Paralegal - Disability Rights 's Law Center

Uptown People's Law Center

4750 N Sheridan Suite 500

Chicago , IL 60640

United States

Flex time and limited remote work options are available, but this position often requires in person attendance due to the nature of the work.

Uptown People’s Law Center (UPLC) is hiring a disability rights paralegal to work primarily in the Social Security disability rights program. UPLC has a long history of assisting individuals who were wrongfully denied Social Security disability benefits. Recently, UPLC has implemented a new program - InReach- which focuses on assisting individuals incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections obtain disability benefits prior to their release from prison.

As outlined below, the majority of the paralegal’s time will be spent supporting the Social Security program, but they may assist as needed with administrative-like tasks.

Responsibilities:

Social Security Disability:

The paralegal is responsible for the management of all medical record requests for every Social Security case. This includes carefully documenting record requests, following up with treatment facilities, keeping track of payment details, and submitting records to Social Security.

Once medical records are retrieved, the paralegal and the attorney managing the case share the responsibility of summarizing the records. Additionally, the paralegal may assist in preparing briefs based on summarized records. The paralegal may be asked to perform medical and/or legal research to support the arguments made in a brief.

The paralegal is the primary contact person for many of UPLC’s Social Security clients. The paralegal will independently conduct intakes, assist with signing up new clients, and will assist the attorneys in maintaining regular contact with UPLC’s Social Security clients. This includes regular telephone contact with clients and periodically meeting with them in person to follow up on paperwork, update their records regarding medical treatment, etc.

The paralegal is also responsible for maintaining contact with the Social Security Administration regarding the status of our clients’ claims. This requires frequent contact with adjudicators and field office representatives via phone, and careful note-taking about client contact.

Office Administration:

The paralegal is responsible for assisting the office coordinator with walk-ins and phone calls. This includes screening prospective clients for eligibility, scheduling eligible prospectiv es for intakes and making referrals. The paralegal will be tasked with assisting the attorneys in tracking case expenses, and other miscellaneous duties as needed. The paralegal may also be recruited to assist with the training of legal interns.

When the office coordinator is not in the office due to vacation or illness, the paralegal fills in as the primary contact for phone calls and walk-in inquiries.

Organization Background

Uptown People’s Law Center (UPLC) is a Chicago-based legal nonprofit that works with communities impacted by the systemic oppression of the criminal legal system to restore human and civil rights to people in prison, and advance housing, disability, and economic justice that supports family stability and community reunification. UPLC is committed to systems change advocacy through high impact litigation, legal support, policy reform, education and outreach, administrative advocacy, and strategic partnerships.

UPLC offers a collaborative and supportive work environment with a small staff of dedicated people who are passionate about their work. Staff are given meaningful responsibility alongside consistent guidance and opportunities to grow and contribute new ideas. The dress code is casual (except for court appearances and…