The University of Chicago Law Schoolâ™s Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid Clinic (Clinic) seeks a Legal Assistant to provide legal, administrative, and communications support to a group of Clinical Law Professors/attorneys and their law students. The Clinic teaches and trains law students to serve as advocates for people typically denied access to justice, provides legal assistance to clients in state and federal court, and works to reform the legal system and government policies.
Responsibilities:
Preparing and filing legal documents in civil and criminal cases in state and federal courts and international tribunals, including electronic filings.
Assisting with civil and criminal discovery.
Handling correspondence and coordinating meetings.
Organizing and maintaining electronic and paper files and databases.
Searching electronic dockets.
Issuing discovery and record requests.
Drafting and coordinating production of public education materials, including, blog posts, updates to website and press releases.
Conducting basic searches in and retrieving documents from legal databases such as Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg Law.
Proofreading, copyediting, and formatting legal and policy documents.
Organizing and coordinating logistics for workshops, conferences, and events, including an intensive trial practice workshop.
Providing support for faculty teaching responsibilities, including but not limited to: uploading course materials to Canvas, our learning management system, conducting basic research, coordinating conference calls and individual/team meetings, and preparing recommendation letters.
Preparing expense reimbursements, and tracking expenditures.
Assisting in preparation of grant applications, tracking grant expenditures, and assisting in grant reporting.
Developing marketing and promotional content regarding clinic activities.
Coordinating and arranging travel.
Other duties as assigned.
Competencies:
Superior computer, database, and Internet skills; including experience with Excel, Outlook/other email applications, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, organizational, writing, proofreading and formatting skills.
Ability to work closely and effectively with multiple supervising attorneys and students.
Ability to take ownership of projects, take initiative, and manage diverse tasks efficiently and independently.
Ability to handle confidential information with absolute discretion.
Strong work ethic, strong problem-solving skills, sound judgment.
Efficiency, persistence, creativity, excellent attention to detail.
Education, Experience, or Certifications:
Education:
High School Diploma or GED required.
Bachelor's Degree strongly preferred.
Experience:
Administrative assistant experience preferred.
Experience working in a law-related context preferred.
Experience with trial software, time-tracking applications and design software preferred.
Technical Knowledge or Skills:
Knowledge of general office procedures and practices.
Ability to keep records; assemble and organize data and prepare and submit reports in acceptable formats.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat and ability to navigate web-based systems.
Ability to learn a range of position-related software applications.
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:
Ability to bend, crouch, or stoop.
Ability to carry or lift loads up to 49 lbs.
Ability to sit for 8 hours or more.
Ability to use computers extensively for 4 hours or more.
Ability to stand for 4 to 8 hours.
Flexibility to work in alternative areas as needed.
Willingness to work occasional overtime hours to meet court filing deadlines.
Pay Range:
$22.62-$30.07 per hour.
Required Documents:
Resume/CV
Cover Letter
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