Legal Administrative Assistant
ROCHESTER, NY
Employment Status: Full-Time (In Office)
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
I. Organization Information
Empire Justice Center, a diverse and highly respected, statewide legal services organization, seeks a Legal Administrative Assistant for our Rochester Office. This is an opportunity to join and grow in one of the most influential organizations serving marginalized low-income individuals and families in New York State.
Empire Justice Center attracts and employs a diverse team of dedicated, determined, and passionate advocates who significantly impact the lives of low-income New Yorkers. We succeed through direct legal representation high-impact litigation, and legislative and administrative advocacy. Additionally, the organization provides top-notch training and technical assistance to other advocates to ensure fairness and justice for New Yorkers. The organization thrives on our commitment to supporting justice for populations historically and currently experiencing high levels of oppression. These populations include racially diverse individuals and families experiencing poverty, housing insecurity, immigration issues, and domestic violence. Additionally, the organization advocates for people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and school-age children facing discrimination and violations of their civil rights in schools.
With offices in Rochester, Albany, Westchester County, and Long Island, our organization offers staff an exciting and dynamic inclusive working environment with a strong commitment to work/life balance, teamwork, diversity, wellness, and personal/professional development.
II. Position Summary
Empire Justice Center is pleased to announce the opening of a Legal Administrative Assistant position to provide comprehensive administrative support to assigned legal staff in our Rochester office.
III. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
• Preparing and editing legal documents;
• Interacting professionally within the organization and with varied external contacts;
• Prioritizing assignments and preparing often sensitive and detailed correspondence;
• Entering attorney time and assisting with preparing attorneys’ fee demands and tracking attorneys’ fees;
• Providing administrative support to the Chief Legal Officer, Director of Litigation, and other attorneys, as needed;
• Effectively obtaining familiarity with routine office procedures and forms to respond appropriately to detailed inquiries;
• Effectively establishing and maintaining well-organized files, while managing the integrity of original client documents;
• Scheduling appointments, making travel and/or meeting arrangements, and maintaining business calendars as instructed;
• Maintaining confidentiality, assuring work product is accurate and presented professionally, and making efforts to foster a positive rapport with all internal and external contacts;
•Professionally answering, screening, and placing calls and responding to email and website inquiries; recording and communicating messages according to appropriate procedures;
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by your supervisor and/or to meet the organization's needs.
IV. Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)
• Proficiency in the use of document management systems.
• Ability to follow and convey instructions effectively with a high degree of courtesy and tact.
• A minimum of 3 years related work experience working in a law firm or legal services organization supporting multiple attorneys.
• Advanced use of MS Word and Outlook, proficiency in the use of Excel and PowerPoint, and ability to quickly learn other applications.
• Ability to draft routine correspondence, perform basic mathematical calculations, and maintain and organize record-keeping and filing systems.
• Ability to efficiently proof and edit non-routine correspondence, legal documents, reports, and tables for typographical errors and sentence structure.
• Intermediate to advanced computer aptitude in using various features of multiple software programs (including word processing (footnotes, redlining, copying/pasting, and comparing documents) and spreadsheets).
• High level of communication skills requiring social sensitivity and willingness to gain extensive knowledge of procedures to communicate effectively with staff, management, attorneys, and clients.
V. Preferred Qualifications
• Bilingual in Spanish
VI. Salary
Salary is dependent on years of experience and based on the organizational pay scale. The beginning salary for this position, with 3 years of experience, is $30,784, and the salary for this position with 14 years of experience is $46,800.
VII. Benefits
We are an organization that supports and encourages a work/life balance. Empire Justice Center offers a generous benefit package including:
• Health insurance (employer pays 100% premium for a high quality, co-pay insurance plan).
• 403(b) eligibility with 1% employer match and additional employer contribution.
• 3% Non-Elective Annual Contribution made by Empire Justice Center.
o Benefit eligible after 12 months of employment.
• Generous vacation, sick, personal, and holiday time
o 14 Paid Holidays
o Vacation PTO: 10.5 Hours/Month; Sick PTO: 7 Hours/Month; Personal PTO: 5 Days/Year
• Bilingual salary enhancement for qualifying employees.
• Loan Repayment Assistance Program.
• Voluntary Supplemental Disability.
• Dental Insurance (employee paid).
• Vision Insurance (employee paid).
• $150K Group Term Life Insurance.
• Genorous Bereavement Leave.
• 35-hour full-time work week.
• NYS Short-Term Disability.
• FSA Eligibility.
Empire Justice Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and strongly desires a diverse and inclusive workforce. Empire Justice Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. It prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type, specifically - race, color, religion, age (40 or older), sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, disability status, genetics, neurodiversity, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
TO APPLY: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. If interested, e-mail a resume, writing sample, and contact information for three professional references aware of this application to employment@empirejustice.org. Please include “Legal Administrative Assistant, First/Last Name” in the subject line of the email. No phone calls or hard copies, please.
If reasonable accommodations are needed, please contact Mercedece Love, Human Resources and Compliance Coordinator at mlove@empirejustice.org. Empire Justice Center is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Empire Justice Center ensures that persons with disabilities and/or communication barriers are provided with reasonable accommodations.
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