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Community Legal Services, Inc. of Philadelphia (CLS) is a non-profit public interest agency providing free civil legal services to low-income Philadelphia residents. As the largest provider of free civil legal services in the Philadelphia area, CLS is both locally and nationally renowned as a premier legal services provider dedicated to ensuring access to justice for all low-income individuals and communities.

CLS is seeking a full-time paralegal to work as a part of the Homeownership and Consumer Rights Unit (HCRU) to help low-income Philadelphians with tangled title problems. The HCRU represents low-income Philadelphians to save homes and fight predatory consumer scams using a variety of tools, include courtroom advocacy, community organizing and education, and legislative advocacy.

Tangled title problems occur when the homeowner who believes they own their home is not listed on the deed.  This usually happens when a home is inherited from a family member, but the family never formally deals with the estate, and a new deed is never prepared. Tangled titles can also occur in rent-to-own agreements or when there has been deed fraud. Over 10,000 homes in Philadelphia have a tangled title, locking away a collective $1.1 billion in family wealth. These homes are disproportionately located in low-income, Black neighborhoods. By addressing tangled titles, we can help grow intergenerational wealth and close Philadelphia’s racial homeownership gap.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The job duties and responsibilities necessary for this position include:

• Perform initial client interviews to learn more about new clients.

• Meet with clients to help prepare wills, powers of attorneys, and other estate planning documents.

• Help families negotiate emotionally fraught discussions about family homes and assets.

• Assist attorneys in filing petitions with the Register of Wills and Orphans Court to resolve issues with probate.

• Draft, execute, and record deeds to obtain record ownership of clients’ homes.

• Assist with estate administration, including matters concerning inheritance taxes and Medicaid estate recovery claims.

• Work closely with the Tangled Title Fund to obtain outside funding to help families address their title issues.

• Conduct community education sessions to teach homeowners how to deal with tangled titles and the importance of having a will.

• Pursue systemic advocacy, including policy, administrative and legislative advocacy and racial justice initiatives.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Diploma or GED

• Eagerness to work as a team in a fast-paced and high-volume work environment

• Commitment to high quality compassionate representation for clients

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to meet deadlines and perform multiple tasks while maintaining attention to detail

• Computer literacy

• Ability to learn complex material quickly

• Initiative

• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to interact well in a multi-cultural environment. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Fluency in writing and speaking a language other than English, preferably Spanish

• Experience in legislative or administrative advocacy, community education and education, or experience with a social services agency or a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of the poor

• Strong and proven commitment to racial justice work and advocacy

To Apply: CLS will accept applications on a rolling basis until the position has been filled but applicants should apply by Wednesday, November 27, 2024 to receive first round consideration. can submit your application on CLS’s website online at https://clsphila.org/careers/ or submit your application below by clicking "Apply Now".

What to Include in your application: Please include a cover letter, resume, three professional references (past current supervisors preferred) identifying your relationship, and one brief writing sample (10 pages or less).

CLS 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. CLS 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.

Compensation: This is a full-time position covered by the collective bargaining agreement between CLS and the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, AFL-CIO and its affiliate District 1199C. The current minimum starting salary is $45,970 for entry-level applicants, which increases with relevant years of experience and according to the provisions of the current collective bargaining agreement. CLS asks for a minimum two-year commitment from individuals who accept an offer of employment for a paralegal position.

Benefits: CLS offers a very generous and competitive benefits package including 100% employer paid medical (including gender affirming care), life, and short/long-term disability benefits, a 403(b)-retirement plan with employer contribution, and a generous leave package, including 13 paid holidays and five personal holidays each year.

Community Legal Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. CLS, Inc. does not discriminate in the selection of employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, genetics, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status.  In addition to federal law requirements, CLS complies with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.  This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. 

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