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Pre-Law Paralegal Program

The Kostelanetz paralegal team helps our attorneys in researching and analyzing information and collaborates with our lawyers, providing them with essential analytical and technical support.

The Pre-Law Paralegal Program at Kostelanetz LLP is a uniquely immersive experience. Paralegals work closely with our lawyers on a daily basis and attend our frequent in-house training sessions, which include overviews of law school courses (such as torts, contracts, constitutional law, civil procedure, criminal law, and property law) and advice on how to “brief” court opinions and “outline” law school classes. Our pre-law paralegals interact with the firm’s clients, and many of them have shared by-lines with our lawyers in published articles. The responsibilities of the paralegal position include conducting legal research and document review, providing legal and litigation support, and assisting with general administrative work, under the supervision of attorneys.

The starting salary for this position is $70,000 per year, based on a 35-hour workweek. Pre-law paralegals are eligible for end-of-year bonuses, which are typically $2,000, and, after approximately one year in the program, are eligible for a salary increase to a base of $77,000. Our pre-law paralegals also receive time off for LSAT studying and law school admissions days, and they are eligible to enroll in the firm’s health benefits.

Pre-law paralegals are paid for overtime, i.e., work beyond 35 hours per week.  The first five hours of overtime each week are paid at 100% of the regular time rate; any additional overtime (i.e., work beyond 40 hours per week) is paid at the rate of 150% of the regular time rate.  By way of example:  If a first-year pre-law paralegal worked 8 hours every regular day, excluding ordinary paid time off (i.e., the work typically expected of employees working 40-hour weeks), the paralegal could earn the $70,000 base salary plus overtime pay in excess of $10,000 for the year – for a total of $80,000 or more for the year.  If that pre-law paralegal were to work 45 hours during just 10 of the weeks of that year (i.e., 5 overtime hours at time-and-a-half  x ten weeks) the pre-law paralegal’s additional overtime pay year could exceed $2,800.  (With a base of $70,000, overtime pay of $10,000, a bonus of $2,000, and this overtime of $2,800, compensation could add up to nearly $85,000).

The firm provides health and dental insurance (UnitedHealthcare Oxford Freedom Exclusive Provider Organization Plan and UnitedHealthcare Dental Preferred Provider Organization Plan) at no cost to its employees.  Employees may add dependents on the firm’s plan if they so wish, but the cost of such dependent coverage is 100% for their own personal account.  The terms of the firm’s plan are such that coverage begins one full month after the month in which the new employee was hired.

Health insurance coverage: Insureds participating in the health plan are limited to in-network doctors only (which is what “exclusive provider organization” is meant to convey).  The current employee co-pay is $50 per visit to their in-network primary care physician and $100 per visit to in-network specialists. (Co-pays are subject to change annually effective April 1.)  Employees may opt for additional out-of-network coverage, but the cost of such additional coverage is 100% for the account of the employee.

Dental insurance coverage: Insureds participating in the dental plan have both in and out of network coverage. The plan includes dental and orthodontic coverage.  The current employee plan does not have any office co-pays. (Co-pays are subject to change annually effective April 1.)  The current plan covers 100% of the cost of preventive dental services, 80% of the cost of basic dental services and 50% of the cost of major dental services, up to a maximum annual benefit of $1,500 for dental services. The current plan covers 50% of the cost of orthodontic services, up to a maximum lifetime benefit of $1,000 for orthodontic services. Employees may opt for additional dental coverage, but the cost of such additional coverage is 100% for the account of the employee.

Vishan Chaudhary

Paralegal

Daniel Kang

Paralegal

Caitlin Lewis

Paralegal

Nadya Lopez

Paralegal

Brittany Mahone

Paralegal

Jacob Paikin

Paralegal

Lasya Ravulapati

Paralegal

Malena Solin

Paralegal

Samuel Tadmiri

Paralegal

Benjamin Thornton

Paralegal

Will Rotondo-McCord

Paralegal

Melina Watson

Paralegal

We seek aspiring legal professionals with strong academic credentials who have outstanding writing, research, and oral communication skills. Ideal candidates are organized and friendly individuals who are capable of handling multiple projects at once, meeting deadlines, and working well both independently and on a team.

Candidates should have exceptional computer skills and be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite. Experience with website and social media management is welcomed. Accounting experience may also be useful for some positions.

The ideal candidate is extremely high-performing in their respective college or university academic program and typically possesses a grade point average of 3.7 or above. In addition, ideal candidates are able to clearly articulate through their application materials an interest in the law or in law-related activities (e.g., via debate, mock trial, or law journal experience, completion of internships at law firms or other relevant organizations, or research projects with professors).

Strong writing and revising skills are also crucial for this position. Prior to application submission, candidates should thoroughly review their materials, paying special attention to typographical mistakes, grammatical errors, and the like.

The Kostelanetz Pre-Law Paralegal Program is specifically designed to occur across a two-year period, after college (or a secondary degree-seeking program) and before law school. Prior to applying, prospective candidates should consider whether there are any factors that may inhibit their ability to remain in the program for a full two years. Candidates who do not expect to remain in the program for two years are advised not to apply.

Kostelanetz LLP does not sponsor H1-B or other visas for pre-law paralegals or candidates. While there may be times when remote work is possible, at this time, we are seeking candidates who are willing to work, on-site, in one of our two offices.

The starting salary for this position is $70,000 per year, based on a 35-hour workweek. Pre-law paralegals are eligible for end-of-year bonuses, which are typically $2,000, and, after approximately one year in the program, are eligible for a salary increase to a base of $77,000. Our pre-law paralegals also receive time off for LSAT studying and law school admissions days, and they are eligible to enroll in the firm’s health benefits.

At Kostelanetz LLP, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion contribute to a safe and welcoming environment for our employees and strengthen our firm. We welcome applications from women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, persons with disabilities, people from low-income backgrounds, and veterans. Applications from people who are members of underrepresented and/or marginalized communities are highly encouraged.

Our application period for paralegals joining us in 2024 has now closed. Please check back in late fall or early winter for details on our next hiring cycle. All questions regarding the paralegal program can be directed to recruiting@kostelanetz.com.

The Pre-Law Paralegal Program includes training on a broad array of topics. Past courses offered to our paralegals have included:

  • Introduction to the Legal Method (taught by partner Claude Millman)
  • Constitutional Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Torts (taught by counsel Randi Maidman)
  • Property
  • Contracts
  • Introduction to Legal Research (including training on Westlaw, LexisNexis, PACER, and Law360)
  • How to Brief a Case
  • Cybersecurity and Confidentiality
  • ABCs of the IRS (taught by partner Megan Brackney)
  • Tax Litigation Procedure
  • The Internal Revenue Code
  • Cryptocurrency Doesn’t Have to be Cryptic (taught by associate Garrett Brodeur)
  • Bitcoin/Blockchain Basics
  • eDiscovery Platforms (including training on DISCO and Relativity)
  • Introduction to NYC Procurement Law

Alumni of the Pre-Law Paralegal Program often return to Kostelanetz LLP to teach courses about their professional development as attorneys.

Our paralegals also attend depositions, trials and oral arguments, settlement discussions, client meetings, and conferences with government agencies like the DOJ and IRS, in order to gain experience. Additionally, the firm sponsors notary certification for paralegals and provides paralegals with opportunities to gain research and writing experience by writing articles with our attorneys.

Our Pre-Law Paralegals are provided formal and informal opportunities for mentorship. In 2023, the firm hosted an interview series in which legal professionals discussed their careers and interests. This series provided paralegals with an opportunity to learn about a variety of legal practice areas and career paths. Speakers have included:

  • Josephus Allmond, Associate Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center
  • Katie Barry, Associate Strategy and Investigations Counsel, Google
  • Sylvia Sámano Beristain, Associate – International Arbitration, Hogan Lovells
  • Garrett Brodeur, Associate, Kostelanetz LLP
  • Lauren Myers Coble, Associate Counsel – Global Partnerships & Privacy, National Basketball Association
  • Rebecca Cooper, Associate – Labor & Employment, The Kullman Firm
  • Amelia DeGory, Associate – Issues & Appeals, Jones Day
  • John Epling, District Court Clerk, Raleigh, North Carolina
  • Cameron Hammel, Counsel, Boston Red Sox
  • Jasmin Lott, Trial Attorney, U.S. DOJ Civil Rights Division, Housing Section
  • Gabrielle Lucero, Special Trial Counsel, U.S. Army JAG Corps
  • Vinay Mysoor, Corporate Development, Legal & Risk Counsel, Kajabi
  • Alexa Sendukas, Managing Attorney, Immigrant Children and Youth Program, Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project (GHIRP)
  • Khahlia Shaw, Counsel, American Oversight
  • Danny Stockton, General Counsel, Frisco Independent School District

All paralegals are additionally assigned an attorney mentor upon joining the firm. Attorney mentors provide essential legal and professional guidance to the paralegals, and contribute significantly to the firm’s mentorship efforts.

Alumni of the paralegal program have gone on to attend Berkeley Law School, Columbia Law School, Emory Law School, NYU Law School, Harvard Law School, Stanford Law School, the UC Irvine School of Law, UVA Law School, and Yale Law School. They have also risen to Editor-in-Chief positions on law journals and secured federal clerkships at the district and appellate courts in New York and Washington, D.C. Read about them below:

Kostelanetz Class of 2024

  • Ashley Morales (Columbia Law School ’27) is a Summer Associate at Wachtell Lipton.
  • Liz Grant is a Legal Assistant for the Mills Legal Clinic at Stanford Law School.
  • Tiffany Jing (Harvard Law School ’28)

Kostelanetz Class of 2023

  • Mahima Chaudhary is a Paralegal at the ACLU of Colorado.
  • Michelle Dubovitsky is a Production Coordinator at documentary production company Loki Films, and an independent director/screenwriter in the New York area.
  • Michael Gelb is a Legal Assistant at the Federal Defender Program, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Mariana Gusdorf (New York University Law School ’26)
  • Beatriz Oliveira (Columbia Law School ’26) has returned to Kostelanetz LLP as a summer associate.
  • Dave Taylor (Harvard Law School ’26)
  • Yuka Saji is an Account Executive at Edelman in Tokyo, Japan.

Kostelanetz Class of 2022

  • Hannah Ambinder (Harvard Law School ’25)
  • Grace Hall (University of Virginia Law School ‘25) is an Executive Editor of the Virginia Tax Review and returned to Kostelanetz LLP as a summer associate.
  • Kennedy Mackey (Harvard Law School ‘25) was an intern for the Student Freedom Initiative and is a Summer Associate at McGuireWoods.
  • Destiny Reese (Emory Law School ’25) is the President of the Emory Tax Law Society, and editor of the Emory Law Journal, and was a  summer associate at Barnes & Thornburg. Destiny is a law clerk at Kostelanetz LLP.
  • Jas Singh (New York University Law School ‘25) was an intern for the Permanent Court of Arbitation at The Hague.
  • Hannah Weinstein (Harvard Law School ’25) was a summer associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges.

Kostelanetz Class of 2021

  • Daniel Flesch (Harvard Law School ’24) received the Dean’s Scholar Prize in Legislation and Regulation at Harvard and is a Staff Editor of the Harvard Journal of Legislation. Daniel interned at the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and was a summer associate at Davis Polk. Daniel was an oralist in Harvard’s Ames Moot Court competition in 2023.
  • Anthony Palacio (Columbia Law School ’24) was a summer associate at Paul Weiss and Susman Godfrey.
  • Russell Wirth (Berkeley Law School ’24) is a General Editor of the Berkeley Journal of Criminal Law and an intern at the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan. Russell interned at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and was a summer associate at Paul Weiss.

Kostelanetz Class of 2020

  • Nathan Chael (Yale Law School ’24), is an Editor of the Yale Law Journal and worked as a Legislative Correspondent for U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico.
  • Madeline Lee is the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) and Legal Recruitment Coordinator at WilmerHale. Madeline was formerly the Upper School Equity & Diversity Engagement Coordinator at the Dwight-Englewood School.

Kostelanetz Class of 2019

  • Wade Newville is a MBA Candidate at INSEAD Business School in France. Wade was formerly the Senior Commercial Manager for Gorillas, a grocery delivery internet startup.
  • Tim Wang (Columbia Law School ’22) (Kostelanetz summer associate ’20) was editor-in-chief of the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law.  Tim is a Law Clerk at Cravath, Swaine & Moore and is clerking for two federal judges (Eastern District of New York and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals).
  • Anne Warnke (Stanford Law School ’22) was a Notes Editor of the Stanford Law Review and Legal Intern at the California Attorney General’s Office. Anne will be clerking for two federal judges (D.C. District Court and D.C. Court of Appeals).

Kostelanetz Class of 2018

  • Grant Fergusson (Harvard Law School ’22) is an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the Electronic Privacy Information Center combatting bias in artificial intelligence.
  • Emilie Klovning (Columbia Law School ’21) (Kostelanetz summer associate ’20) was editor-in-chief of the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law. Emilie is an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell.