Legal Aid Worker

Company Bio

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 will primarily be responsible for supporting the district management team with all aspects of district initiatives, projects and functions. The person in this role will report to the Manager of District Operations and will be responsible for a number of administrative activities such as monitoring the virtual duty counsel triage programs, scheduling meetings, organizing training sessions, data collection and reporting, and corresponding with internal and external stakeholders. Additionally, the person in this role will be expected to act as a backup resource for LAWs in courthouses if required.

Home Location: Toronto Provincial Office - 20 Dundas St. West

Secondary Location: Ontario Court of Justice at 311 Jarvis Street, 47 Sheppard Avenue, 10 Armoury St., 2201 Finch Ave. West, Community Legal Clinics, and any other location in Toronto where Toronto district services are provided.

Key accountabilities

Overall Support

• Assist district management team and courthouse managers with a variety of administrativetasks on a daily basis
• Supporting the district management team with the virtual triage Duty Counsel program
• Supporting the district management team with scheduling in the criminal and family courts asrequired
• Manage a high volume of work and have the ability to compile information for statisticalpurposes, analysis and reporting
• Assist with the planning and/or implementation of new district initiatives and projects
• Coordinate outreach work with Clinics and other community agencies to promote andexpand service delivery and support integrated service opportunities
• Liaise with internal and external legal service providers to ensure seamless client service
• Act as a backup resource for LAWs in courthouses if required

Panel Management And Complaints

• Support the district in managing a high volume of private bar lawyers and client complaints
• Draft letters, emails and schedule for the Director General
• Update, prepare and review reports related to roster management
• Work with other LAO departments to gather information on panel lawyers

Administrative Support

• Provide general information by responding to in-person, written and phone inquiries from lawyers, clients and other legal system partners
• Provide support to the district management team by scheduling meetings, processing monthly expenses, and other duties as assigned
• Develop agenda for regularly scheduled meetings; attend and take minutes

Stakeholder Events/Meetings

• Organize the annual Criminal Law Conference in partnership with courthouse managers
• Setup information sharing sessions with Clinics and local agencies to encourage better integration of service delivery
• Attend local fairs, legal aid events, and clinic related events as required

Required Skills & Experience

• Experience with direct client service
• Experience with criminal, family and refugee/immigration law
• Possess significant knowledge of LAO priorities, policies and procedures
• Experience with drafting letters, business notes and memos
• Project management experience
• Relevant administrative skills
• Experience with data analysis and preparing statistical reports

Technical Skills

• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of SharePoint, Excel, Outlook, Word, and MicrosoftTeams
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of PeopleSoft and other programs used by LAO
• French language skills would be considered an asset

What do we offer?

At Legal Aid Ontario, we are committed to fostering a supportive and rewarding work environment for our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment and is designed to enhance both professional and personal well-being.

We have a comprehensive health and wellness program that include dental, health and life insurance along with Basic Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance, Short-Term Disability (STD), and Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage.

Employees at Legal Aid Ontario also enjoy generous paid time-off policy including vacation days, illness days, discretionary days and statutory holidays.

Employees are eligible to be enrolled to OPSEU Pension Plan, administered by OPSEU Pension Plan Trust Fund (OPTrust).

How to apply?

Submit a résumé and cover letter.

Please clearly set out in your cover letter why you are interested in the Legal Aid Worker position, and highlight relevant experience, skills, and training that make you an ideal candidate.

Only those candidates selected for an interview will be notified.

Final candidates for this position will be required to undergo a criminal record check.

This position is represented by OPSEU and the employee will be governed by the provisions of the collective agreement and union dues will be deducted bi-weekly from date of hire.

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 résumé 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 a position with LAO?

You will need to create a profile AND then apply for the position.

Already have an Njoyn account? Just sign in and select "my jobs" to apply.

Once you have successfully applied you will receive a confirmation email.

Trouble applying? For telephone support please call View phone number on ca.workus.org or email support: ***email_hidden***.

Equity Statement

Building a diverse workforce that represents the communities we serve while promoting a safe culture and work environment that dismantles systemic barriers, welcomes fresh perspectives and embraces differences as a priority is a core value at LAO. LAO encourages applicants from equity-seeking groups, including but not limited to individuals who are First Nations, Inuit or Métis, Black and racialized, as well as persons with disabilities, women and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

We recognize the value of equity, diversity and inclusion and are committed to addressing systemic barriers, and prioritizing, 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.

Legal Aid Ontario values integrity, respect, responsiveness, excellence, independence, accountability, openness and consistency. Our recruitment process reflects our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process as well as during employment at LAO. Please direct any accommodation requests to our recruitment team.