Position: Legal Assistant
Reports to: Director, Family and Matrimonial Practice; and/or Director, Immigration Practice
Organization: Her Justice (www.herjustice.org)
Location: 100 Broadway, 10th floor, New York, NY 10005
Her Justice is a nonprofit organization that stands with women living in poverty in New York City by recruiting and mentoring volunteer lawyers to provide free legal help to address individual and systemic legal barriers. Her Justice is looking to add a self-motivated individual to our team who will further our organization’s goal of connecting women living in poverty with volunteer lawyers in the areas of family, matrimonial, and immigration law and supporting implementation of the organization’s policy strategic plan and the policy mission to reform the civil justice system such that it produces the most favorable outcomes for women like our clients, through processes that are as equitable, empowering, and as efficient as possible.
Please Note: Our office is currently open. Staff are given an option to work from home, work from the office, or a combination of both, in whatever way enables them to fulfill their role. However, this position is based in our New York City office and the candidate must be based in New York City. All Her Justice staff are provided with a business laptop computer.
The Legal Assistant is primarily responsible for conducting intake and follow-up with clients seeking legal assistance in family, matrimonial and immigration law and supports the overall work of the staff attorneys in the Department of Law and Policy.
Responsibilities
Support for Family/Matrimonial and Immigration work (100%)
- Duties include but are not limited to the following:
- Conduct intake with prospective clients. Intake will be primarily though our online intake system and outreach to clients referred to us from one of our community partners. Intake may be expanded as agencies resume in person operation, and intake responsibilities may be adjusted accordingly.
- Assist with the management of our intake systems, including answering calls and conducting intake or providing referrals to clients, as needed.
- Schedule and confirm intake appointments for clients with staff attorneys for assessment.
- Provide brief information, advocacy and/or referrals to clients seeking assistance under the supervision of staff attorneys.
- Assist staff attorneys on immigration, family law and matrimonial matters, and client follow-up.
- Provide administrative support to the legal staff.
- Recruit, train, and supervise in-house legal volunteers and interns on intake procedures and legal database management.
- Assist staff with organizing and implementing volunteer lawyer recruitment and trainings.
- Enter client information into Legal Server database and ensure that information is up-to-date and correct.
- Assist in refining intake, referral, database entry, and evaluation procedures as needed.
- Assist in creation of quarterly and annual reports to funders and governmental entities, including compilation of statistical information.
- Assist with the organization of trainings, special events, and outreach activities.
Qualifications
We seek a self-motivated and self-directed team-player who possesses outstanding organizational, interpersonal, communication, writing, and computer skills. We value experience with corporate law firms, volunteer-based social service organizations, immigration, family, or matrimonial law, and/or domestic violence issues. We value skills in editing/creating PDF files, database management, reporting, statistical analyses, data analysis, and experience with Legal Server, and outcomes measurement. We also value experience in policy/advocacy work, and a demonstrated commitment to systems reform on issues affecting women living in poverty.
- Fluency in Spanish, both written and spoken, is required. Candidates who do not speak Spanish will not be considered.
- Knowledge of Excel, Word, and Outlook required.
- Ability to communicate effectively with clients who have experienced trauma is required.
Commensurate with experience, expected to be in the low- to mid-40s. Benefits include medical insurance, 401K plan, and liberal vacation policy.
Application: Email cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Please specify “Legal Assistant” in the subject line of email. We are looking for candidates who are able to start on or before December 5, 2022. Only qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview. No phone calls, please.
Application Process: Resumes and cover letters will be reviewed on a rolling basis to select candidates. The first round of interviews of selected candidates will be by phone or video conference with at least 2 supervisory staff. The initial interview will include a brief Q&A in Spanish. Candidates chosen for a second interview may be asked to provide a short writing sample and will meet remotely with several staff who will be identified in advance.
The second interview will include a brief writing exercise and a brief mock client interview in Spanish. References will be checked for candidate(s) prior to any offer being made.
Since our founding in 1993, the ability of Her Justice to succeed in transforming the lives of thousands of women facing legal challenges has, in large part, been due to our philosophy of hard work from many dedicated employees and volunteers. Her Justice is committed to fostering and preserving an open and friendly working environment that is conducive to positive growth and development; and to respect human dignity, encourage a collegial atmosphere, and provide a generally enjoyable place to work. Her Justice is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, creed, color, citizenship, marital status, partnership status, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, public assistance status, domestic violence or sex offense victim status, genetic information, pregnancy (and recovery from childbirth and related medical conditions), unemployment status, arrest or conviction record (as provided for by applicable law), or any other class or status protected by law.