Legal Administrative Assistant, Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, Competition # COPE-21-10, Thunder Bay, ON

Legal Administrative Assistant

Bora Laskin Faculty of Law

COPE, Level 8

Full Time, Permanent

Competition # COPE-21-10

Lakehead University Community Legal Services is a legal clinic within the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law that provides legal services to low income clients, as well as an experience based educational program for Lakehead Law students.  Our work includes individual case files, teaching, community outreach and public legal education.

We are seeking an energetic, highly organized, detail oriented, individual with sound judgement, and excellent interpersonal skills, to join our clinic as Legal Administrative Assistant.  The clinic provides legal services for low-income clients, in the areas of Criminal Law, Provincial Offences, Tenant Rights, Employment Law, Small Claims/Civil disputes as well as Wills and Powers of Attorney. Our clinic is staffed by a Director, Review Counsel, Legal Administrative Assistants, and law students.  Familiarity with the legal system and experience with the administration of a busy law office environment is essential.

Reporting to the Clinic Director, this position will work in a team environment alongside another Legal Administrative Assistant ensuring smooth operation of all day-to-day administrative matters at the clinic, including:

• Providing administrative assistance to the Director, Review Counsel, and law students as needed;

• Screening and referring calls and determining potential eligibility of clients;

• Acting as a resource for alternate legal and social agency referrals;

• Collating data and tracking statistics using Excel;

• File management (opening, closing, maintaining, storing, destruction);

• Assisting with document templates involving macros and merging information from file system;

• Tracking court appearances and limitation dates;

• Ordering supplies;

• Scanning and uploading documents;

• Providing ongoing support and direction to students on administrative and office practices and procedures;

• Working with our file management software (Clio);

• Creating invoices and tracking financial transactions on PC Law or similar program;

• Financial records management (bank deposits, cheque requisitions, reports);

• Generating quarterly reports as required by Legal Aid Ontario; and

• Updating the clinic’s social media and website, as necessary.

Qualifications:

This position requires someone with excellent administrative and interpersonal skills, advanced computer skills and a good knowledge of the legal system.  The ideal candidate will have:

• A post-secondary school degree or diploma (preferred) with at least 5 years of experience in a law office

   or similar legal environment;

• Knowledge of the legal system and existing legal and social agency resources in Thunder Bay;

• Excellent computer skills including a high level of proficiency with all Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel)

  as well as Google (Mail, Documents, Calendar and Drive); familiarity with Clio and PCLaw is also an asset;

• Exceptional attention to detail and a proven ability to balance multiple and competing priorities in a

  fast-paced environment;

• An ability to work independently and as a part of a team;

• A demonstrated ability in serving low-income clients and persons with disabilities in a respectful and

  sensitive manner;

• Demonstrated cultural competencies / experience serving Indigenous persons/familiarity with Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario;

• Experience with financial responsibilities (reporting / purchasing / requisitions / banking);

• Diplomacy and discretion when dealing with sensitive and confidential matters; and

• Ability to speak French is an asset.

Interested applicants are invited to submit a single PDF document quoting competition # COPE-21-10, containing a cover letter, resume and the contact information of three professional references by 4:30 p.m. on August 6, 2021 to:

Office of Human Resources

Email:  careers@lakeheadu.ca

We appreciate your interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be notified.

Lakehead University is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals including women, racialized persons, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities and other equity-seeking groups. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.  This is in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements. 

Lakehead University is committed to supporting an accessible environment. Applicants requiring accommodation during the interview process should contact the Office of Human Resources at (807) 343.8334 or human.resources@lakeheadu.ca to make appropriate arrangements.