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 supporting the mandate of the West District including the provision of duty counsel services in Owen Sound criminal and family courts and the summary legal advice programs and occasional support for the Goderich Duty counsel services as needed. The Legal Aid Worker (LAW) works with their manager, staff lawyers, and other LAWs to provide direct client service and administrative support in a busy client service environment. The legal aid worker will be responsible for the initial assessment and intake of criminal and family law clients to assist in determining the appropriate service for the client, the referral to appropriate services and resources, providing basic procedural advice to criminal and family law clients, interviewing sureties, possible appearances in criminal set date court, drafting documents for family and criminal clients as needed, and other duties as assigned. LAWs provide some administrative support for the staff duty counsel lawyers in terms of bring forward/ tickler systems, maintaining organized computer filing system for criminal (SI) and communicating with certificate and per diem duty counsel lawyers.
The LAW will be required to conduct intake interviews with clients, perform ongoing case management, participate in community and stakeholder outreach and will help support and implement Legal Aid Ontario initiatives and priorities.
Home Location: Owen Sounds Courthouse
Other Location: Goderich Courthouse
Reporting to: Manager, Legal Services
Key accountabilities
- Assessment of the client need to determine the appropriate service for the client, including the early identification of vulnerable clients so that the appropriate service and referrals can be made, under the supervision of staff lawyers;
- Interview clients to gather information about case, field telephone calls from clients, and assist the lawyer manager and staff lawyers with client queries, referrals, requests for information etc.;
- Maintaining tickler systems, conflict checking systems, file records, file organization, court filing
- Perform office administration tasks such as data input, ordering supplies, maintaining files, scheduling per diem duty counsel and other tasks as assigned
- Familiarity and competence with proper maintenance of client data base, computer information databases such as service integration, conflict of interest systems, file tickler systems, and basic principles of criminal and family law;
- Familiarity with financial eligibility, certificate coverage and tariff guidelines;
Intake
- Triage and assess client needs, including early identification of vulnerable clients, to determine the appropriate service for clients and make referrals to appropriate services.
- Provide general information, including procedural legal information on the status of legal aid applications, appeals, and referrals.
- Perform intake by interviewing clients (in-person, phone, video) to gather necessary information (case history) required for decision making.
- Make entitlement decisions (including ongoing eligibility) based on LAO’s financial and legal eligibility policies and guidelines.
Direct Client Services (Criminal and family law)
- Provide services for the Walkerton, Goderich and Owen Sound courthouse locations or summary legal advice programs in the West District as needed including client intake, administration and supporting duty counsel/staff lawyer services.
- Triage and assess client needs, including early identification of vulnerable clients, to determine the appropriate service for clients and make referrals to appropriate services.
- Assist duty counsel/staff lawyers by providing clients with public legal information including procedural legal information and referrals to appropriate legal services.
- Assist clients/duty counsel with bail hearing process (i.e. interview sureties).
- Assist clients/duty counsel with routine administrative matters (i.e. adjournments in criminal court, Service Integration data entry, managing communications for Duty Counsel , etc.).
- Draft documents family court under the direct supervision of a lawyer including financial statements, Applications, Answers, Motions to Change and simple affidavits.
- Provide supports for clients receiving representation through staff lawyer services.
Client Management
- Communicate with and respond to clients, lawyers, and other legal system partners in-person, by phone, video, and through written correspondence.
- Perform outreach with stakeholders and other community agencies to promote and expand service co-ordination opportunities. This may include attending local stakeholder meetings.
- Liaise with private bar lawyers, duty counsel, mental health workers, and other court workers and administrative staff.
- Identify and elevate issues/service trends/community events and seek guidance from management when necessary.
Administrative Supports
- Support and assist with administrative functions (duty counsel scheduling, approving duty counsel accounts, and collecting/compiling information for statistics/performance measures).
- Assist with the training and development of other district staff including cross-training of duties to ensure coverage for staff absences.
- Perform other duties as required. This may include assisting with special projects and project implementation.
Required skills & experience
- Prior experience in similar or related role.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for dealing with clients, lawyers and other agencies with the proven ability to exercise judgment when encountering stressful situations including the early identification of vulnerable clients so that the appropriate service and referrals can be made.
- Ability and willingness to appear in court on behalf of clients under the supervision of staff and managing counsel.
- Proven ability to learn and adapt to new or modified policies and procedures.
- Demonstrated commitment to client service and relationship building skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team.
- Possess experience in criminal court setting and some knowledge of relevant legislation such as the Criminal Code of Canada and YCJA.
- Possess knowledge of the family court setting and some knowledge of relevant legislation and Rules such as the Family Law Act, Divorce Act, Children Youth and Family Services Act, Family Responsibilities Act
- Possess significant knowledge of LAO priorities, policies and procedures.
- Intermediate to advanced computer skills, including familiarity and competence with proper maintenance of client data base, computer information databases such as PeopleSoft.
- Well-developed interview skills.
- Ability to communicate in French is an asset.
- Ability to maintain detailed functional and theoretical knowledge of legal aid application processing rules and procedures.
- Ability to determine legal and financial eligibility based on LAO eligibility criteria and to generate certificates in accordance with office procedures and standard formats.
- Demonstrated ability to use latest communication technologies including smartphones, tablets, and videoconference systems.
- Must have intermediate knowledge of the following Microsoft programs; Outlook, Word, and Excel.
As per the requirements of the Collective Agreement governing this position, first consideration is given to current OPSEU member applicants.
Only those candidates selected for an interview will be notified.
Please note that all applicants are encouraged to provide a valid email address for communication purposes. Applicants may receive written correspondence regarding this job posting directly to the email address provided on their resume or to the one used to set up their Candidate Profile if applying on Njoyn. As an applicant, it is your responsibility to ensure that you check your email regularly.
First time applying to LAO? You will need to create a profile AND then apply for the position.
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Once you have successfully applied you will receive a confirmation email.
Trouble applying? For telephone support please call 1-877-427-7717 or email: candidate.njoynhelp@cgi.com.
Legal Aid Ontario values integrity, respect, responsiveness, excellence, independence, accountability, openness and consistency. Our recruitment process reflects our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Accommodations are available upon request.
Legal Aid Ontario encourages applicants from equity seeking groups, including but not limited to individuals who are First Nations, Inuit or Métis descent, persons with disabilities, women, members of racialized communities and the 2SLGBTQ+ community. We recognize the value of diversity, equity and inclusion and are committed to addressing systemic barriers, and 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.
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