Cantonese Speaking Intake Paralegal/ Client Advocate

CANTONESE SPEAKING INTAKE PARALEGAL/CLIENT ADVOCATE

(TEMPORARY)

Job Description

Legal Assistance to the Elderly (LAE) seeks an enthusiastic and compassionate paralegal or Client Advocate to join our team from April 2, 2024 through October 4, 2024.* For over 40 years, LAE has provided free legal advice and representation to San Francisco’s seniors and adults with disabilities. Our mission is to protect and advance the right of San Francisco’s seniors and adults with disabilities to be housed, healthy, financially stable, and safe. Our primary practice areas are Eviction Defense/Housing Preservation, Income Support, Health Law, Financial and Physical Elder Abuse Prevention, Debt Collection Defense, Foreclosure Prevention, End of Life Planning and Conservatorship Defense. LAE is a friendly and collaborative work environment.

*Please note that if you are graduating college senior and are available for part-time work and training in April and May, and able to start full time in June you would also be eligible for this position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Ability to speak English and Cantonese fluently
• Excellent written, verbal and interviewing skills
• Organized and able to manage projects independently
• Comfortable with case management systems and other office technology
• Patient and flexible
• Respectfulness of and openness toward those with social and cultural backgrounds different from one’s own
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (including all recommended boosters) unless the applicant has a valid medical reason for not being fully vaccinated or a sincerely held religious belief preventing vaccination

HIGHLY DESIRABLE

• Knowledge of Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog or Russian
• Interest in legal issues related to poverty and/or aging
• Knowledge of landlord/tenant law or public disability benefits
• Experience working with elderly, disabled or homeless individuals or those experiencing a crisis

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

General Purpose: To collaborate and support our Intake Attorney and intake program as well as to provide clients with limited legal services under the supervision of an attorney.

Client Services

• Conduct intake interviews with clients in-person and by phone
• Summarize and present completed intakes at weekly case review meeting
• Maintain accurate computerized client files and other documentation
• Work with San Francisco Adult Protective Services and community-based social workers to address clients’ needs
• As needed, visit clients in their homes, skilled nursing facilities or hospitals

Legal Support

• Follow-up on intake interviews: collect and organize additional documents and information as necessary, relay legal advice or referrals from lawyers to clients
• Conduct factual investigations
• Draft correspondence and other documents

WORKING CONDITIONS

The position requires working with individuals during moments of extreme stress and instability. The position also requires the provision of culturally-sensitive and empathetic services. Furthermore, because of the nature of the intake work, the employee is expected to be in the office during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM -5:00 PM, excluding lunch) and to communicate with staff regarding whereabouts when out of office during work hours. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

COMPENSATION

We offer a family friendly environment, and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries along with a generous benefits package. While this is a non-union position, the salary based on Union Scale starting at $61,000 to $71,000 (placement on scale is primarily determined by years of related experience). There is a salary stipend for fluency in a second language that is regularly used in LAE’s legal practice. This position is eligible for health insurance, sick leave and vacation accrual rate of 15 days per year. LAE’s health benefits package includes 100% employer covered medical, dental, and life insurance for employees and dependent children and up 75% for spouses

If you're having problems with submitting your documents or information, please follow the instructions below.

TO APPLY

E-MAIL RESUME AND COVER LETTER TO: hiring@laesf.org

SUBJECT: Temporary Intake Paralegal

If you find that you meet many of the qualifications in the job description, we encourage you to apply and explain in your cover letter why your experience would make you a good fit for the position. We recognize that organizations may miss out on strong applicants who screen themselves out of the process because they do not meet every qualification and that disproportionately impacts people from historically marginalized backgrounds. We know that our greatest strengths come from the people who make up our team and a welcoming, inclusive and culturally diverse staff allows us to best serve our community. We look forward to your application.

LAE seeks to fill all positions with people who share our values, including our organizational commitment to diversity. We encourage all interested individuals to apply—especially people of color; women; people from low-income backgrounds; people with disabilities; people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary; or anyone belonging to any other federal or state protected category. We believe that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity, and are committed to not discriminating on any basis prohibited by applicable law.

APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED UNTIL THE POSITION IS FILLED. THOSE SELECTED FOR AN INTERVIEW WILL BE NOTIFIED.