OLC is a legal services program committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon by providing a full range of the highest quality civil legal services. OLC operates eleven offices around the state. It has a litigation support unit, legislative advocacy unit, and statewide farmworker program.
OLC strives to create a supportive work culture enriched by values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for all staff. Our commitment to advancing DEI work is deeply connected to our ability to achieve client-oriented advocacy and access to justice for our low-income communities. The diversity of our staff is a strength and an asset to our organization that helps reflect and effectively advocate for our low-income client communities of diverse backgrounds.
POSITION: Oregon Law Center (OLC) seeks a full-time Statewide Litigation Paralegal to support high impact litigation to improve the lives of low-income Oregonians. This unique position is based in downtown Portland but will work on important litigation statewide. This is an OLC management position and does not require formal paralegal certification or training.
The State Support Unit (SSU) coordinates statewide advocacy by subject matter specialization. The statewide litigation paralegal will be a member of an eight-person team. The Director of Litigation supervises the team. The other members of the team provide leadership on housing, homeless rights, complex litigation, public benefits, health law, employment law, family law, domestic violence, litigation and technology, immigration-related litigation, ethics, and general litigation support.
RESPONSIBILITIES: This position will have two important and exciting roles. First, the person in this position will provide litigation support – investigative assistance, document management, pleading preparation – on a number of high impact cases from around the state. Second, the person in this position will be responsible for providing training and technical support to non-attorney staff working at legal aid offices throughout Oregon. This position offers an exciting opportunity to add efficiency and capacity to high impact litigation aimed to achieve justice for low-income communities in Oregon.
OLC is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented groups, such as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) individuals, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others. Even if you are unsure whether you meet every qualification described, we welcome your application.
• Experience working in collaboration as a member of a litigation team.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Experience preparing and filing legal pleadings and managing high volume document discovery in both state and
federal court.
• Ability to coach and train non-attorney staff in how to provide litigation support.
• Ability to identify and prioritize workload and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Understanding of the principles of trauma informed care.
• Experience working with underserved populations.
• Proficient use of case management software, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams), Adobe,
Zoom, and cloud-based phone services.
PREFERENCES: Spanish fluency, experience in working with low-income communities.
Review of resumes to begin July 31, 2024. Position open until filled. To apply, submit your resume, cover letter, and list of three references to Ed Johnson, Director of Litigation, [email protected].
As part of your cover letter, please address the following:
OLC is committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon. Our client communities include people of color, farmworkers, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, seniors, people with lived experiences of homelessness, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from other underrepresented groups. It is essential to our work to serve clients that we also work to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.
How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to:
(1) serve our diverse client communities effectively,
(2) work effectively with colleagues from backgrounds different than your own,
(3) acknowledge the systemic barriers that our clients and some colleagues face, and
(4) contribute to our efforts to achieve racial justice?
Feel free to provide examples and apply various aspects of your life and personal experiences, as you respond to this question.