Legal Assistant – Family Law

Ascend Justice; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 28,000 - 39,000; Part time

Job summary

Ascend Justice in Chicago, IL is seeking a part-time in-office Legal/Administrative Assistant. Responsibilities include supporting attorneys with clerical tasks, scheduling, data entry, file organization, and document retrieval.

You will liaise with clients for meetings and document drop-off, and assist with translation and interpreters as needed. Qualifications include a relevant degree or coursework, proficiency with Office 365 and Google Workspace, strong communication, and the ability to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s/Associate degree or some college coursework in a relevant field preferred.
• Previous legal assistant or intake experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Office 365 and Google Workspace required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Familiarity with various computer software and data entry.
• Must have or be willing to complete 40-hour Domestic Violence training.
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds in crisis situations.

Responsibilities

• Assist with providing administrative support to attorneys, including copying, mailing, scanning, scheduling, data entry, file organization, and retrieving court documents.
• Communicate with clients to schedule meetings and document pick-up/drop-off.
• Request and gather court, medical, and other legal documents.
• Help with translation/interpreting directly; scheduling interpreters as needed.
• Assist with case management system tasks and data entry; open profiles, prep/organize/close files, update client cases.
• Provide occasional coverage for the office front desk and process incoming mail.

Skills

Strong communication

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Data entry

Customer service

Translation/interpreting

Fast-paced environment

Education

Bachelor’s or associate degree or some college coursework in a relevant field

Tools

Office 365

Google Workspace

Job description

Ascend Justice
177 N State Street Suite 500
Chicago , IL 60601
United States

• Assist with providing administrative support to attorneys, including copying, mailing, scanning, scheduling, data entry, file organization, retrieving court documents, and other administrative tasks as assigned.
• Communicate with clients to schedule meetings and client document pick-up and drop-off
• Requesting and gathering court, medical, and/or other legal documents

Help with translation/interpreting directly.

• Scheduling interpreters for in-person interpretation, as needed.
• Assisting with case management system tasks & data entry (open profiles for return/repeat clients, prep/organize/close physical files, update client cases)
• Provide occasional coverage for the office front desk, including helping with incoming mail, as needed.

Other Responsibilities

• Actively participate in required staff meetings and training.
• Protect the organization by keeping information confidential.
• Keep abreast of the field by maintaining networks and participating in professional organizations.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Courthouse and offices are fully accessible. Some work at off-site locations may be required, and those may not necessarily be fully accessible.
• Evening and weekend work may occasionally be required.
• Part-time in-office position
• This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and scanners. Employee is regularly required to talk, hear, see, and communicate effectively via computer.
• Smoke- and drug-free environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, Associate’s degree, or some college coursework in a relevant field preferred

Previous legal assistant or intake experience preferred

• Proficiency in Office 365 and Google Workspace required
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Organizational skills and attention to detail
• Familiarity with various computer software and comfortable with data entry
• Must have completed or be willing to complete 40-hour Domestic Violence training
• Ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds who are in crisis
• Knowledge of or experience with working with survivors of gender-based or intimate partner violence
• Familiarity with principles of trauma-informed care and willingness to complete additional training
• Sensitive listener with ability to explain complex concepts
• Strong self-motivation and ability to manage multiple tasks
• Ability to work in a fast-paced legal environment
• Sense of humor

Individuals with lived experience in Ascend Justice’s areas of work are encouraged to apply

As part of the hiring process, pre-employment verification of licenses and/or reference checks may be conducted internally by the agency. We do not utilize third-party vendors for these verifications.

Ascend Justice is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ qualified individuals based on individual merit. Ascend Justice does not discriminate against any individual with respect to the terms and conditions of employment based on that individual’s race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, housing status, or any other non-merit factor protected under state, local, or federal laws. Equal Employment Opportunity applies to all personnel actions such as recruiting, hiring, compensation, benefits, promotions, training, transfer, termination, and opportunities for training. Ascend Justice is committed to a fair and equitable workplace where everyone is a respected and valued member of the team. Applicants/clients wishing to lodge a complaint about discrimination in the provision of services can do so by contacting the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. The ICJIA nondiscrimination policy can be found on the ICJIA website at http://www.icjia.org/grants/grant-resources . Applicants can also send complaints via e-mail to [e-mail]

Pay scale and benefits

Compensation: $20.00-$28.00/hour, based on years of experience