Organization Overview:
Lakeshore Legal Aid serves people living with low income, older adults, and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in a holistic manner to address clients’ legal issues and improve our communities. Lakeshore provides free, direct legal representation in southeast Michigan and the thumb and client intake, advice, and brief legal services throughout Michigan via our attorney-staffed hotline. Our practice areas include housing, family, consumer, elder, education, and public benefits law.
Position Overview:
Lakeshore Legal Aid is seeking legal assistants who will support attorneys who are advocating and litigating on behalf of clients facing legal problems relating to housing and housing instability. The legal assistants work on a dynamic team to support attorneys and clients in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Legal assistants will greet clients, provide client screening, conduct intake of new client matters, and obtain detailed information from clients about their case. Legal assistants will work with their assigned attorneys to support and maintain the attorney client relationship and will be a first point of contact for clients receiving direct representation of their legal matter.
General Task Areas:
• Utilizing case management software, legal assistants will conduct client intakes by collecting confidential information directly obtained during client interviews including the nature and cause of the legal problem, the clients’ desired outcome, and related issues and concerns the client is facing due to housing instability.
• Prepare the client intake file to be forwarded to a team staff attorney or supervisor for assignment.
• Establish lines of written, verbal and SMS communications for retained clients.
• Assist clients and attorneys with processing case-related documents and maintaining client file.
• Prepare or assist attorneys in the preparation of legal pleadings, documents, e-File pleadings and other documents filed with the courts and client letters.
• Assist with maintaining shared team calendars.
• Process incoming and outgoing mail, general clerical tasks and other office-related functions.
• Assist with maintaining Team compliance with regulations and funding requirements.
• Assist with case closing procedures.
• Perform other work-related duties as assigned by the supervising attorney, a director, CEO, or a CEO designee.
Qualifications:
• High School Diploma, GED, or its equivalent and at least two years of relevant advanced education, or at least two years of relevant work experience serving legal clients.
• Demonstrated interest in the area of poverty law and working with low-income individuals. Able to be empathetic and understand the diverse clients of the poverty community.
• Ability to deal effectively with people under difficult circumstances.
• Dependable transportation for travel to intake sites, meetings and trainings.
• Experience or aptitude working with office technology, including telephone systems, copiers, word processing software, report generating software, internet research, client database systems, etc.
• Willingness and ability to adapt to changing in the workplace.
• Ability to work independently while also working collaboratively with co-workers in a Team environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and strong writing skills.
Salary:
Starting salary for a Legal Assistant ranges from $18.60 an hour and is commensurate with qualifications and includes excellent benefits including medical, dental, vision, life insurance/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability, retirement plan, and paid time off.
To apply, submit your cover letter and resume at our website www.lakeshorelegalaid.org
** Do not delay, Applications accepted until June 6, 2025, or until the position is filled. **
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