Sr. Litigation Paralegal
About the Company
Democracy Forward is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education, and regulatory engagement. Across the country, from local school boards to the halls of Congress, extreme, anti-democratic movements seek to wield political power and roll back our rights. At this critical moment where those who were responsible for January 6th have returned to power, we must use the law to defend our democracy and build for a better future.
The courts are now the frontline in the battleground for democracy, not merely the last resort protectors of it.In towns and cities across America, Democracy Forward provides legal representation and expert counsel to people and communities who make up the very fabric of American democracy—free of charge. We also leverage our collective power and the law to hold anti-democratic actors to account at the national level. Our strategic pillars incorporate immediate defensive needs and a longer-term, proactive view in this fight for our democracy, our present, and our future. We leverage creativity, legal excellence, and our team’s unique mix of expertise and diverse experience in service of an unyielding determination to make our future better than our past.
About the Job
Democracy Forward is seeking Litigation Paralegals to carry out its mission to promote pro-democracy and progressive policies and ideals via litigation and regulatory engagement. The ideal candidates will have experience with one or more of the following:
Responsibilities
Litigation:
Ability to perform legal research, draft correspondence, cite-check, bluebook, and analyze pleadings
Experience with litigation document review databases, case management databases, and e-discovery software
Understands Litigation practice area protocols, an ability to anticipate attorney needs, an ability to exercise independent judgment
Experience overseeing junior-level paralegals
Ability to coordinate and manage case documents, including organization, substantive review for relevance and responsiveness, and identification of privileged and confidential information, as well as preparation of documents for production
Experience with Trial preparation and logistics, including management of scheduling, coordination with court clerks, preparation of witness files, page/line deposition summaries, management of exhibits, and leading with setting up trial space
Prepare pleadings and discovery under lawyer supervision. File and e-file pleadings in federal, state courts and government agencies
General:
Drafts, analyzes, and prepares legal documents for a supervising lawyer or supervising paralegal
Collects, evaluates, and summarizes relevant facts and legal concepts for a supervising lawyer or supervising paralegal
Attends client meetings, coordination meetings, and legal proceedings with a supervising lawyer or supervising paralegal
Provides case management for a legal matter for a supervising lawyer or supervising paralegal
Supervises Legal Assistants and Legal Support Specialists, and Paralegals on assigned tasks
Qualifications
Minimum experience 5 years for the Litigation Paralegal; minimum 10 years experience for Senior Litigation Paralegal
Experience working independently and having primary responsibility for matters
Ability to work collaboratively and respectfully on a team of attorney and staff professionals in a relatively flat hierarchical structure
Ability to handle multiple concurrent assignments and meet deadlines; must be able to work well both independently and in a team environment
Ability to become proficient in new issue areas and contribute to creative, rigorous, analytical approaches to address them
Ability to develop and maintain relationships with clients and partner organizations, including initiating new relationships, developing and managing coalitions
Well-developed collaborative and interpersonal skills including demonstrated self-awareness, commitment to diversity and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds
Commitment to workplace inclusion and ability to contribute affirmatively to a just and equitable workplace culture
