Litigation Paralegal - National Parole Transformation Project

Summary:

The Paralegal in this role will work to support the National Parole Transformation Project (NPTP), a grant-funded project that builds upon MJC’s past parole-related work to create lasting social and legal change in post-conviction supervision. The Paralegal will assist the Senior Counsel and Attorney to challenge parole systems feeding mass incarceration, working with MJC’s in-house parole experts, local counsel, and coalitions to launch and litigate class action litigation in several different jurisdictions across the country.

The Litigation Paralegal must be passionate about transformational justice and criminal legal system reform, de-incarceration, and trial work. The Litigation Paralegal will perform a range of administrative and litigation support duties to support the MacArthur Justice Center’s legal work.

This is a two-year grant-funded position expected to conclude on or around January 1, 2027.

Who We Are:

MJC is a national nonprofit civil rights law firm. We represent people who have been harmed by America’s criminal legal system, seeking to vindicate their rights, elevate their story, and hold people with power accountable. We do this primarily through cutting-edge litigation and advocacy across the country, on end-to-end issues in the criminal legal system, from policing, to prosecutorial discretion, to rights of indigent defendants, to mass incarceration, to prison conditions, to wrongful convictions and the death penalty. For more information on our work, visit www.macarthurjustice.org.

The criminal legal system disproportionately harms people of color, people from low-income communities, people who were formerly incarcerated, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals. We strongly encourage people who identify within these and other communities underrepresented in the legal profession to apply. All applicants must have and be committed to the cultural competence required to work with clients, co-workers, and community partners who come from different backgrounds and experiences.

Essential Job Duties

Case Management and Litigation Support:

• • Support the drafting of legal documents and templates.
  • Screen, investigate and respond to legal intake and requests for assistance, over the phone, by email or regular mail. Maintain intake records and database.
  • Handle department administrative tasks such as maintaining accurate records of cases and cooperating attorneys, processing invoices and reimbursements, scanning, copying, calendaring, sending and receiving mailings. Maintain case calendars.
  • Managing service of process for new cases.
  • Support document productions and discovery in electronic format, using document management software.
  • Provide litigation support including filing and serving legal documents, such as motions, briefs, discovery, and exhibits; calendaring deadlines; cite checking and proof-reading pleadings and other correspondence; formatting legal documents; and assisting in reviewing large quantities of legal documents for relevance and use in active litigation.
  • Maintain legal department subscriptions.
  • Maintain communication with clients, attorneys, opposing counsel and court staff.
  • Researching rules of procedure for court venues and ensuring adherence.
  • Preparing for and supporting lawyers in the presentation of evidence in jury and bench trials and other hearings.

Administrative Duties:

• In accordance with office needs, administrative responsibilities associated with office management such as mail, phone coverage, supplies, office receivables & payables, supplies, equipment, vendor and facility liaison.
• In accordance with office needs, administrative responsibilities in support of other office staff, such as preparing, submitting, and tracking expense reports, preparing timesheets, and helping to coordinate and welcome visitors.
• In accordance with office needs, includes administrative tasks related to general office and staff support.

Other Duties:

• Participating in office planning meetings and training related to office-wide practices and technology, and professional best practices.
• Attend MJC organization-wide
• meetings and training.

Qualifications

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Paralegal certificate or Bachelor’s/Associate’s degree in relevant field (criminal justice, law, psychology, sociology, etc.) preferred.

Skills and Experience:

• • At least 2 years of experience working as a trial-level paralegal required, including experience filing pleadings in federal and state court, maintaining a litigation docket, managing and organizing large volumes of discovery, supporting clients, conducting trial preparation and supporting lawyers in jury and bench trials and hearings.
  • Comfortable working in detention centers and with people caught up in the criminal legal system.
  • Energetic self-starter with a desire to make change in the criminal legal system.
  • Ability to collaborate and to foster a team environment, a commitment to creating a working environment that is inclusive, equitable and welcoming, and a willingness to honor the diverse experiences and perspectives of MJC staff and clients.
  • Attention to detail and strong organizational skills, including the ability to follow through on assignments independently, to manage multiple projects at once, to work well under pressure, and to be flexible in the event of changing priorities and deadlines.
  • Excellent writing and editing skills.

Technology:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Products, including SharePoint, OneDrive, Word, Excel, and Outlook required.
• Proficiency with Adobe Pro and case management and trial presentation software, such as Relativity, CaseMap, and Clio preferred.

Travel:

• Limited domestic travel may be required depending on case assignments and demands.
• Occasional travel for organization-wide gatherings (e.g., All Staff Retreat).

Location:

MJC operates on a hybrid schedule and currently requires two days in the office each week. The Attorney must reside within commuting distance to MJC’s Chicago, Illinois office.