West 4th Strategy

Paralegal II

Buffalo, NY
Full Time
Mid Level
Paralegal II
ROLE
We need an experienced Paralegal II at the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Law and Policy (LP). LP provides legal services to all SSA components and defends the agency’s interests in litigation, particularly through its Program Litigation Divisions (PLD), which manage over 15,000 federal cases annually in collaboration with the Department of Justice. In this role, you will provide paralegal support services to PLD attorneys, including reviewing and routing legal documents, responding to inquiries, organizing and preparing case materials, and maintaining case management systems. You will also support litigation tasks by analyzing case-related information, drafting responses, and coordinating with federal courts, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and other agencies. This is a full-time opportunity. We can offer a competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package.
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RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Review incoming mail and electronic information from litigants, representatives, attorneys, courts, and other government filing systems, including complaints, briefs, court orders, and transcripts
  • Route items for filing or necessary action and track case-related information in litigation docketing systems to ensure timely completion of actions
  • Respond to inquiries of a routine nature from outside entities, including U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, DOJ entities, other Federal agencies, or SSA components
  • Assist in the review, organization, and preparation of legal documents such as Answers, Motions for Extensions, and other pleadings, including reviewing and correcting deficiencies in case files
  • File legal documents in court and ensure compliance with court filing systems such as PACER
  • Identify factual and legal allegations in federal complaints, determine appropriate responses, and draft affirmative defenses or answers
  • Analyze, evaluate, and present case-related information orally and in writing, using appropriate legal reasoning and organization
  • Communicate effectively with attorneys, court staff, Federal agencies, SSA components, plaintiffs’ attorneys, and litigants
  • Coordinate and attend in-person or virtual meetings with assigned PLD staff
  • Log time and case activity in SSA’s Matter Management System (OMMS)

REQUIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE
  • Comprehensive knowledge of legal support and research principles, sources, and procedures, as well as electronic case management and other systems
  • Demonstrate the ability to analyze, evaluate, interpret, explain, and present, orally and in writing, relevant procedures, findings, and conclusions using appropriate language, legal reasoning, and organization of facts, rule, law, and ideas
  • Knowledge of docketing/case management principles, including electronic management systems
  • Knowledge of the basic legal principles, statutes, regulations, and federal rules that apply to litigation at the federal district court and circuit court levels, and to administrative bodies, as well as knowledge of federal jurisdictional requirements
  • Knowledge of the application of statutes, regulations, policy, and rules pertaining to Program Litigation practice area to provide attorney support
  • Knowledge of terminology and the ability to correctly identify the nature and purpose of documents
  • Ability to identify the factual and legal allegations in federal court complaints, determine the appropriate response for each allegation, and draft affirmative defenses or answers to be filed with the federal district court
  • Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, to elicit case-related information from, and convey case-related information to, attorneys or other offices and components, including U.S. Attorneys Offices, other Federal agencies, SSA components, plaintiff's attorneys, plaintiffs, or litigants.
  • Knowledge for court filing systems (e.g., PACER)

REQUIRED EDUCATION / CERTIFICATIONS
  • Associate’s degree in paralegal or legal studies OR equivalent

LOCATION
  • Remote

CLEARANCE
  • US Citizenship

CLIENT
  • Social Security Administration (SSA), Program Litigation Division (PLD)

TRAVEL
  • No travel required.

WORK HOURS
  • Full time = 40 hours a week, 8 hours a day

EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFICATION
  • W2 Classification

RELOCATION
  • Not eligible for relocation benefits.

West 4th Strategy is an Equal Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, age, marital status, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, pregnancy, political affiliation, military or veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by federal or state law.

Other Considerations: applicants will be subject to a background investigation. Individual’s primary workstation is in an office area. The noise level in this environment is low to moderate. Regularly required to sit for extended periods up to 80% of the time; frequently required to move about to access file cabinets and use office equipment such as PC, copier, fax, telephone, cell phone, etc. Occasionally required to reach overhead, bend, and lift objects of up to 10 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the use of computer monitor screens up to 80% of the time.
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