Intake Legal Assistant B024-24

LEGAL AID BC
POSTING

TO:                                   LABC STAFF (cc: BCGEU)

FROM:                             HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

POSITION:                      INTAKE LEGAL ASSISTANT

                                        ONE REGULAR FULL-TIME POSITION – VANCOUVER

COMPETITION NO:        B024-24

DATE POSTED:              May 27, 2024

CLOSING DATE:            June 10, 2024

STARTING DATE:          ASAP

SALARY:                        Job Class 10 ($55,189 - $62,968)

HOURS OF WORK:       35 hours per week, Monday to Friday
                                        This position has the option to participate in a modified work week schedule (37.5 hours/week) Monday to Friday, with the extra hours worked as one earned day off taken once every three-week scheduled cycle.

Legal Aid BC is in the early stages of, and committed to a transformative journey to embedding Truth, Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in all aspects of our work. We seek talent from equity- seeking groups, including but not limited to individuals who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Metis descent, persons with diverse abilities, gender diverse, racialized, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community be a part of this exciting stage of Legal Aid BC’s growth. We care deeply about the culture we are building and are looking for staff members who not only excel in their respective areas but are also passionate about supporting the people we serve and each other. If this resonates with you, we encourage you to apply. All interested and eligible applicants will be considered with due consideration to all protected grounds under the BC Human Rights Code. If we can do anything to make your application experience a positive and equitable one, we want to hear from you on what we can do better.

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

To provide front-line contact and intake services to the public, provide legal information, verified legal advice, assess eligibility for legal aid and may provide legal administrative support to department. This will include performing intake services through the Call Centre, at Courthouses, lock-up and other offsite locations where Legal Aid BC (LABC) services are offered. This will include performing intake services through the Call Centre, at Main Street Court house and lock-up, Port Coquitlam Courthouse, Downtown Community Court and other offsite locations.

VALUES STATEMENT:   
  
Our commitment to the principles of fundamental justice embedded in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and to Truth and Reconciliation, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is ambitious and foundational.  It informs everything we do, as we defend liberty, equality, autonomy, and dignity; as we dismantle colonization, racism, sexism, transphobia and homophobia, and all discrimination.  These are our values, and they inform our hiring practices too.  Our business is aiding people in severe legal distress and necessitates internal and external alignment of practicing these values.  Integrating Truth and Reconciliation and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion throughout every aspect of Legal Aid BC is critical to building that culture, and we prioritize ongoing resources to achieve that goal.  

DUTIES:

1.    PROVIDE INTAKE SERVICES:
a.    Provide an empathetic, non-judgemental, open-minded and person-centered approach aimed at building trust with clients in order to identify legal issues and urgency, meeting them where they are at;
b.    Practice active listening, non-violent communication, non-violent crisis intervention and de- escalation techniques in order to achieve communication and information sharing with clients facing barriers to service through a lens of Truth & Reconciliation and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion; 
c.    Use trauma informed approach to complete client intake by obtaining client information to complete legal aid application;
d.    Interview large volume of clients in person and by phone to answer enquiries, analyse and clearly identify client’s legal issue(s), urgency of issue and provide legal information / verified legal advice;
e.    Identify client’s needs and circumstances and decide on course of action, including completion of intake application, provide legal information, redirect to other LABC or community resources;
f.    Determine coverage and assess eligibility for legal aid based on legal aid coverage policies and guidelines;
g.    Explain LABC coverage and financial eligibility criteria;
h.    Keep current and be familiar with changes to policies, processes and procedures that affect clients’ eligibility to Legal Aid;
i.    Determine if eligibility criteria can be waived based on current circumstance and past practice, as
well as discuss and provide recommendation to supervisor in more complex situations;
j.    Communicate decisions on legal aid application and provide rationale for decision of legal aid applications that are not approved; and
k.    Refer complex applications to supervisor;

2.    ISSUE LEGAL AID CONTRACTS TO PRIVATE BAR LAWYERS AND STAFF:
a.    Appoint duty counsel in local courts;
b.    Conduct lawyer search and facilitate warm hand offs for clients / cases where it is difficult to obtain lawyer;
c.    Contact lawyers to arrange representation for clients; issue contracts to private bar lawyers; and
d.    Respond to follow up requests and / or issues regarding duty counsel and contracts.

3.    PERFORM DUTIES RELATING TO CLIENT CASE FILES:
a.    Review and analyse court and financial documents to determine clients’ eligibility for legal aid;
b.    Enter client and case information into client information system;
c.    Ensure information is entered accurately and appropriately in client information system;
d.    Update client information in client information system;
e.    Open, maintain and close case files;
f.    Draft routine correspondence and legal documents; obtain crown particulars etc; and
g.    Maintain bring forward system and limitation diary;

4.    PERFORM OTHER DUTIES:
a.    Provide informal orientation and training to casual and new staff;
b.    Assist in updating training materials and job aids;
c.    Provide reception coverage, as needed; and
d.    Other related duties, as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Basic Requirements
•    Grade 12 education supplemented by courses in Law, Criminology, Sociology, or related discipline
•    Minimum 2 years relevant experience as outlined in rated requirements
•    Minimum typing speed 40wpm
•    MS Word – Basic Level
•    Spelling
•    OR an equivalent combination of education and experience

Rated Requirements
•    Knowledge of court and tribunal procedures
•    Knowledge of registry practice and procedures, and civil law rules related to poverty law
•    Knowledge of community resources and other social services agencies
•    Knowledge of client information system applications, an asset
•    Knowledge of LABC policies and procedures an asset
•    Ability to work effectively with a wide range of people including those with low incomes, physical/emotional disabilities, limited literacy, or otherwise disadvantaged
•    Ability to practice cultural competency using extensive knowledge of Truth & Reconciliation and
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
•    Ability to use judgement to make decisions
•    Ability to interpret policies and guidelines
•    Ability to adapt to changing circumstances and information
•    Ability to provide excellent client care
•    Ability to deal with distressed, demanding and/or hostile clients
•    Ability to work independently, take initiative and function as part of a team
•    Ability to organize workload, identify urgent work items, and set priorities
•    Ability to cope with heavy workload
•    Ability to draft routine correspondence
•    Ability to enter data quickly and accurately
•    Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills
•    Must have a strong desire to assist disadvantaged clients, including those with mental disabilities, those with low income, or those whose first language is not English
•    Must be discreet and able to manage confidential information
•    Must be familiar with general software applications (MS Word, Outlook)
•    Second language an asset
•    Demonstrated awareness of the community's cultural diversity

This competition may require skills testing based on the qualifications for this position:

• Microsoft 365 (Office Suite) – Word
• Typing
• Spelling
• Written Assessment

Employment is conditional upon completing and obtaining clearance from the following:

•    Criminal Record Check (CRC) in accordance with the Criminal Records Review Act
•    Security clearance check by BC Corrections including a Canadian Police Information Computer (CPIC) system check

We offer (based on your employment status and affiliation):

• Four weeks paid vacation to start that grows the longer you are with LABC
• An excellent employee benefits package, where premiums are 100% paid by LABC
• A generous defined benefit pension plan
• Support for training and development
• An Employee and Family Assistance program
• The opportunity to participate in various Employee programs (Employee Wellness, etc.)
• Support for a healthy work/life balance
• Generous leave provisions (sick time, special leaves)
• 13 paid statutory holidays
• An opportunity for a flexible hybrid work arrangement for some positions (LABC reserves the right

to change this policy at any time)

• Transit friendly employer for eligible staff to have their commute subsidized
• Dog-friendly offices
• Dedicated Cultural Leave provisions for Indigenous employees
• An Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council, and Indigenous employees Council and Accessibility Committee of employees from equity-seeking groups that advises on ongoing improvements and investments in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at our workplace

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.legalaid.bc.ca

We would like to thank all external applicants for their interest but regret that only those shortlisted will be contacted.