At Our Children’s Trust, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Our Children’s Trust believes that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

Our Mission:

Our Children’s Trust is a non-profit public interest law firm that provides strategic, campaign-based legal services to youth from diverse backgrounds to secure their legal rights to a safe climate. We work to protect the Earth’s climate system for present and future generations by representing young people in global legal efforts to secure their binding and enforceable legal rights to a healthy atmosphere and stable climate, based on the best available science. We support our youth clients and amplify their voices before the third branch of government in a highly strategic legal campaign that includes targeted media, education, and public engagement work to support the youths’ legal actions. Our legal work – guided by constitutional, public trust, human rights laws, and the laws of nature – aims to ensure systemic and science-based climate recovery planning and remedies at federal, state, and global levels. We seek legally-binding, countrywide and/or statewide science-based Climate Recovery Plans that will return atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to levels below 350 ppm by the year 2100.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Managing Attorney/General Counsel, the Paralegal will assist OCT attorneys by providing clerical and research support services including document preparation and review; research and fact-checking; trial preparation; and plaintiff support. This position will also provide scheduling and meeting support for OCT’s legal team.

Location:

This position is based in Eugene, Oregon or remote for the right candidate.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support multiple lawyers and cases with litigation and non-litigation tasks
• For assigned jurisdictions, organize case files and document databases in both paper and electronic formats
• For assigned jurisdictions, track all case and docket requirements, and deadlines
• Gather, review, analyze and summarize documents, orally or in writing, for litigation and case development purposes
• Perform legal research, including cite checks and shepardizing, on Westlaw and with traditional research tools
• Prepare discovery, pleadings, caselaw and document binders to prepare attorneys for meetings, hearings, and trial
• Format and create tables for legal briefs and other court filings
• Prepare, edit, and file pleadings and other documents electronically through court filing systems
• Ensure arrangements for depositions, court reporters and service agents and ordering of transcripts of every court proceeding in a timely manner
  

Additional Responsibilities

• Assist with client management to ensure professional monitoring, collection, documentation, tracking and management of client circumstances and related evidence, and to apprise clients of status in cases, in coordination with counsel of record
• Arrange case-related travel and logistics for plaintiffs and provide plaintiff support for travel needs including expense and reimbursement requests
• Report client needs to counsel of record
• Coordinate with Alliance and Outreach Manager on new client outreach
• Conduct annual outreach and calculation of pro bono support to OCT
• Prepare agendas for, and record minutes of, legal meetings and keep task lists updated as requested by Senior Paralegal and/or Managing Attorney.
• Support the legal team with excellent knowledge of all facets of Microsoft 365, including SharePoint, and Google Documents/Sheets, and other case management software
• Support other projects, such as PowerPoint presentations, as needed
• Be familiar with the rules of practice for every court in which we work

Minimum Qualifications:

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they have every one of the qualifications as described in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and our hiring processes are centered on assessing candidates based on diverse lived experiences. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our qualifications described. If you are unsure of whether you meet the qualifications of this position, or how this would be determined, contact us to discuss your application.

• Exceptional proficiency with Westlaw, Google Drive, Microsoft 365, docket management, timekeeping, client management and document management software
• Exceptional writing, organizational, and communication skills
• Experience with state and federal court rules and electronic filing
• Experience working in a fast-paced trial and appellate advocacy practice
• Exceptional proficiency with the Blue Book for cite checking purposes
• Highly dependable and available and able to respond quickly to litigation needs, including short deadlines and in high pressure situations
• Demonstrated commitment to legal excellence

Preferred Qualifications:

• A Paralegal degree, three+ years of experience as a litigation/trial Paralegal or legal assistant, or equivalent experience

• Experience in the fields of constitutional, human rights, environmental, or civil rights litigation
• Experience in client management and an interest in working with youth and families
• Understanding of legislative processes

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong communication skills ensuring information is effectively exchanged with others
• Ability to identify and solve problems with sound judgment and effective solutions
• Respectful, approachable and team oriented, building strong working relationships and contributing to a positive work environment
• Takes personal responsibility for job performance; receptive to feedback, willing to learn, and embraces continuous improvement
• Displays emotional resilience and the ability to withstand pressure on an ongoing basis

Salary and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $56,725 - $72,614 and is commensurate with experience. This position is a non-exempt position eligible for paid overtime. Benefits include 100% employer paid medical and dental for employee, long and short-term disability, life insurance, SIMPLE IRA plan, generous vacation, sick and holiday leave including restorative leave after 6 years. This position is part of the OCTWA Bargaining Unit.

Working Conditions/Work Schedule:

Work is primarily performed in a standard office setting. Work is primarily performed Monday through Friday during regular business hours; however, evening and weekend hours may be necessary dependent upon case activity, deadlines, and workload.

Physical Working Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to the extent possible and appropriate in the event of ADA qualifying disability.