Long-Term Disability Paralegal

Bartolic Law; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance (

Discretionary profit-sharing

Generous PTO and holidays

Pet friendly office

Job summary

Bartolic Law in Chicago, IL seeks an organized Long-Term Disability Paralegal to support ERISA claims and administrative appeals. You will anchor client communications and coordinate evidence collection under attorney supervision.

The role emphasizes legal drafting, case management, and strategic collaboration, with a hybrid work model and comprehensive benefits for a boutique ERISA practice.

Qualifications

• Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in a related field; Paralegal Certificate preferred.
• Experience: 2+ years of paralegal/legal assistant work in a relevant practice area.
• Medical Literacy: Ability to read, summarize, and convey medical documentation.
• Technical Proficiency: Experience with legal case management software and word processing.
• Soft Skills: Excellent written/verbal communication, organization, and client-service mindset.

Responsibilities

• Case Management: manage long-term disability appeals from intake through administrative appeal and status.
• Collaborate with attorney on core case issues and strategy to overturn denials.
• Summarize medical chronologies and evidence to support case strategy.
• Gather clinical, forensic, and expert evidence from trusted vendors.
• Draft administrative appeal letters, correspondence to insurance carriers, and client updates.
• Serve as primary point of contact for clients and carriers, updating on claims.
• Track deadlines and ensure timely electronic submissions of materials.
• Evaluate AI tools for organizing case information without replacing critical analysis.

Skills

Medical literacy

Technical proficiency

Soft skills

Education

Associate or Bachelor’s degree in related field

Paralegal Certificate preferred

Tools

Legal case management software

Job description

Job Title: Long-Term Disability and ERISA Paralegal

Position: Full-Time

Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid)

Job Summary

We are a boutique, top-tier ERISA long-term disability firm seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented Long Term Disability Paralegal to joint our tight-knit legal team. In this role, you will be the primary anchor for clients navigating the complex private long-term disability claim and administrative appeal process and ERISA litigation.You will work under the supervision of the responsible attorney to analyze and synthesize existing case facts, strategically gather additional evidence, draft comprehensive administrative appeal letters/briefs, and ensure our clients’ rights are protected from major insurance carriers.

Core Responsibilities (> 90% of Role)

• Case Management: Execute the workflow of long-term disability appeals after initial intake through administrative appeal and resulting claim management after case returns to in pay status.
• Collaboration on Strategizing: Exercise initiative to consult with the responsible attorney on the core case issues and our approach to overturn claim denials.
• Record Summarization: Strategically review, analyze and detail complex medical chronologies and forensic and/or expert evidence with the case strategy in mind, identifying and extracting key evidence, bad facts, areas that need further development, and evidence we are missing.
• Building the Case: Gather critical medical, forensic testing, and expert opinion evidence through trusted vendors.
• Drafting & Legal Writing: Draft comprehensive administrative appeal letters, formal correspondence to insurance carriers, and regular client update or requests for information.
• Client and Insurance Carrier Liaison: Act as the primary, empathetic point of contact for clients, keeping them regularly updated on their claim or appeal.
• Deadline Management: Track and manage strict administrative appeal deadlines and handle timely electronic evidence submissions.
• Integration of AI to Case Preparation: Exercise sound judgment regarding how to use AI as a tool for organizing and accessing case information, but not using it as a replacement for your review, analysis, or critical, strategic thinking.

Non-Core Responsibilities (10% or Less of Role)

• Financial Management of Clients’ Claims
• Monitor and Save Incoming Case Correspondence
• Monitor and Track Litigation Deadlines (Risk Management Redundancy)
• Managing Limited Preparation and Delivery of Court Courtesy Copies of Filings

  Qualifications & Skills

  Education:Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in a related field; Paralegal Certificate preferred.

  Experience:2+ years of experience as a paralegal, or legal assistant with prior case related responsibilities, in a relevant practice area with transferable skills.

  Medical Literacy: Ability to read, comprehend, summarize, and convey technical medical documentation and vocational assessments.

  Technical Proficiency: Experience utilizing legal case management software and word processing.

  Soft Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication, structural organization, and empathetic, client service driven mindset.

  Benefits & Compensation

  • Salary:Commensurate with experience and qualifications
  • Bonus Eligibility:generous bonuses paid for meeting individual performance targets
  • 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees
  • Discretionary profit-sharing contributions when firm meets performance targets
  • Generous paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays
  • Pet friendly office (for well-behaved, potty-trained furry friends)