Health and Independence Unit Paralegal - HR 1 Project

CLS is seeking a paralegal to focus primarily on project coordination while maintaining some case handling duties.  This position will focus on work supporting implementation of the federal budget reconciliation law--known as H.R. 1 --which made significant changes to Pennsylvania’s core safety net programs, Medicaid and SNAP.  The paralegal will work with the Health & Independence Unit at the North Philadelphia office location.

This paralegal role is unique in that it will address implementation of a new federal law. The full range of job duties will evolve based on the project work and the needs of the unit.  Accordingly, the ideal candidate will enjoy thinking creatively about how to build new systems that support the work.

Responsibilities include:

Coordinating H.R. 1 response work
- Scheduling and facilitating team meetings. Creating agendas, taking notes, and identifying next steps from team meetings.
- Work with H&I attorneys and paralegals to identify project goals.
- Tracking project progress by organizing and tracking information across multiple spreadsheets and working closely with team members to ensure the team is on track to meet project goals.
- Coordinate creation of CLS H.R. 1 materials and work with Communications team to ensure materials are formatted and shared.
- Compile and organize notes from meetings with DHS and DHS-created H.R. 1 materials.
Community/client outreach
- Help coordinate H.R. 1 related trainings and presentations with community-based organizations, health care and social service providers, elected offices, client groups, and others.
- Maintain updated bank of H.R. 1 resources in hard copy and online, and ensure the CLS website has updated materials.
- Act as main point of contact for training requests and work with H&I team members to identify staff to present at trainings.
- Maintain a spreadsheet to track training requests and outreach.
- Attend various tabling and training events and speak on behalf of CLS.

Benefits Access Coalition (BAC) support
- Attend regular coalition meetings, take notes, and distribute to the group with clear next steps
- Coordinate CLS webinar scheduling and emails, working with the H&I Administrative Coordinator and the Communications team to ensure webinars are scheduled and advertised appropriately.
- Work with the Communications team to ensure other Coalition work product is advertised across platforms.
- Support the creation of a mechanism to answer questions from coalition members between webinars by working with partners to set up a new tool, and provide support to the ongoing use of the tool.
Tracking data and client stories
- Develop story bank of client and other stories that can be shared in advocacy and communications work.
- Run data reports and work with H&I staff to identify stories and track them.
- Work with the Communications team to identify good stories for media requests and other uses and send out media release form to clients.
- Maintain reports and analyze changes in H&I’s HR1-related case numbers, types and problems reported.
- Work with H&I staff and BAC partners to identify case trends and strategize around data collection to track new issues as they arise.
- Support the legal team in identifying plaintiffs for possible litigation.
Direct Client Representation
- The paralegal will maintain a small caseload of clients who are having benefits problems as a result of H.R. 1. based on capacity and availability.

Required Skills and Abilities:
- Excellent organizational skills
- Experience with direct client services work and maintaining a client case load
- Experience working with diverse client communities
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to manage multiple tasks, deadlines and priorities
- Fast learner and someone who can adapt to and excel in a fast changing environment
- Strong background in planning and/or coordinating trainings, outreach, or other community focused engagements
- Experience working with coalitions, or with relationship building and relationship management
- Experience with public speaking
 
To apply: CLS will accept applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. However, candidates are highly encouraged to submit their applications by November 30, 2026, for first-round consideration.  If the job posting remains active on CLS’s website, the position is still open, and applications will continue to be accepted.

You can submit your application online through CLS’s website at https://clsphila.org/careers/ or by clicking "Apply Now." You can also contact Crystal Stackhouse (Hiring Coordinator) at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.
What to include in your application: Please include a cover letter, resume, and three professional references (past or current supervisors preferred) identifying your relationship.

CLS Policy on the Use of AI in job applications:
Strong writing skills are a required skill for this position. CLS requires all application materials to be the applicant’s own, and prohibits the use of AI in application materials, including the cover letter, writing sample, and position-specific writing assessment if requested.  CLS reserves the right to decline to interview a candidate or rescind a job offer if an applicant misrepresents the originality of their application materials.

Community Legal Services, Inc. welcomes applicants of all backgrounds to apply, including people who have experienced poverty or housing instability, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, people with disabilities, 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 would motivate you to work toward CLS’s mission and would contribute to the vitality and perspective of our organization.

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 $50,850, 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 receptionist 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 7 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.