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SalaryAbout the Legal Aid Justice Center:
The Legal Aid Justice Center is a nationally recognized, non-profit organization that partners with low-income clients and communities of color in Virginia to fight for racial, social, and economic justice. We understand that the harms our clients endure are inextricably linked to overarching systems of injustice. Together we are dismantling those systems through a combination of community organizing, litigation, policy advocacy, public relations, and individual legal services.
Founded in 1967, LAJC has offices in Charlottesville, Richmond, Petersburg, and Falls Church and provides services under six key program areas: Civil Rights & Racial Justice (focuses on the criminal legal system), Housing & Consumer Justice, Youth Justice, Health Justice & Public Benefits, Immigrant Justice, and Worker Justice. As examples of LAJC’s recent work, our lawsuit and organizing against the state forced reform of Virginia’s unemployment insurance system, including advocacy that resulted in the distribution of over $1 billion in illegally withheld payments to over 160,000 Virginians. During the pandemic, we demanded and secured a statewide eviction moratorium and emergency pandemic protections that helped hundreds of families avoid eviction. We reduced incarceration across the state, including reducing the population of a local immigration detention center down to historically low levels through a coordinated effort of organizing paired with impact and individual litigation. Our staff are on the front lines of some of the most important anti-poverty fights happening today.
With a staff of over 90, the past few years have been a time of exciting growth and opportunity for the organization. In addition to the growth of programmatic efforts including increased organizing capacity, LAJC has expanded its operations and administrative capacity, created new opportunities for professional growth and leadership among staff, engaged in ongoing race equity work, and explored changes to organizational structure to deepen its efforts to create long-term, sustainable, community-driven change.
LAJC’s latest strategic plan is available at https://www.justice4all.org/lajc-strategic-plan-2022-2026/#area%20d.
For more information about LAJC’s work and programs, visit www.justice4all.org.
About the Position:
The Legal Aid Justice Center seeks a part-time Administrative Assistant for its office in Charlottesville, Virginia. Administrative Assistants play an essential role in the day-to-day operations of LAJC. The Administrative Assistant communicates fluently with clients in both Spanish and English, logging and coordinating responses to voicemail messages, taking live calls, and assisting community members who come to the office in person for support. The Administrative Assistant helps with case management and document preparation and light translation, maintains calendars, organizes files, maintains our reception area, and other administrative tasks as assigned. The Administrative Assistant position shifts will vary but will be conducted in person, between the hours of 8:30 am-5:00 pm, Monday-Friday. Our Administrative Assistant is a valued member of our Administrative Team, whose mission is to promote justice and reduce poverty across Virginia by acting as a bridge between LAJC’s staff members and its client community and supporting the details that keep LAJC’s offices running smoothly.
Job Duties:
Racial Equity: Promote racial equity across all dimensions, including within LAJC, by doing the following:
helping to recruit, retain, and support both staff and leadership that reflect the racial composition of our community;
cultivating respect for the work of and expanding resources for non-attorney staff that are disproportionately people of color;
creating spaces for staff to discuss issues of racial, gender, and all other issues of marginalization; and pushing for institutional and cultural changes by management, the board, and staff to further promote racial equity.
Communicate with clients to define and clarify our mission and services to help create a collaborative environment in which the community, staff, and volunteers are informed and up to date.
Handle all aspects of community contact in an efficient and professional manner including answering the phone; listening to voicemails; documenting initial contacts; providing referrals, utilizing our legal database, supporting emergency triage, and receiving client documents
In all interactions, communicate using an equity and social justice lens to assess needs and coordinate essential services.
Conduct initial screenings with community members, which includes initial fact gathering, reviewing eligibility information, ensuring accuracy in databases and files,
Perform assigned front desk-related activities including but not limited to directing visitors and handling administrative tasks, maintaining the reception area, processing daily mail, occasional facilities support as assigned, and other tasks to ensure efficient operations.
Spanish/English translation of legal documents
Provide accurate fast-paced data entry and file maintenance.
Other administrative tasks may include but are not limited to: preparing and providing materials and information for client cases and other legal issues and assist with paper and electronic filing; communicating pre-approved advice, updates, or legal information from lawyers to clients; providing backup for other offices as needs arise; assisting with communications with clients and community partners, preparing documents for attorneys
Provide legal assistant experience through a cultural humility and trauma-informed lens.
Demonstrate timely written and verbal communication, during all internal and external interactions.
Provide referrals and maintain lists of resources for community members in relevant subject areas.
Organize and maintain confidential documents and files and perform assigned administrative tasks to support office functions and safeguard compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
Other duties as assigned
Required Qualifications:
Strong commitment to social, economic, and racial justice.
Spanish fluency.
Self-starter, excited, and passionate about client and community experiences.
Familiar with MS Office applications, including Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook or other similar virtual meeting spaces/systems.
Ability to learn and effectively utilize case management systems such as Salesforce.
Analytical thinker
Demonstrated organizational skills, meticulous attention to detail, and ability to multitask in a high pace environment.
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Preferred Qualifications:
2+ years as a legal assistant or closely related customer service experience in a law office or similar setting.
Experience in Spanish/English translation in a law office or similar setting.
Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy
Skills in professional email, verbal etiquette, and effective communication
Ability to provide a fully bilingual, English/Spanish, Legal Assistant experience through a cultural awareness and trauma-informed lens.
A Note to Potential Candidates: Studies have shown that women, trans, non-binary folks, and BIPOC are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization, and strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the qualifications described.
Location: This role will be based in our Charlottesville office. Occasional travel between offices will be required. Although a regular presence in the office is required, LAJC offers a remote work policy to support employees in co-creating schedules and arrangements that allow us all to do our best work.
Salary: The rate for this position is $26.92 - $35.00 (annualized at half-time this is $28,000 - $36,400) based on the LAJC salary scale, an upward 12% cost-of-living adjustment is available for positions based in Falls Church. To allow for salary growth within the position over time, the anticipated hiring range for this position is between $26.92 - $30.96 (annualized at half-time this is $28,000 - $32,200). Placement on the range will be based on factors such as years of relevant experience, budget, and internal equity.
Application Deadline: October 6, 2023. We accept applications on a rolling basis and encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.
Application Instructions: Complete the online application. To be considered for the position, please submit a resume and contact information for three references. You can direct the cover letter to the hiring manager, Guillermo Medrano at Guillermo@justice4all.org. Please note, that we will not contact references without advance consent from candidates.
Benefits: Our mission is compelling, and our team members are passionate about their work, and so we recognize the need to provide generous benefits and encourage rest and a healthy work environment. For example, we provide:
- Generous paid time off every year, including 3 to 6 weeks of vacation, 12 days of health leave, 6 weeks of parental leave, and 14 holidays (not including bonus holidays/rest days allocated as needed)
- 403(b) retirement plan with 4% employer contribution (no required match)
- Strong commitment to professional development
Vaccination Requirement: The Legal Aid Justice Center requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an approved medical or religious exemption as a qualification of employment. Proof of vaccination or accommodation request must be provided within one day of employment.
The Legal Aid Justice Center is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, experiences, and communities to apply. The Legal Aid Justice Center is committed to strengthening the voices of our low-income clients, working in collaboration with community partners, and rooting out the inequities that keep people in poverty. We strive to take on the issues that have broad impact on our client communities and to be responsive to client input. Recognizing the particular impact of racism on our clients and staff, we devote special attention to dismantling racial injustice. All applicants must be dedicated to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. In reviewing applications, we look for evidence that applicants have experience and/or thoughtfulness in working with traditionally marginalized populations.
