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to the Human Resources Office at resume@labbuffalo.org or 716-853-9555 x183 or x288.
Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Following a review of applications, Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc. will only contact those applicants whose backgrounds align with the qualifications outlined above.