Legal Assistant

The Legal Aid Justice Center is a nationally recognized, non-profit organization dedicated to fighting for racial, social, and economic justice for low-income clients and communities of color in Virginia. The Legal Assistant-Client Advocate role is essential for day-to-day operations, focusing on client communication, case management, and administrative support to ensure the smooth running of the office.

Responsibilities

• Communicate with clients to define and clarify our mission and services to help create a collaborative environment in which community, staff and volunteers are informed an up to date
• Handle all aspects of community contact in an efficient and professional manner including answering the phone; listening to voicemails; documenting initial contacts; conducting intakes, providing referrals, utilizing our legal database, supporting emergency triage and receiving client documents
• Enter all prescreen/intake and relevant client data and documents into Legal Server
• Communicate with community members with an equity and social justice lens to assess needs and coordinate essential services
• Conduct intakes with potential clients, which includes initial fact gathering, reviewing eligibility information, ensuring accuracy in databases and files, and gather documents to support building a case
• Oversee all front desk-related activities including directing visitors and handling administrative tasks, maintaining the reception area, and other tasks to ensure efficient operations
• Provide accurate fast-paced data entry and file maintenance
• Other administrative tasks may include but are not limited to: preparing and providing materials and information for client cases and other legal issues and assist with paper and electronic filing; communicating pre-approved advice, updates, or legal information from lawyers to clients; providing backup for other offices as needs arise; assisting with communications with clients and community partners, preparing documents for attorneys
• Provide legal assistant experience through a cultural humility and trauma informed lens
• Demonstrate respectful, professional, and timely written and verbal communication, during all internal and external interactions
• Together with the team: provide referrals and maintain lists of resources for clients in relevant subject areas; supervise and onboard interns and volunteers; track changes and trends in community requests and needs
• Organize and maintain confidential documents and files and perform assigned administrative tasks to support office functions and safeguard compliance with relevant laws and regulations
• Support community and volunteer engagement – be visible, greet and support community members and train admin volunteers; provide customer service by phone and in person; and keep community and volunteers informed and connected with services, organizers, and resources
• Define and clarify the Legal Assistant/Client Advocate role for community and staff by answering questions; shadowing; and attending meetings; and by keeping a presence at the reception desk and common areas when needed
• Act as a referral specialist by building connections with local partner agencies and community organizations and implementing new referrals
• Engage in special projects with attorneys, organizers, and other teams including extended trips in the field, outreach tabling, correspondence, mailings, events coordination, and other activities
• Provide support to other offices as needed. This could include in-person support for the Petersburg office
• Other duties as assigned
• Promote racial equity across all dimensions, including within LAJC, by doing the following: Helping to recruit, retain, and support both staff and leadership that reflect the racial composition of our community; Cultivating respect for the work and expanding resources for non-attorney staff that are disproportionately people of color; Creating spaces for staff to discuss issues of racial, gender, and all other issues of marginalization; and Pushing for institutional and cultural changes by management, the board, and staff to further promote racial equity

Skills

• Strong commitment to social, economic, and racial justice
• Self-starter, excited and passionate about client and community experiences
• Spanish Fluency
• Proficient in MS Office applications, including Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook
• Ability to learn and effectively utilize case management systems such as Legal Server
• Analytical thinker with excellent conceptual
• Demonstrated organizational skills, meticulous attention to detail, and ability to multitask in a high pace environment
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• 2+ years as a legal assistant or closely related customer service experience in a law office or similar setting
• Experience in Spanish/English translation in a law office or similar setting
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy
• Skills in professional email, verbal etiquette, and effective communication
• Ability to provide a fully bilingual, English/Spanish, Legal Assistant experience through a cultural awareness and trauma informed lens

Benefits

• Generous paid time off every year, including 3 to 6 weeks of vacation, 12 days of health leave, 16 weeks parental leave, and 14 holidays (not including bonus holidays/rest days allocated as needed)
• 100% employer paid health, dental, and vision insurance, plus excellent family insurance with annual max of $2,400 premium contribution to LAJC-sponsored health plan
• 403(b) retirement plan with 4% employer contribution (no required match)
• Strong commitment to professional development

Company Overview