As a publicly funded, non-profit organization, Legal Aid Alberta provides affordable legal services in family law, domestic violence, child welfare, immigration, and youth and adult criminal defense. We are Alberta-wide, with 300 staff and 1,200 private practice lawyers helping people overcome their legal challenges in more than 75 communities across the province.
Who You Are
Working at Legal Aid Alberta means you care about people and empathize with their situation. You have excellent communication skills especially in tough situations. You’re computer-savvy and more organized than anyone you know. Fast-paced work environments give you a rush and you’re always up for a challenge. You love learning new things, solving problems, and can adapt to change quickly. You care deeply about the success of our team and our organization.
Job Description
Reporting to the Office Manager, some of the key responsibilities of the Legal Assistant are to:
Prepare and manage a large volume of internal and external legal documents, correspondence, and materials in a variety of hard copy and electronic formats.
Gather, analyze, and organize information provided by clients, opposing counsel, and other third parties for active files or court docket lists including legal, financial, and other documents.
Liaison for communication and correspondence between clients and colleagues on active files.
Open and close client files, inclusive of initial conflict check.
Maintain files on database and in hardcopy.
Manage calendars, book appointments, schedule court dates, file diararization, and prepare supporting materials.
File documents with court and oversee court running of documents to and from LAA offices to the courthouse.
Maintain various documents for tracking work completed on legal files and recording of file statistics.
Coordinate the official service of legal documents on opposing or third parties, or the court.
Commission documents as required.
Prepare draft invoices and statement of account.
Coverage for administrative duties as required.
Participate in meetings as required.
Other duties as directed by management.
Qualifications
Education and Experience:
Legal Assistant Diploma or Certificate.
Minimum 2 years of experience supporting multiple criminal litigation lawyers.
Experience using JOIN database and/or Remote Court Scheduling (RCS) is an asset.
Knowledge and Skills:
Knowledge of legal support processes.
Candidates with family law experience will be considered an asset
Computer literacy, including MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and Legal Files.
Experience in accurately maintaining a database.
Experience using various office equipment (printer, copier, fax etc.).
Demonstrated time management and the ability to deal with conflicting priorities and deadlines.
Excellent written and verbal communication, and interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement.