Job Description
Legal Intake Specialist Advocacy and Referral Team Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc. (LSEM), a nonprofit law firm providing free legal assistance to people living with low-income and groups serving disadvantaged communities, seeks a highly organized individual for a full-time Legal Intake Specialist position in the Advocacy and Referral Team (ART), our centralized Intake Unit. The Legal Intake Specialist acts as the first contact for most of our client community and requires conveying dignity and sensitivity to applicants for service while answering incoming calls, responding to online applications, working with walk-in requests for assistance or handling intake appointments.
ART is a team of experienced legal service professionals who work together to provide prospective clients with a professional intake screening to determine financial eligibility and other criteria for service. Working together, we ensure Legal Services' prospective clients are directed to the appropriate legal program within Legal Services for their legal needs and/or provided appropriate referrals to other sources of assistance.
Responsibilities :
Conduct intake to determine client eligibility and legal problems in a professional and courteous manner, which will include the following:
- Check and recognize conflicts
- Check income and assets to qualify client eligibility
- Conduct fact gathering and document gathering as needed
- Identify applicant's legal needs and provide an accurate summary of relevant details
- Utilize LegalServer case management and eligibility systems
- Maintain case notes in the case management system
- Tickle cases for necessary documents and any deadline dates
- Draft letters and other needed client correspondence (some form letters and some free draft) for Supervising Attorney's review
- Assist in community education, information fairs and outreach clinics, as needed
- Adhere to the Rules of Professional Conduct with emphasis on maintaining confidentiality of information
- Adhere to Legal Services Corporation and American Bar Association's performance standards for delivery of civil legal services
- Adhere to established intake procedures
- Perform other related duties as required
Qualifications :
- Bachelor's Degree or Paralegal Certification preferred
- Paralegal experience preferred
- Paralegal studies are a plus
- Ability to relate well and work with diverse populations and collaborate with community stakeholders
- Knowledge of interviewing techniques for persons who may be in crisis and ability to treat all callers with dignity and sensitivity
- Ability to handle challenging conversations
- Ability to digest diverse facts as relayed by applicants on the phone and assemble them into a coherent expression of the relevant issues
- Ability to conduct basic legal research
- Ability to handle varied intake tasks in a fast-paced environment--answering steady volume of live phone calls and handling internal and external referrals for legal services
- Strong communication skills, work ethic, flexibility, and teamwork
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Knowledgeable in Microsoft Office
- Familiarity with case management software preferred
- Open to creative and innovative ways of fulfilling the legal aid mission
What we do: LSEM advances justice through legal representation, education, and supportive services. We partner with the community to improve lives, promote fairness, and create opportunities for those in need. Since 1956, LSEM has provided high-quality civil legal assistance and equal access to justice for low-income people in 21 counties in Missouri. We accomplish our mission through systemic advocacy/impact litigation and individual case work in a wide range of substantive civil areas which are in our priorities, e.g., family law for victims of domestic violence, prevention of homelessness/housing, health, public benefits, consumer, education, disability, community economic development, and immigration. As part of our community education/outreach efforts, LSEM works with over 150 agencies and participates in over 35 task forces/coalitions and has a vibrant Volunteer Lawyers Program.
Who we are: At Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, we embrace a culture that celebrates and promotes the many backgrounds, heritages, and perspectives of our colleagues and clients. We seek to hire individuals from a variety of backgrounds, who are professional, collaborative, and creative thinkers with a passion for our mission, and create an environment where everyone can thrive. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals and will make employment decisions based on merit.
How to Apply :
Upload your resume and cover letter through our online application. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
Salary & Benefits Information: The salary range for this position is $43,500-$65,000. Specific salary offered to a candidate will be based on their years of relevant experience. There are opportunities for advancement, including raises. Excellent benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, a generous time off policy (starting at 4 weeks per year), 11 paid holidays, 12 weeks paid parental leave, 403(b) and 401(a) retirement plans, long-term disability and life insurance, employee assistance plan, and flexible spending accounts.
Submission Deadline: Applications will be considered until the position is filled.
Equal access to Legal Services of Eastern Missouri's office is available. Those applicants requiring accommodation to the interview/application process should contact Human Resources at the e-mail hr@lsem.org. Legal Services of Eastern Missouri is an equal opportunity employer.
Job Tags
Full time, Work at office, Flexible hours,