Who We Are

Children’s Law Center is a mission-driven organization focused on providing high-quality legal services to children and families in DC. As an organization, we envision a world in which all children have a strong foundation of family, health and education and are free from poverty, trauma, racism and other forms of oppression. Our mission is to do this work together with DC children and families, Children’s Law Center uses the law to solve children’s urgent problems today, improve the systems that will affect their lives tomorrow and strengthen our community so that change endures. A key part of our mission is to challenge and reduce ways in which racism and other biases – structural and interpersonal – prevent each of us, our organization and the systems in which we work from providing children a strong foundation from which to thrive.

Our greatest assets are our people. We recognize that people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives fuel our ability to provide the best outcomes for our clients and our community. Staff members at Children’s Law Center advance the organization’s mission through their leadership, result-orientated mindset and commitment to cultural humility. We are looking for individuals who like to be challenged to grow both personally and professionally and value the opportunity to make a difference in their community. Children's Law Center's continued success depends on recruiting and retaining individuals who possess and exemplify these attributes.

Program Description

This position is part of the project management function at the Children’s Law Center, which sets and maintains standards for the project management process throughout the organization. This program is responsible for creating procedures and best practices that will help make project-based operations run smoothly, end on time and result in quality deliverables. The focus of the project management function is the successful execution and completion of organizational and program-based projects and monitoring the impact and effectiveness of the procedures outlined by each project.

Job Summary

The Administrative Assistant to Legal Programs is a full-time position that provides administrative and substantive support to the Legal Programs and operational departments at Children’s Law Center. The ability to prioritize and communicate effectively is essential for this role, as this position will work with many different staff members and program directors, as well as with potential clients. This individual must be able to manage their own time, pay close attention to detail, manage multiple projects at once, and meet deadlines. This position works closely with the directors of the three key Legal Programs (Healthy Together, Guardian ad Litem, and Pro Bono/Family Law), as well as with the Legal Director, Director of Special Legal Projects, the Policy team, and the Evaluation and Learning team. This position will be required to meet Children’s Law Center’s in-office policy of two business days a week, one of which must be a Tuesday or Wednesday. Some tasks may require additional time in the office, on an as needed basis.

Role Responsibilities

Administrative Support

The Administrative Assistant will provide administrative support to the Legal Programs, policy team, and operational departments, including but not limited to the following activities:

• Provide administrative support to the legal and program directors and program teams, such as organizing files, scheduling meetings, and taking meeting minutes.
• Schedule internal and external meetings and events with Children’s Law Center staff and partners, funders, or clients.
• Prepare agendas and schedules for meetings, conferences, and other assigned events; take and distribute meeting minutes or other notes as requested.
• Schedule and attend weekly policy team meetings to identify relevant hearings and register policy team members to attend and testify. Help with additional administrative tasks to support the policy team, as needed.
• Register staff for conferences and make travel arrangements.
• Prepare and format legal and management reports and other internal communication.
• Maintain Standard Operation Procedures and document processes and best practices for administrative tasks.
• Obtain and compile relevant information from other organizations or agencies.
• If needed, work with the Office Manager to assist with in-office tasks such as sorting and delivering staff mail, answering phone calls, and greeting visitors to Children’s Law Center’s office.

File Organizational and Management

The Administrative Assistant will be responsible for activities related to electronic and physical file organization and management at the office and in our file management systems. Tasks may include:

• Maintain and update databases and tracking systems, largely using Excel.
• Organize materials, including electronic files, paper files, and physical resources.
• Download case documents from external databases or shared file systems such as SharePoint, Box or Dropbox, and upload them to Children’s Law Center’s case management system, Legal Server. Will need to independently monitor and track progress with transferring files.
• Reconcile and prepare hard copy case files for offsite storage or destruction, and manage communications with document storage facility, Iron Mountain. Prepare and mail letters to previous clients before destroying case files, mail case files to past clients if requested, and update Legal Server accordingly.
• Create and/or reorganize SharePoint folder structures for the program teams, and upload and organize files accordingly.
• Upload and organize training videos and materials to Children’s Law Center’s online, central Learning Management System (LMS) in ADP. As needed, help identify relevant trainings to add to LMS.
• Organize information and reference tools for use by staff, including helping to oversee the law library in the office to help ensure books and materials are catalogued and tracked appropriately.

Substantive Support

The Administrative Assistant will provide substantive support to the Legal Programs and policy team, as well as other departments, such as:

• Receive and process referrals and intakes with potential clients. This task will be client facing and require direct communication with potential clients via phone, email, and texting. This will entail conducting a screening with potential clients to help identify their legal issues, and whether Children’s Law Center can assist the potential client and family. The Administrative Assistant will also help schedule subsequent interviews between the potential client and our intake attorneys, as well as assist attorneys provide referrals, brief advice, or brief service to clients. Will also be responsible for entering intake information into Legal Server.
• When needed, receive and enter family law court referrals in the case management system and closely coordinate with Pro Bono/Family Law program director to ensure referrals are processed accurately.
• Draft and update program-specific documents and materials, as well as policy team materials.

Data Entry

The Administrative Assistant will also support the Evaluation and Learning (E&L) team on data entry, monitoring, and reporting tasks.

• Use case management system, Legal Server, to assist legal staff in entering and/or updating case and client data.
• Review and update data on legal matters in Legal Server on a regular basis, to help ensure data completeness and accuracy.
• Generate and share monthly Excel timekeeping reports with program directors, analyzing legal staff’s case and non-case time documented in Legal Server.
• Frequently monitor and update case statuses in Legal Server for legal matters funded by grants or contracts.
• Draft written summaries of matters to accompany invoices and financial reports submitted to funders. Work with program director to revise and finalize summaries.
• Help generate Excel reports to be submitted to funders and help submit data on closed legal matters to external parties and evaluators.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Proactive in asking for clarification and assistance on unclear tasks.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and demands.
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
• Knowledge of office administration, clerical procedures, and recordkeeping systems.
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills.
• A demonstrated commitment to social, economic, and racial justice.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with others.
• Excellent professional judgment and ability to maintain confidential information.
• Spanish speaking and writing skills preferred, but not required.

Required Skills and Experience

• Zero to three years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Customer service and/or experience interviewing others preferred.
• Experience with children and families with limited financial resources through work or lived experience preferred.
• Experience with document management and case management systems preferred (e.g., SharePoint, ADP, or Legal Server).
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and Word, with the ability to learn new or updated software (e.g., Asana, Canva).

• Cultural Humility – an openness to self-reflection and to understanding and respecting other cultural experiences and points of view and viewing individuals as experts in their own culture and experiences.
• Giving and Receiving Feedback – the ability to be self-reflective, give and receive appreciative, coaching, constructive, interpersonal and evaluative feedback.
• Conflict Management – a process which is designed to guide individuals and groups from the moment of conflict to the implementation of an identified solution. This process incorporates skills and techniques, including recognizing points of conflict, identifying the facts and feelings involved to get to the root of the issue, investigating equitable solutions, implementing and evaluating solutions, and supporting and guiding others throughout the process.

Salary and Benefits

The salary for this position ranges from $50,000 to $57,000 annually based on relevant experience. Children’s Law Center offers a generous benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and short- and long-term disability insurance; employer-provided retirement contributions; flexible spending plans; and vacation, sick, holiday, family and medical leave. Children’s Law Center is a 501(c)(3) organization. Employees with federal student loan debt can apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. For more information, go to https://myfedloan.org/borrowers/special-programs/pslf.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit a resume via CLC's careers page (https://childrenslawcenter.org/get-involved/careers/). Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. Children’s Law Center is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

Children’s Law Center is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. If you believe that you need accommodation to search for, or apply for, one of our positions please send an email to Jobs@ChildrensLawCenter.org. In your email, please include the accommodation you are requesting and the job title you are applying for. It may take up to three business days to receive a response to your request.

Hybrid Working Conditions

Children’s Law Center is currently operating on a hybrid work schedule. Employees are required to work in-person from Children’s Law Center’s office a minimum of two days per week. At least one of these days must be either Tuesday or Wednesday. The hybrid work schedule is subject to change based on organizational needs and/or best practices for health and safety. Hybrid work expectations may vary depending upon role responsibilities.

Background Checks

Candidates who receive a conditional offer of employment will be subject to a background check.

EEO

Children’s Law Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and existing employees. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. We invite you to visit our website to learn more about our company and our career opportunities (https://childrenslawcenter.org/get-involved/careers/).

DEI Statement

Children’s Law Center is dedicated to building a world that is inclusive in approach and has equal opportunities and equitable outcomes for all. Our organization is committed to developing and supporting a robustly diverse, equitable, inclusive and anti-racist community, where all members can create and feel a sense of belonging. Through our collective deliberate efforts, we work toward racial and social justice for children and families in DC.