Paralegal - Welfare Law Unit

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Accessible Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

GBLS provides free legal services and representation to clients in the greater Boston area who cannot afford private legal representation.                                                  

GBLS seeks applicants for a new paralegal advocate position in our Welfare Law Unit (WLU) focused on advocacy for tax and other benefits to meet basic needs.  The WLU carries out this and other advocacy work, including for subsidized child care, through: (1) direct representation of individual clients and their families; (2) systemic administrative advocacy directed at targeted state and federal agencies; (3) class action and other impact lawsuits and; (4) legislative advocacy campaigns to expand, improve, defend, and create income, food, and child care programs.          

Core Responsibilities:

• Handle cases for clients
• Provide high quality representation in all aspects of this work, including:
  • Interviewing and other communications with clients and 3rd parties to obtain initial information
  • Determining the relevant questions and documents needed to assess and handle the case
  • Obtaining additional information and documents from clients, agencies, and other 3rd parties
  • Preparing written communication (email, letters, updates, case lists) for advocacy and other purposes, tailored to the context and the person(s) it to which it is directed
  • Drafting memoranda of fact and law for administrative-level advocacy and appeals
  • Documenting all case work in the client’s case record in GBLS’s case management system
• Outreach to clients and provider and other organizations that serve or involve our clients

• Support the WLU’s systemic advocacy

Qualifications:

• Desire to work with clients with significant barriers to employment and navigating bureaucracies 
• Ability to provide culturally competent and accessible services to diverse clients
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Experience in legal or other advocacy, or demonstrated relevant skills
• Ability to perform careful, detailed work
• Demonstrated capacity to analyze and work with complex materials
• A plus, but not required: fluency in Spanish or another language prevalent among our clients.

GBLS offers a generous benefits package, retirement contribution, and generous paid-time-off. The position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement between GBLS and the Staff Association, which governs salary and benefits.

GBLS values diversity and encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds.