Legal Aid Worker (18 months)

This position is responsible for providing client service under the direct supervision of Manager of Legal Services. The legal worker will be responsible for the initial assessment and intake of criminal and family law client to assist in determining the appropriate service for the client, the referral to appropriate services and resources, providing basic procedural advice to criminal law clients, interviewing sureties, possible appearances in criminal set date court and other duties as assigned. Providing some administrative support for Lawyer Manager and staff duty counsel lawyers in terms of bring forward/ tickler systems, maintaining organized computer filing system for criminal and enhanced duty counsel services and communicating with certificate and per diem duty counsel lawyers.
The role may require the successful candidate to attend various court locations and in-custody facilities within the district and therefore must to open to travel.

Home location: Kenora
Secondary locations: n/a
Reporting to: Manager of Legal Services

• 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 will be made
• Interview clients to gather information about case, field telephone calls from clients, and assist the lawyer manager with client queries, referrals, requests for information etc.;
• May require to
• Maintaining tickler systems, interviewing criminal clients and potential sureties as support for staff lawyers, ability to interview criminal clients with mental health issues for intake purposes;
• Take applications for legal aid certificates. Ability to determine legal and financial eligibility based on LAO eligibility criteria and to generate certificates in accordance with office procedures and standard formats
• 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 PeopleSoft and Legal Files
• Familiarity with financial eligibility, certificate coverage and tariff guidelines;
• Travel may be required

• Excellent word processing skills;
• Familiarity and competence with basic criminal law procedural rules,
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and interview skills, and sound judgment for dealing with clients, lawyers and other agencies;
• Good understanding of criminal court processes and the rules and practice directions for all levels of court serviced by duty counsel;
• Legal worker experience in criminal law;
• Knowledge of relevant criminal law legislation;
• Ability to maintain detailed functional and theoretical knowledge of legal aid application processing rules and procedures including Appeals and Request for Review processes, financial eligibly principles and LAO policies and practices.
Maintain knowledge of PeopleSoft and other computer programs and systems;
• Ability to determine legal and financial eligibility based on LAO eligibility criteria and to perform certificate management processes in accordance with LAO policies and procedures;
• Written and oral French language skills are an asset
• Demonstrated ability to use latest communication technologies including Smartphones;
• Must have intermediate knowledge of the following Microsoft programs; Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Experience with Access would be an asset.

Organizational Competencies Expected
• Client Focus
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Personal Motivation and Accountability
• Focus on Quality and Best Practice
• Problem Solving and Judgment
• Organizational Awareness
• Teamwork and Collaboration

This position is represented by the OPSEU and the provisions of the Collective Agreement will govern the employee and union dues will be deducted bi-weekly from date of hire.

The successful candidate will be eligible to join the Ontario Public Pension Plan, and have access to comprehensive benefits package.

To apply submit a cover letter & résumé.

Only those candidates selected for an interview will be notified by email.

This position is collectively represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the successful incumbent will be governed by the provisions of a collective agreement and subject to union dues.

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.

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Trouble applying? For telephone support please call 1-877-427-7717 or email support: candidate.njoynhelp@cgi.com