What are the responsibilities and job description for the Legal Assistant position at Montana Legal Services Association?
Status: Non-Exempt, Part-time
The Montana Legal Services Association has an opening for a part-time (20 hours/week) legal assistant in our Butte office. The legal assistant will conduct intakes for clients, provide support for the grant-funded Staff Attorney, and provide pro se assistance to clients under the direction of the attorney. Applicants must demonstrate excellent practice skills, strong people skills, and flexibility.
Specific Duties
- Conduct intake for new clients, and coordinate communication among the applicants, clients, intake specialists, staff attorney, and project partners as applicable.
- Accept referral forms from project partners, and when possible, obtain client authorization to share information with project partners.
- Coordinate referrals to pro bono attorneys for clients or applicants when appropriate.
- Timely communicate with applicants and clients to obtain more information as needed.
- Perform conflict screening, assist applicants with forms and coordinate with intake staff in the gathering of relevant information.
- Provide overall support to project-funded staff attorney.
- Draft correspondence, discovery and simple pleadings or use appropriate MLSA forms.
- Calendar in the system case related dates and events.
- File pleadings in local courts (conventional and electronic); service of court filings and discovery; investigate, examine and analyze documents obtained from the court files, in discovery and from other sources as needed or requested.
- Assist with case file management including organizing and maintaining electronic and paper files.
- Other duties as assigned by the staff attorney and MLSA management.
Required Skills & Attributes
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to work independently with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Ability to work with diverse and low-income clients in emotionally charged situations.
- Ability and willingness to work cooperatively and collegially within a decentralized statewide law firm.
- Proficient at the use of technology, including, but not limited to, word processing, spreadsheets, internet-based programs and computer-based legal research.
- Willingness to learn and further develop technology skills and abilities.
Preferred Skills & Attributes
- Associate’s degree or paralegal training.
- Prior legal experience, but a demonstrated commitment to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion through volunteer activities and internships is valued.
- An understanding of the civil equal justice legal needs of low-income people, including the unique needs of populations that experience particular barriers to access to justice systems, and of effective approaches and methods for addressing those needs.
- Experience working collaboratively and empathetically with diverse groups of colleagues, firm partners, and clients who have varying cultural backgrounds, perspectives, experience, and expertise.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Salary : $19,000 - $22,000
