Administrative Legal Assistant

Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the "Western Experience" - an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and new ways to make a difference.

About Us

The Community Legal Services clinic provides free legal advice and representation to members of the community, and Western students, and is one of the premier and progressive student legal clinics in Canada. Over 100 student caseworkers and volunteers serve hundreds of clients in the London area each academic year under the supervision of an experienced and dedicated group of lawyers. We are funded by Legal Aid Ontario, the Law Foundation of Ontario, Western's University Students’ Council and the Faculty of Law.

The central mission of Western Law is to educate students in the core areas of Canadian law, in analytical skills and in effective legal research, writing and advocacy. We will also provide students with opportunities to apply their legal knowledge and to gain experience in group work, dispute resolution, and leadership skills development.

Responsibilities

The Administrative Assistant will provide support for a variety of administrative processes to facilitate the smooth and effective operations of Community Legal Services (CLS) reporting to the Director of CLS, Faculty of Law. The role will serve as a resource and point of contact via phone, email and in-person, for current and potential clients, and other stakeholders, by analyzing situations and identifying issues using standard criteria, responding to inquiries, providing referrals, or re-directing inquiries as appropriate. The Administrative Assistant screens potential clients to see if their legal issue aligns with the areas of law that are practiced at CLS and if they meet various eligibility criteria. The role will perform a range of tasks ensuring that deadlines and schedules are met, including coordinating meetings for, and providing administrative support to, Caseworkers, Review Counsel and clients, ensuring that meetings are prioritized and scheduled based on time sensitivity and importance, and facilitating the review, format, and preparation of legal documentation and correspondence to be sent externally from CLS. The Administrative Assistant may also provide administrative support for the Director of CLS, helping to coordinate and organize the overall operation of CLS. The Administrative Assistant is responsible for creating, maintaining, and managing specialized client databases and filing systems; filing legal documents with the appropriate court offices; tracking court appearances and limitation periods; coordinating support services as required (including interpreters); compiling and tracking statistical information for reporting to Legal Aid Ontario; and providing administrative support for projects as required. The Administrative Assistant uses the latest software and technology and supports the design and optimization of administrative processes for CLS.

Qualifications

Education:

• 2 year Community College Diploma in Legal Administration or related program

Experience:

• 2 years of experience providing administrative support and client services in a legal office environment

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of general legal terminology
• Verbal and written communication skills to clearly express ideas in an objective manner, and adapt communication style to suit the situation and audience
• Demonstrated ability take initiative, to work independently and follow through on work assignments
• Ability to apply active listening to hear and understand the complete message being communicated
• Competency to maintain confidentiality and treat sensitive information with discretion
• Ability to establish rapport with people from diverse backgrounds
• Demonstrated ability to understand and resolve external and internal partner issues
• Ability to maintain a positive, outgoing attitude with genuine customer service orientation
• Ability to follow formal business practices with high attention to detail
• Ability to multi-task and maintain an organized and effective personal work environment
• Adapts readily and effectively to changing priorities and demands
• Personable and courteous in working relationships with colleagues, students and the public
• Ability to demonstrate patience and focus to complete detailed administrative tasks
• Ability to interact professionally with current and potential clients, members of the CLS team, and other members of the University community
• Ability to work independently and effectively as a member of the team to achieve department goals
• Intermediate proficiency required in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams) in order to prepare formal correspondence, emails, and input departmental data into spreadsheets and databases
• Familiarity with software applications used by Western preferred – e.g. Client database and intake systems (such as Clio Manager, Clio Grow), Zoom, Adobe
• Familiarity with Western policies and guidelines preferred

Union Statement

Western welcomes applications from all qualified individuals; however, it is the university's policy to give first consideration to all qualified UWOSA applicants.

Western Values Diversity

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.

Please Note:

This position is an existing vacancy. This position is fully in-person, on-site. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.