Managing Attorney of Intake

Position Overview

The Managing Attorney of Client Access and Intake is responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of CGLA’s interfaces with the public. The person in this role will also oversee the design and management of organizational processes, procedures, and technology systems used to qualify potential clients for brief services and direct representation. Reporting to the Director of Programs, this position supervises the Intake Coordinator, and may also supervise volunteer attorneys, law students, and other volunteers as needed to fulfill the needs of the organization.

Essential Duties

Program Management

• Establish and maintain CGLA’s client intake criteria, processes, and procedures to qualify potential clients for CGLA’s services from all referral sources, including partner organizations, and incoming requests from the public via walk-ins, phone, mail, e-mail, fax, CGLA’s website, and other internet referral systems.
• Provide direct and brief services, advice, and referrals to individuals seeking legal services, maintaining a manageable caseload proportionate to other responsibilities.
• Maintain up-to-date client information in CGLA’s case management system to ensure accurate data collection and statistical tracking.
• Manage Legal Server and other systems to track and report data and case information for individuals who contact CGLA for services and those who are accepted as clients.
• Serve as the technical advisor and primary point of contact for Legal Server customizations, CGLA’s phone system menu, and e-filing.
• Facilitate intake meetings, ensuring adherence to prescreen and acceptance criteria.
• Recommend and implement continuing improvements to the intake process.
• Oversee prescreen work performed by staff attorneys, staff paralegals, and volunteers to ensure potential clients are timely processed to determine their eligibility for CGLA services.
• In close collaboration with the Criminal Records and Pro Bono teams, facilitate and manage client screening processes for community summits and other projects.
• Collaborate with all program areas to ensure the effectiveness of CGLA’s interdisciplinary intake process.
• Collaborate with the Managing Attorney of Pro Bono Projects to determine the number of volunteers and skill sets required to support the intake process.
• In collaboration with the Managing Attorney of Pro Bono Projects, design criteria and manage processes to select clients as potential pro bono placements.
• In coordination with the Pro Bono Team, develop and maintain information resources to distribute to the public at CGLA’s Help Desks.

Outreach

• Serve as the primary point of contact for external requests for presentations and educational training opportunites.
• Work with the Managing Attorney of Pro Bono Projects to respond to requests from Illinois Legal Aid Online to review and update legal content.

Personnel Management

• Conduct annual performance appraisals and quarterly check-ins with direct reports and assigned fellows.
• Ensure timely, consistent, and detailed performance feedback is provided to each direct report. Ensure direct reports are performing at a satisfactory level.
• Provide resources and support to address staff’s needs, identify and secure professional development opportunities for staff, provide coaching and supervision, and manage and resolve conflict.
• Address performance issues with staff and interns using appropriate disciplinary methods such as verbal warnings, write-ups, and performance improvement plans.
• Provide training and supervision to in-house staff, fellows, interns, and volunteers to assure quality legal representation.

Administrative

• Work with Leadership Team to develop and implement strategies that further CGLA’s mission.
• Participate in the annual organizational budget process.
• Assist in writing grant applications, providing program-specific outcomes data and writing narratives as assigned.
• Develop and maintain appropriate and accurate content for the CGLA website.