Case Handling Paralegal

Legal Aid of Western Missouri; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 51,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Plans with PPO or HSA options

Dental Plan

Vision Plan

Life Insurance

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Legal Aid of Western Missouri seeks a full-time case handling paralegal in the Kansas City office to support Social Security and education matters in administrative proceedings.

Responsibilities include conducting in-depth client intake, representing clients at hearings, and assisting attorneys with research and document preparation while maintaining organized case files. The role requires a paralegal credential and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Paralegal studies degree, associate degree, or certificate program.
• Knowledge of legal terminology and research techniques.
• Familiarity with state and federal laws and regulations.
• Strong interpersonal skills for clients with disabilities.

Responsibilities

• Conduct intake interviews and gather facts for case evaluation.
• Represent clients at administrative hearings.
• Assist attorneys with research and document preparation.
• Maintain organized client files per records protocols.

Skills

Paralegal knowledge

Interpersonal skills

Interviewing

Legal research

Education

Paralegal studies degree/certificate

Job description

Description

Legal Aid of Western Missouri seeks a full-time case handling paralegal in the Kansas City office. This position will assist our team in representing clients with Social Security and education matters in administrative law proceedings.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth interviews with eligible applicants about their legal problems, completing full intake to gather the facts, documents, and details needed to evaluate the case.
• Represent clients at administrative hearings.
• Assist attorneys with research and preparation of legal documents.
• Advocate on behalf of clients with third parties in a professional manner.
• Prepare letters and correspondence to clients and third parties, ensuring appropriate form, style, punctuation, spelling, and grammar.
• Attend scheduled outreach events.
• Maintain and organize client files and case-related documents in accordance with Legal Aid's records management protocols.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, associate's degree, or certificate program in paralegal studies
• Knowledge of legal terminology, principles, and practices and legal research techniques
• Some familiarity with state and federal laws and regulations
• Strong interpersonal skills to work with clients who have mental health and physical limitations and disabilities

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Social Security benefits and procedures
• Experience in a legal, nonprofit, or social services setting
• Familiarity with administrative law proceedings
• Bilingual or multilingual skills, particularly Spanish

Location

This role is an in-person position based in Legal Aid's Central office. Maintaining a regular in-office presence is a requirement for this role. Legal Aid offers flexible work arrangements to support employees in maintaining schedules that enable them to perform at their best.

Compensation And Benefits

The salary for this position starts at $56,650 on Legal Aid's formal salary scale. Placement above the starting point is based on years of relevant experience and internal equity. Employees who demonstrate fluency in a second language are eligible for an annual salary supplement of $3,600.

Legal Aid Offers a Comprehensive Benefits Package Including

• Medical Plans with PPO or HSA options
• Dental Plan
• Vision Plan
• Life Insurance
• Short-Term Disability
• Long-Term Disability
• Accident Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts for medical or dependent care
• Health Savings Accounts
• Paid CLE and Bar Dues
• Paid Time Off: Vacation, Sick, Personal and Holidays
• Qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
• Travel and parking reimbursement
• 401k and up to 3.5% employer match

LAWMO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Those applicants requiring accommodation to the interview/application process should contact the Human Resources Department at [e-mail].