Paralegal / Research Assistant job at Greenwatch

Position Overview

Greenwatch seeks a motivated, meticulous, and mission-driven Paralegal/research assistant to provide essential legal and administrative support to our growing Environmental Law Clinic. In this role, you will play an important role in our casework, ensuring our advocates have the organized research, precise documentation, and procedural support needed to advance complex environmental litigation and advocacy. This is a hands-on position ideal for a skilled paralegal who wants to apply their expertise to meaningful, high-impact environmental and justice work.

Key Responsibilities

a) Legal Case Support & Litigation Management:

• Provide comprehensive paralegal/reasearch support for active litigation, administrative proceedings, and public interest lawsuits.
• Draft, format, proofread, and file legal documents, including pleadings, motions, discovery requests/responses, affidavits, and correspondence with courts, tribunals, and agencies.
• Conduct thorough fact-finding and manage document-intensive processes, including organizing, indexing, and summarizing case-related materials, scientific studies, and evidence.
• Manage case calendars meticulously, track all critical deadlines (statutes of limitation, filing dates, hearing schedules), and ensure timely compliance.
• Coordinate logistics for hearings, depositions, client/witness interviews, and expert consultations.

b) Legal Research & Analysis:

• Conduct detailed legal and factual research using platforms like ULII, Westlaw, LexisNexis etc, and government databases.
• Analyze statutes, regulations, case law, and policy documents related to environmental protection, administrative law, and constitutional issues.
• Prepare clear and concise research memoranda, case summaries, and background reports for attorney review.
• Monitor regulatory dockets and track new environmental legislation and rulemaking.

c) Client & Case Administration:

• Assist with client intake, conflict checks, and maintaining organized, confidential client and case files (both digital and physical).
• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, co-counsel, and external partners, maintaining professional and compassionate communication.
• Help prepare clients and community witnesses for legal proceedings.
• Maintain the clinic’s case management system (e.g. case management system), ensuring all data is accurate and up-to-date.

d) Operational & Compliance Support:

• Ensure strict adherence to court rules, filing procedures, and ethical guidelines.
• Support grant reporting by tracking case outcomes, billable/non-billable hours (for reporting purposes), and compiling required activity data.
• Assist with the supervision and training of legal interns and volunteers.
• Manage relationships with external vendors, such as court reporters, process servers, and translation services.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential:

• Diploma in Law from Law Development Center.
• Minimum of 3 years of paralegal experience, preferably in litigation, environmental law, administrative law, or at a public interest law firm/NGO.
• Mastery of legal research platforms and proficiency in all aspects of the litigation lifecycle.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with an unwavering attention to detail.
• Advanced skills in MS Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, and case management software.
• Superior organizational and time-management skills, with a proven ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Discretion and a strong commitment to maintaining client confidentiality and professional ethics.
• A genuine passion for environmental conservation, protection and social justice.

Desirable:

• Certificate as a court process server
• Direct experience in environmental, energy, or natural resources law.
• Experience with e-filing systems in Uganda judicial system.
• Familiarity with environmental statutes (and regulatory agencies.
• Basic understanding of scientific or technical concepts related to environmental issues.

What We Offer

• A competitive non-profit salary and comprehensive benefits (health, dental, vision, retirement plan).
• Generous paid time off and flexible hybrid work policy.
• The opportunity to work on landmark environmental cases with tangible impacts.
• A collaborative, supportive, and passionate team environment.
• Significant professional development and mentorship opportunities.

About Us (Greenwatch)

Greenwatch is more than an organization—we are a movement of legal advocates, community partners, and environmental defenders committed to securing Uganda’s right to a clean and healthy environment.

Founded on the conviction that a thriving planet is both a constitutional promise and a collective responsibility, we harness the power of the law to turn justice into action.

Through informed advocacy, meaningful community empowerment and strategic litigation, we confront environmental injustice at its roots—challenging deforestation, pollution, climate negligence, and the silencing of civic voices. We don’t just witness environmental harm; we contest it in courtrooms, shape it in policy halls, and resist it alongside communities.

Every case we take, every law we influence, and every voice we amplify is a step toward achieving our vision a Uganda where all citizens enjoy a clean and healthy environment as their fundamental right.

• Provide comprehensive paralegal/reasearch support for active litigation, administrative proceedings, and public interest lawsuits.
• Draft, format, proofread, and file legal documents, including pleadings, motions, discovery requests/responses, affidavits, and correspondence with courts, tribunals, and agencies.
• Conduct thorough fact-finding and manage document-intensive processes, including organizing, indexing, and summarizing case-related materials, scientific studies, and evidence.
• Manage case calendars meticulously, track all critical deadlines (statutes of limitation, filing dates, hearing schedules), and ensure timely compliance.
• Coordinate logistics for hearings, depositions, client/witness interviews, and expert consultations.
• Conduct detailed legal and factual research using platforms like ULII, Westlaw, LexisNexis etc, and government databases.
• Analyze statutes, regulations, case law, and policy documents related to environmental protection, administrative law, and constitutional issues.
• Prepare clear and concise research memoranda, case summaries, and background reports for attorney review.
• Monitor regulatory dockets and track new environmental legislation and rulemaking.
• Assist with client intake, conflict checks, and maintaining organized, confidential client and case files (both digital and physical).
• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, co-counsel, and external partners, maintaining professional and compassionate communication.
• Help prepare clients and community witnesses for legal proceedings.
• Maintain the clinic’s case management system (e.g. case management system), ensuring all data is accurate and up-to-date.
• Ensure strict adherence to court rules, filing procedures, and ethical guidelines.
• Support grant reporting by tracking case outcomes, billable/non-billable hours (for reporting purposes), and compiling required activity data.
• Assist with the supervision and training of legal interns and volunteers.
• Manage relationships with external vendors, such as court reporters, process servers, and translation services.

• Mastery of legal research platforms and proficiency in all aspects of the litigation lifecycle.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with an unwavering attention to detail.
• Advanced skills in MS Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, and case management software.
• Superior organizational and time-management skills, with a proven ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Discretion and a strong commitment to maintaining client confidentiality and professional ethics.
• A genuine passion for environmental conservation, protection and social justice.
• Certificate as a court process server
• Direct experience in environmental, energy, or natural resources law.
• Experience with e-filing systems in Uganda judicial system.
• Familiarity with environmental statutes (and regulatory agencies.
• Basic understanding of scientific or technical concepts related to environmental issues.

• Diploma in Law from Law Development Center.
• Minimum of 3 years of paralegal experience, preferably in litigation, environmental law, administrative law, or at a public interest law firm/NGO.