Government Watchdog (American Oversight) Hiring Paralegal

[jo...@americanoversight.org]

American Oversight is a nonprofit dedicated to holding the executive branch accountable to the people. Through open records requests and the power of the courts, we work every day to promote accountability, to uncover corruption, malfeasance, or other misconduct, and to subject the administration to public scrutiny. American Oversight’s investigations helped uncover Ivanka Trump’s personal email usage, former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s heavy focus on industry groups, the lax work schedules kept by HUD Secretary Ben Carson and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, and have led to dozens of other significant stories.

 

Litigation and legal work are central to our efforts, and we are looking for a paralegal to join our rapidly growing team.

 

The ideal candidate will have at least one year of work experience, be comfortable managing complex organizational systems, and have an interest in American Oversight’s mission of promoting government transparency and accountability. Some familiarity with the operations of the federal government would also be helpful, but is not required.

 

We are a small team in a fast-paced environment. Collegiality and the ability to work effectively on multiple projects, balance priorities, and excel in a team-based environment are essential. The Paralegal reports to the Chief Counsel.

 

This position is based in downtown Washington, DC, and is easily accessible by multiple metro and bus lines.

 

Core Responsibilities

•  Assist lawyers with all phases of litigation case support, including conducting legal research and editing and cite checking legal briefs.
• Coordinate service of process and/or case filings.
• Organize and maintain case files.
• Review and research current events to spot potential issues for investigation.
• Assist both legal and investigations team with document review and factual research.
• Assist both legal and investigations teams with drafting and filing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and state open records act requests.
• Organize and maintain files and information systems tracking the filing of record requests and government responses.

 

Qualifications

• At least one year of work experience.
• Detail-oriented.
• Strong organizational abilities.
• An interest in American Oversight’s mission of government transparency and accountability.
• Ability to work proactively to solve problems.
• Ability to work collaboratively and in coordination with multiple teams.
• Ability to work with little supervision.
• High degree of professional ethics and integrity.
• Outstanding communications skills.
• Familiarity with a variety of computer systems, including word processors and spreadsheets.

 

Additional Information

 

American Oversight is proudly an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity.  People of color, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and/or veterans are encouraged to apply.

 

The salary range for this position is $45,000 to $60,000, commensurate with experience.  Generous and comprehensive benefits package.

 

How to Apply

 

Please send a 1-page cover letter describing your relevant experience and interest along with your resume to jo...@americanoversight.org.

 

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and will complete our first round of review by May 10, 2019.