If you require an accommodation due to a disability to complete this application OR you are experiencing issues submitting your application and accompanying materials please e-mail: talent@disabilityrightsca.org

Make a difference! We fight for the rights of people that have disabilities....JOIN US!

We welcome Deaf and Disabled applicants to apply

Location: Los Angeles, Ontario, San Diego, Bay, Sacramento or Fresno (Hybrid)

Employment Status: Non-Exempt; Regular; Full time (37.5 hrs)

SALARY RANGE (DOE): $25.64-$36.59 hr/ $50,000-$71,358 yr

We base salary and position offers on experience and an internal equity analysis.

Employment Status: Non-Exempt; Regular; Full time (37.5 hrs)

EXCELLENT BENEFITS including 8% 401k Match, a language differential up to $250/mo. Health (HMO and PPO options), dental, vision, basic life insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance and flexible spending accounts (medical, dependent care and commuter). Additionally, we offer ample vacation, sick/self care leave and eighteen paid holidays (including the last week in December) and more….. We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) - eligible employer.

Application Deadline: Open until filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

WHO WE ARE

Disability Rights California (DRC) defends, advances, and strengthens the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities.

DRC works for a world where all disabled people have power and are treated with dignity and respect. In this world, people with disabilities are supported, valued, included in their communities, afforded the same opportunities as people without disabilities, and make their own decisions.

DRC values all forms of human diversity. We are committed to a culture of belonging where all people are welcome. In order to be effective advocates for all people with disabilities, we must address discrimination in all its forms, including the unique challenges faced by people who experience the intersection of multiple systems of discrimination.

OUR CULTURE

Disability Rights California is recognized as Gold Level Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Leader by the State Bar of California! We work to promote and create a culture where people feel empowered to be their true authentic selves to do their best work for our clients and the communities we serve.

YOUTH Practice Group

We are a statewide team of passionate attorneys who enforce and expand the rights of children and youth with disabilities, through litigation, direct services, and movement lawyering.  Our work aims to ensure equal access to education, dismantle the school to prison pipeline, eliminate the use of restraint, seclusion and segregated placements, reform the juvenile justice system and advance community-based mental health and behavioral services. We work to ensure that services are provided in a manner that is trauma-informed and culturally congruent, and to address the intersectional needs of children and youth with disabilities and their families.

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

The Litigation Support 2 serves as the primary support to enhance the effectiveness of the legal/advocacy staff by providing legal, litigation and administrative support to a team of attorneys. 

This position provides high-level legal and litigation support to multiple attorneys and cases. A Litigation Support 2 assists attorneys in preparing for Due process hearings with the Office of Administrative Hearings Special Education Division and litigation cases from onset through post-trial; manages projects as assigned by attorneys (this can range from production to case file management, prepping for depositions or trial); assist with production or creation of various legal forms and pleadings, correspondence, and other case related documents. 

This position requires flexibility, as it requires working in the office in order to complete tasks. 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

DRC provides reasonable disability accommodations to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Litigation Support 2 essential functions include:

Technical –80%

· Proficiency in working without constant supervision, individually or as part of a team, to achieve project goals.

· Coordinate, assemble, and serve multi-document filings in Administrative Agencies, Federal and State courts. Familiarity with E-filing is a must.

· Perform and oversee both simple and complex cite checking and proof reading of briefs and other legal documents.

· In addition to preparing shells for complaints, motions, must also be familiar with preparing subpoenas, summonses, and written discovery.

· Establish, maintain and monitor recordkeeping work in connection with data/document management and case management following DRC and case protocols.

· Schedule/calendar court appearances, depositions, arbitrations, mediations, client meetings, conference calls, and maintain calendar and due dates for attorneys as required.

· Prepare motion binders and special working binders.

· Establishes and maintains filing and records, electronic formats.

· Assists with the discovery process, including preparing for deposition, propounding, and responding to written discovery and preparing for expert discovery.

· Assists with trial preparation, including creating trial notebooks/binders, identifying, and organizing exhibits, coordinating witness schedules, maintaining trial calendars, and communicating effectively with opposing counsel and courtroom staff.

· Ensures that all correspondence or other documentation is formatted, proofread, and dispatched in a timely manner.

· Perform online legal research for legal advocacy staff.

· Sorts, reads, and annotates incoming mail and documents as required. 

· Create and maintain legal templates and forms.

· Generate and prepare attorney’s fees and expense reports.

· Provide mentorship, review, and verify support staff’s work including researching and understanding court rules (federal & state) court as they apply to deadlines, filings and formatting of documents.

· Assists with printing, scanning, organizing exhibit notebooks/binders and preparing service. 

· Make documents accessible.

· Works collaboratively within and across practice groups.

· Ability to track time contemporaneously. 

· As needed assist with Office Operations tasks and coverage.

· Other duties as assigned.

Customer Service –20%

· Communicate with clients, direct telephone calls, and coordinate conference calls.

· Communicate with other Practice Groups, Departments, and Units.

· High school diploma or general education degree (GED).

· Five (5) years of law office Litigation Support experience working on state and federal case matters.

· A certificate of completion of a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association or an accredited postsecondary institution as defined in California Business and Professions Code Section 6450 (c)(2) can substitute one year of law office Litigation Support experience.

· Demonstrated Project Management skills is a MUST. The ability to divide and delegate a larger task in smaller manageable assignments to meet a goal.

· Proficient using Microsoft Office 365 (Teams, Word, Excel, SharePoint), and knowledge using case management and calendaring software and applications.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Proficient in complying with the rules of court for lodging, filing and serving court documents.
• Competency in the creation and drafting of a variety of legal court documents.
• Knowledge and familiarity in both existing and emerging software applications.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, communication skills, and the ability to collaborate well in a team. 
• Strong ability to maintain high standards, use good judgment and seek out ways to contribute and anticipate needs.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to manage time effectively. Ability to work under pressure to meet      deadlines.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

· Proficient in using Best Authority, Everlaw, and Law Tool Box software.

· Experience using Westlaw or other tools in researching local court rules. 

· Experience using Everlaw Document Management or another document management software to provide litigation support and document review.

· Experience working in a virtual environment.

· Experience working with nonprofit and/or social service agencies.

· Contacts with, and/or lived experience within, disability organizations and/or within disability communities.

· Contacts with, and/or lived experience within, multi-ethnic organizations and/or within multi-ethnic communities.

· Contacts with and/or lived experience within low-income communities.

CERTIFICATES

Paralegal Certificate preferred.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Ability to travel infrequently for activities such as practice group and support staff meetings, training, or outreach activities up to 10% of the time.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The following describes general working conditions and requirements of the job, which can be performed with or without disability-related reasonable accommodations:

·       Duties are performed between an office or home environment and the field in a wide range of settings, including courthouses, facilities, or other institutional settings, or in community-based settings.

·       Duties require regular communications over online platforms.

·       Must be able to transport oneself to work-related meetings, training, and community events.