Paralegal Supervisor

National Legal Aid & Defender Association; Detroit (MI); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

SADO in Detroit and Lansing is seeking a Paralegal Supervisor to join the leadership team. This new role aims to build a client-centered public defender office by mentoring paralegals, overseeing onboarding, scheduling, and the efficient distribution of resources and case work.

Under the Deputy Director of the Public Defender Division, the Supervisor will manage paralegal staff, stay active with a small caseload, and collaborate with leaders across units.

Responsibilities

• Supervises and directs the work activities of paralegals in both the Lansing and Detroit offices.
• Provides feedback and review of paralegal performance, including caseload management.
• Ensures compliance with all internal policies and procedures and the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct.
• Working with the Training Director, helps to onboard and train new and veteran paralegals. Focuses on skill and professional development of paralegals.
• Monitors scheduling and ensures proper case coverage during periods of leave.
• Assures proper distribution of resources and case assistance across units.
• Maintains a reduced caseload and provides assistance and back up to teams when needed.
• Develops and updates Internal Operating Procedures under the direction of the Deputy Director of the Public Defender Division.
• Centralizes and updates resources and databases, such as county contacts and local procedures and practices.
• Prepares operational reports and analyses as needed and requested by the Director.
• Works with state and local bar associations, criminal legal system reform organizations, and stakeholders in indigent defense systems and services.
• Thinks creatively about ways to improve how SADO operates and how SADO serves our clients. Working together with the leadership team, helps implement procedures that increase collaboration, team development, and best client-centered practices.
• Working with IT, stays up-to-date with technology, LegalServer, SharePoint, etc., and thinks expansively about how to better use technology office wide.
• Incorporates SADO’s values into its role, responsibilities, and leadership style.

Job description

Position Description

SADO is hiring a Paralegal Supervisor to join the leadership team. This is a new position and requires a legal professional who is adaptable, creative, motivated, and meticulous. The Paralegal Supervisor should look forward to helping us build something new with this position and to advancing SADO as a client-centered public defender office. The Paralegal Supervisor will foster the professional and skill development of our paralegal staff; onboard and train paralegals; schedule coverage; ensure proper distribution of resources and case assistance; supervise the work of all paralegals; provide timely feedback; address personnel issues; assist with budget advocacy; and work with other leaders across units to ensure efficient and excellent representation of clients. The Paralegal Supervisor will maintain their own small caseload of paralegal assignments. Under the supervision of the Deputy Director of the Public Defender Division, the Paralegal Supervisor will work with other members of leadership, including Managing Attorneys and Investigation, Reentry, and Mitigation Supervisors. The Paralegal Supervisor will work in either the Detroit or Lansing office. Regular in-office presence is required for this position in both our Detroit and Lansing offices, though some remote work is permitted.

Job Responsibilities

• Supervises and directs the work activities of paralegals in both the Lansing and Detroit offices.
• Provides feedback and review of paralegal performance, including caseload management.
• Ensures compliance with all internal policies and procedures and the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct.
• Working with the Training Director, helps to onboard and train new and veteran paralegals. Focuses on skill and professional development of paralegals.
• Monitors scheduling and ensures proper case coverage during periods of leave.
• Assures proper distribution of resources and case assistance across units.
• Maintains a reduced caseload and provides assistance and back up to teams when needed.
• Develops and updates Internal Operating Procedures under the direction of the Deputy Director of the Public Defender Division.
• Centralizes and updates resources and databases, such as county contacts and local procedures and practices.
• Prepares operational reports and analyses as needed and requested by the Director.
• Works with state and local bar associations, criminal legal system reform organizations, and stakeholders in indigent defense systems and services.
• Thinks creatively about ways to improve how SADO operates and how SADO serves our clients. Working together with the leadership team, helps implement procedures that increase collaboration, team development, and best client-centered practices.
• Working with IT, stays up-to-date with technology, LegalServer, SharePoint, etc., and thinks expansively about how to better use technology office wide.
• Incorporates SADO’s values into its role, responsibilities, and leadership style.