Paralegal

The Florida Justice Institute, Inc. (FJI), a nonprofit public interest legal organization, seeks a full-time paralegal to assist with developing and pursuing civil rights cases to further FJI’s impact litigation efforts. The paralegal will work and strategize with our team of experienced civil rights lawyers and paralegals in FJI’s practice areas, including:

• Representing incarcerated people and their families in cases challenging conditions of confinement to improve prison and jail conditions. These cases may involve claims addressing solitary confinement, medical and mental health care, disability access, abuse, and violence, First Amendment issues (such as free speech, censorship, and religious freedom), the imposition of fines and fees, wrongful death and serious injury claims, and others.
• Litigation to stop the criminalization of poverty in cases that often involve representing homeless individuals challenging ordinances prohibiting panhandling and other life-sustaining conduct, with an aim toward facilitating reform of policies toward homelessness.
• Other civil rights litigation in areas affecting criminal justice policy or participation in democratic processes.

The ideal candidate will be located in, or willing to relocate to, the Miami area to be able to work in FJI’s Miami office, with flexible remote teleworking options.

Responsibilities

• Assist attorneys with all phases of civil rights litigation, primarily in federal court. This will entail, at a minimum, assisting with the preparation, filing, and serving of legal documents (such as motions, responses, memos, discovery requests and responses); organizing pleadings and other documents; managing and organizing discovery documents for large cases; coordinating and setting depositions; drafting correspondence; maintaining and monitoring a litigation calendar with deadlines; and assisting with trials.
• Conduct factual investigation by corresponding with incarcerated clients and witnesses through in-person and phone interviews, and by letter.
• Manage and coordinate correspondence from a large volume of potential clients and witnesses, most of whom are incarcerated.
• Assist with the drafting of public records requests and manage responses to those requests.
• Review and respond to requests for assistance.
• Prepare travel documents for attorneys and other staff.
• Some travel around Florida, including visiting clients and witnesses in prisons and jails, will be required.
• Advocacy efforts related to criminal justice reform, possibly involving legislative advocacy.
• Any other duties as assigned by the paralegal’s supervisor.

Qualifications

• A minimum of one year of experience as a litigation paralegal, or similar experience, is required.
• Must have a demonstrated commitment to social justice, including a commitment to representing incarcerated persons and other poor and disenfranchised individuals, and an interest in the preservation and advancement of civil liberties and civil rights.
• Experience with community advocacy and outreach efforts a plus.
• Should understand and value racial equity as an organizational operating principle and be committed to continued learning on issues related to race, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Must possess excellent organizational and communications skills, and a desire to work in a cooperative, collegial environment.
• Must be self-motivated and capable of complex analytical work.