Client Service Specialist (24 months)

Legal Aid Ontario; Canada; Remote; CAD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness program

Paid time off

OPSEU Pension Plan

Disability coverage

Job summary

Legal Aid Ontario is seeking a remote Tier 2 Client Lawyer Service Centre agent to interview applicants by phone and chat, assess legal and financial eligibility, and issue or refer for services accordingly.

You will work from home under the supervision of the Team Manager, Client and Lawyer Support Centre, handling sensitive cases with professionalism and accuracy.

Qualifications

• Excellent customer service skills with empathy in difficult client situations.
• Ability to elicit and process information to determine eligibility.
• Strong verbal and written communication for interviews.

Responsibilities

• Assist callers in a contact centre, determine eligibility for legal aid.
• Interview applicants to collect legal/financial information.
• Explain access to non-certificate services and guidance.
• Enter and maintain client files in CRM and other tools.
• Escalate issues to LAO departments when needed.

Skills

Customer service

Interviewing

Verbal & written comms

Multitasking

CRM software

Microsoft Office

Online chat support

Tools

CRM software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Company Bio

Legal Aid Ontario employees are committed to making a difference in the lives of our clients.

As an integral partner in the Justice system, working at Legal Aid Ontario is more than just a job. It's an opportunity to help people who need it the most; to ensure each client receives the access to justice afforded to them under the law.

If you are looking for a new challenge in your already meaningful career with a team dedicated to justice, and innovation in a flexible and supportive work environment consider this opportunity below.

Primary function

This position is responsible for providing Tier 2 Client Lawyer Service Centre (CLSC) services to clients who choose to access Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) by telephone and online chat. This includes interviewing legal aid applicants over the phone to obtain the legal and financial information necessary to decide whether a legal aid certificate should be issued, or if alternative service is appropriate.

This is a 100% Work from Home position.

Reporting to: Team Manager, Client and Lawyer Support Centre

Key accountabilities

• Assisting callers in a contact centre environment and by providing assistance in priority sequence
• Determine applicant’s legal eligibility for legal aid service, following advanced guidelines set out in LAO’s policy and procedures
• Actively solicit and analyze applicant’s financial eligibility for legal aid service, based on understanding of the applicant’s financial details and LAO’s policies and procedures
• Making a decision whether or not to issue a legal aid certificate, based the applicant’s legal and financial assessment, and LAO eligibility policies
• Explaining where, when and how to access non-certificate services available to applicants, including, local legal service centres, legal clinics, duty counsel, and the lawyer referral service
• Clarifying status of specific legal aid files, in response to telephone inquiries from clients
• Entering and maintaining client files and details in customer relationship management (CRM) software, spreadsheets, databases, and other tools
• Responding to queries and complaints in a professional, courteous manner and providing referrals to appropriately address requests for further information
• Documenting client issues and escalating to other LAO departments as appropriate
• Identifying areas of improvement and voicing ideas to help build a strong foundation for a client service delivery structure grounded in best practices
• Working with exposure to emotionally charged situations and distressing or traumatic content for example, providing support to agitated clients or hearing disclosures of traumatic experiences
• Performing back office file review, decision making and processing duties for certificates and/or contribution agreements
• Other related duties as required

Required Skills & Experience

• Excellent customer service skills with the proven ability to empathetically manage difficult client relationships while effectively resolving outstanding issues or problems
• Ability to efficiently elicit and process the necessary information from a diverse clientele, reasoning out and making sound judgements around eligibility
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a demonstrated aptitude for interviewing
• Organizational skills with excellent attention to detail and the ability to multitask
• Knowledge of the larger social justice network in which LAO operates
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Software
• Experience in supporting clients in an online chat environment is considered an asset

Organizational Competencies Expected

• Client Focus
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Personal Motivation and Accountability
• Focus on Quality and Best Practice
• Problem Solving and Judgment
• Organizational Awareness
• Teamwork and Collaboration

Additional Requirements

A dedicated computer system with all required software will be provided to successful candidates throughout their employment, including an Ethernet cable that will need to be connected to an employee provided high-speed home internet connection.

Requirements

Sufficient actual bandwidth must be available during business hours in addition to any personal use in the home. Minimum employee home internet requirements include:

• Supported: Cable, DSL and Fibre
• Not Supported: LTE, Satellite or Wireless
• Recommended Minimum Internet Package Posted Speeds: Download: 75 Mbps/Upload: 20 Mbps
• Actual required speeds during business hours: Download: 25 Mbps/Upload: 10 Mbps

The candidate’s existing internet provider and package will be validated during the pre-screening process, based on the physical address provided for the candidate’s remote work location. In some cases, employee internet speeds may need to be increased in order to meet business needs.

Mandatory Training Schedule

Currently, the virtual live mandatory training is scheduled between (full participation is required):

• Monday, November 23, 2026 - Wednesday, December 16, 2026
• Tuesday, May 25, 2027 - Thursday, June 24, 2027

What do we offer?

At Legal Aid Ontario, we are committed to fostering a supportive and rewarding work environment for our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment and is designed to enhance both professional and personal well-being.

We have a comprehensive health and wellness program that include dental, health and life insurance along with Basic Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance, Short-Term Disability (STD), and Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage.

Employees at Legal Aid Ontario also enjoy generous paid time-off policy including vacation days, illness days, discretionary days and statutory holidays.

Employees are eligible to be enrolled to OPSEU Pension Plan, administered by OPSEU Pension Plan Trust Fund (OPTrust).

Protected Employment Conditions

Final candidates for this position will be required to undergo a criminal record check.

This position is represented by OPSEU and the employee will be governed by the provisions of the collective agreement and union dues will be deducted bi-weekly from date of hire.

Note: If a permanent employee, currently represented by OPSEU, is the successful candidate for this opportunity, they will return to their home position at the conclusion of this assignment, if the position continues to exist.

Equity Statement

Building a diverse workforce that represents the communities we serve while promoting a safe culture and work environment that dismantles systemic barriers, welcomes fresh perspectives and embraces differences as a priority is a core value at LAO. LAO encourages applicants from equity-seeking groups, including but not limited to individuals who are First Nations, Inuit or Métis, Black and racialized, as well as persons with disabilities, women and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

We recognize the value of equity, diversity and inclusion and are committed to addressing systemic barriers, and prioritizing, attracting and retaining diverse staff. All interested and eligible people will be considered, with due consideration to all protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Legal Aid Ontario values integrity, respect, responsiveness, excellence, independence, accountability, openness and consistency. Our recruitment process reflects our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process as well as during employment at LAO. Please direct any accommodation requests to our recruitment team.