Legal Assistant

Council on American-Islamic Relations - National Headquarters • Pre-Law Gap Year Job ("Growth Year(s)") • Remote (Washington, DC, US) • $25 - $28 / hour • 1d ago

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. CAIR’s vision is to be a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding. CAIR’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

Job Title: Legal Assistant

Department: CAIR Legal Defense Fund

Position: Full-Time

FLSA: Non-Exempt (Hourly)

Reports to: Legal Operations Manager

Business Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time Zone)

Work Model: Remote

Rate of Pay: A candidate in this role will receive a starting hourly rate of $28.84 per hour.

Where we Operate: This position is open to candidates who are legally authorized to work in the United States and currently reside in the following: Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Position Summary:

The Legal Assistant will work under the supervision of the Legal Operations Manager and play a key role in supporting the organization’s legal work.

Essential Functions/Duties

The successful candidate should have prior non-profit experience.
A strong work ethic and deep commitment to civil rights issues are essential.
Job responsibilities include assisting staff attorneys with in-house litigation, civil rights, employment discrimination, law enforcement harassment, school bullying, border delays, and public accommodations.
The ability to multitask and handle overlapping deadlines.

Responsibilities:

The Legal Assistant will be primarily responsible for:
Conducting client intake and keeping detailed and organized case logs.
Legal assistants handle and submit briefs for e-filing with various federal courts.
Providing ongoing administrative support for pending litigation, including document review, hearing and motion preparation, calendaring impending deadlines, and formatting litigation materials for court.
Corresponding with clients and investigating their claims.
Keeping clients appraised of any developments with their cases.
Maintaining accurate and thorough case records
Scheduling appointments
Legal assistants are also tasked with managing the Civil Rights hotline (Receiving and making telephone calls)
Drafting and typing office memos
Obtaining detailed fact summaries of cases, and other administrative duties.
Hosting workshops and attending community outreach events as needed.
Ensuring timely filings.
Managing interns and clerks to provide a dynamic, immersive, and beneficial experience.
Formatting briefs for clean submissions.
Occasionally do legal research for the attorneys and provide substantive feedback.
Communicating with clients with consistency
Legal assistants also mail out documents to clients, courts, and administrative bodies and handle and process incoming mail to the Legal Defense Fund.
Any other duties as assigned.

Skills and education requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree Strong organizational abilities with an eye for detail.
Effective time management to meet important deadlines.
The ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and clients.
Familiarity with local, state, and federal filing rules, elementary legal procedures, and terminology is a plus.
Understanding legal research and writing is a plus.
The ability to communicate in a language other than English is a plus.