Administrative Legal Assistant/Intake Legal Assistant, Family Law Duty Counsel - Term B117-24

Administrative Legal Assistant/Intake Legal Assistant, Family Law Duty Counsel - Term B117-24

Monday, January 27, 2025

LEGAL AID BC

POSITION: ADMINISTRATIVE LEGAL ASSISTANT / INTAKE LEGAL ASSISTANT, FAMILY DUTY COUNSEL

ONE REGULAR TERM POSITION – SURREY

(until August 31, 2026, or the return of the incumbent)

COMPETITION NO: B117-24

DATE POSTED: January 27, 2025

CLOSING DATE: February 11, 2025

STARTING DATE: February 17, 2025

SALARY: Job Class 10 ($55,189- $62,968)

HOURS OF WORK: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (35 hours/week, Monday to Friday)

This position is not on the modified workweek.

PRIMARY FUNCTION: Provide administrative and legal administrative support for the Department, Managing Lawyer, Lead Lawyer, Staff Lawyer, roster lawyers lead and/or Paralegal/Advocate. Provide front line services to the public for in-person, online and telephone legal aid programs including intake services. Provide legal information and assess eligibility and suitability for services.

JOB DUTIES AND TASKS

1. PROGRAM COORDINATION:

• Coordination of the day to day running of the program operations;
• Assist with the implementation and delivery of the program;
• Provide input to and maintain program processes, policies and procedures, create and maintain manuals, and records management;
• Process and maintain program data, databases, data input and reporting;
• Maintain quality control of operating policies established by the lead lawyer and program team.

2. ADMINISTRATION:

• Draft, produce routine correspondence and legal documents, answer telephone inquiries, provide information on services offered or direct to other community resources;
• Provide administrative support to the Department, Lead Lawyer, Managing Lawyer, Staff Lawyer, roster lawyers and/or paralegal/advocate(s) including ensuring time keeping is entered into systems;
• Order pamphlets and office supplies, call for equipment repairs, and maintain library material;
• Develop and maintain filing system, including storage and destruction;
• Develop and maintain client file lists, and client records in the database and other LABC systems;
• Provide required documents to lawyers, clients, and other external contacts as required and respond to follow-up requests and or problems regarding referrals and contracts;
• Maintain a “bring forward” system, limitation diary, calendar, and calendar shared with roster, Staff, Managing and/or Lead Lawyers;
• Maintain and reconcile petty cash fund; remit for reimbursement;
• Orient, train, schedule, and provide guidance to new and casual staff and roster lawyers as required.

3. CLIENT FILE MANAGEMENT:

• Open, process, maintain and close case files;
• Contact lawyers to arrange services, make referrals and issue contracts to private bar lawyers, or other agencies;
• Book appointments for the lawyer(s) and/or paralegal/advocate(s), coordinate scheduling of client appointments, maintain and update the calendar shared by lawyers, contact lawyers to arrange client services;
• Enter data into LABC client database and process and issue contracts;
• Monitor the message centre and respond to client enquiries and messages.

4. INTAKE SERVICES / PUBLIC LEGAL EDUCATION & INFORMATION:

• Provide an empathetic, non-judgmental, open-minded and person-centered approach aimed at building trust with clients in order to identify legal issues and urgency, meeting them where they are at;
• Practice active listening, non-violent communication, non-violent crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques in order to achieve communication and information sharing with clients facing barriers to accessing legal services;
• Use trauma informed, anti-oppressive and culturally sensitive approach to complete client intake;
• Interview clients in person and by phone to answer enquiries, analyze and clearly identify client’s legal issue(s), urgency of issue and communicate legal information;
• Identify client’s needs and circumstances and decide on course of action, including completion of intake application, provide legal information, redirect to other LABC or community resources;
• Determine coverage and assess eligibility for legal aid based on legal aid coverage policies and guidelines;
• Explain LABC coverage and financial eligibility criteria;
• Keep current and be familiar with changes to policies, processes and procedures that affect clients’ eligibility to Legal Aid;
• Determine if eligibility criteria can be waived based on current circumstance and past practice;
• Communicate decisions on legal aid application and provide rationale for decisions of legal aid applications that are not approved;
• Refer complex applications and matters to supervisor.

5. PERFORM OTHER RELATED DUTIES:

• Perform other related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Basic Requirements:

• Grade 12 education supplemented by completed Legal Administration courses or program
• Completed courses in Law, Sociology or related disciplines
• Minimum of 5 years of Administration experience in a law environment
• Minimum of 1 year of Intake experience

Rated Requirements:

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively by active listening, asking questions, and reading to obtain relevant information;
• Demonstrated ability to provide quality customer service in a timely and professional manner;
• Demonstrated ability to act as a representative of the organization by providing courteous, empathetic service;
• Demonstrated ability to proactively identify and analyze problems and make decisions;
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain professional relationships with co-workers and clients;
• Demonstrated ability to independently and within a team environment, plan, coordinate, organize and prioritize workload;
• Demonstrated ability to train, orient, motivate, and provide guidance to others;
• Knowledge of court and tribunal procedures;
• Working knowledge of Family and Child Protection Law rules and procedures;
• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of people including those with low incomes or disabilities;
• Ability to practice cultural competency using knowledge of Truth & Reconciliation and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion;
• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information;
• Demonstrated ability to type 45 words per minute (wpm);
• Basic Working knowledge of database systems;
• Intermediate Working Knowledge of MS Office Suite.

This competition may require skills testing based on the qualifications for this position such as:

• Microsoft 365 (Office Suite) – Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint
• Typing

Employment is conditional upon completing and obtaining clearance from the following:

• Criminal Record Check (CRC)
• Security clearance check by BC Corrections

We offer:

• Four weeks paid vacation to start that grows the longer you are with LABC
• An excellent employee benefits package, where premiums are 100% paid by LABC
• Support for training and development
• An Employee and Family Assistance program
• The opportunity to participate in various Employee programs
• Support for a healthy work/life balance
• Generous leave provisions
• 13 paid statutory holidays
• An opportunity for a flexible hybrid work arrangement for some positions
• Transit friendly employer for eligible staff
• Dog-friendly offices
• Dedicated Cultural Leave provisions for Indigenous employees
• An Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council

We would like to thank all external applicants for their interest but regret that only those shortlisted will be contacted.