"Save Your Home Philly Hotline" Paralegal at Philadelphia Legal Assistance - Homeownership Team
POSITION: “SAVE YOUR HOME PHILLY” PARALEGAL - HOMEOWNERSHIP TEAM
Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) seeks to immediately hire a full-time paralegal to work with low-income Philadelphia residents in danger of losing their homes.
Background
PLA provides free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals and families in Philadelphia. For Philadelphia residents who are low-income, elderly, or disabled, our legal assistance is often crucial to protecting their homes, their children, their safety, and their livelihood.
PLA operates the “Save Your Home Philly” Hotline, a central point of contact for Philadelphia homeowners at risk of losing their homes. The lawyers and paralegals at PLA work in close collaboration with Community Legal Services, Philadelphia VIP, and a network of housing counselors to assist homeowners in navigating the legal system, understanding and safeguarding their rights, and avoiding homelessness. The Hotline is a critical piece of the network of services available in Philadelphia designed to prevent homelessness, and works to preserve neighborhood and family stability by enabling low-income homeowners to remain in their homes. Hotline paralegals play a direct role in preserving affordable housing costs for low-income homeowners.
Responsibilities
A successful candidate will have a variety of responsibilities as part of a team of attorneys and paralegals, including:
- Interviewing and advising clients faced with mortgage, title and real estate tax problems, both in person and over the phone
- Evaluating a client’s situation and making appropriate referrals
- Advocating for clients with mortgage companies and taxing authorities in writing as well as over the phone
- Researching, understanding and utilizing statutes, regulations and city ordinances
- Coordinating and managing case referrals
- Tracking policy developments and disseminating new information to other paralegals on the team
- Providing litigation support to housing unit attorneys
- Proposing and supporting loan modification agreements
Qualifications
Working with “Save Your Home Philly” is a hands-on, skill-building experience. Previous knowledge of consumer and homeownership legal issues is not a requirement for this position. Qualifications include:
- Strong communication and interviewing skills
- Commitment to improving the well-being of low-income communities
- Compassion, understanding, patience, and a talent for working cooperatively with a broad spectrum of people
- Maturity, self-motivation, and ability to adapt quickly
- Prior work or volunteer experience at a non-profit serving low-income clients is preferred
- Spanish language fluency a plus
Starting Salary and Benefits
Salary is dependent upon experience, starting at $39,000. PLA offers a generous benefit package in addition to salary: health insurance premiums paid in full for employee and family, cash incentives for health insurance opt out, vacation, personal, and sick leave, thirteen (13) paid holidays, 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution based on years of service, life insurance and short and long term disability benefits.
Work Location
PLA’s office is at 718 Arch Street in Philadelphia. Staff may request to work from home up to 3 days per week.
Application Process:
Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) is an equal opportunity employer. PLA values a diverse work environment and strongly encourages women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, people with disabilities, people who have experienced poverty or homelessness, and people who have had prior contact with the juvenile, criminal, or child welfare systems to apply. PLA invites all applicants to include in their cover letter a statement about how your unique background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and legal services practice.