Legal administrative assistant

Neighbourhood Legal Services

We’re Hiring a Legal Administrative Assistant! We are hiring a legal administrative assistant for our intake team, with a focus on supporting the work of our Health Justice Program (HJP), in partnership with the St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team and our sister specialty clinics Aboriginal Legal Services, ARCH Disability Law Centre, and the HIV and AIDS Legal Clinic of Ontario. The HJP is a signature medical-legal partnership (MLP) led by Neighbourhood Legal Services (NLS). As one of a few MLPs in Canada, it provides embedded legal services within a large urban Family Health Team. The twin goals of the HJP are to facilitate access to justice as a means of improving key social determinants of health.

NLS is a community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario under the Legal Aid Services Act, which has been serving the legal needs of low‑income residents of the downtown east neighbourhoods of Toronto since 1973. Our lawyers & paralegal practice in the areas of housing, income security, and immigration law. We enjoy a partnership with other Toronto clinics which brings an itinerant employment lawyer in once a week as well. Through still further partnerships with Pro Bono Students Canada, the HJP also offers a limited-capacity clinic for simple wills and powers of attorney.

Our clients are low income and often live with disabilities or face other barriers to accessing services. We are looking for a self-motivated individual to join our intake team who:

  • Enjoys working with the public;
  • Is a clear verbal and written communicator and able to work within a team;
  • Is able to sensitively accommodate the customer service needs of people from diverse backgrounds;
  • Is able to work independently while appropriately vetting and bringing matters before our licenced practitioners;
  • Has an attention to detail to ensure information entered into our Client Information Management System is accurate and complete;
  • Has experience (or interest in learning) in drafting correspondence, affidavits and legal materials under supervision.
  • Has experience (or interest in learning) in the health care and/or legal aid systems

This is a full-time permanent position in a unionized workplace. We are advocates for equity and are committed to ensuring representation in our community. We welcome applications from members of visible minorities, women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. Please send your application including 1) Cover letter; 2) Resume; 3) Contact information for 3 references, and 4) Any reference letters to our Intake Team Manager Asiya Hirji at hirjia@lao.on.ca by 5:00 pm on Friday, September 18th, 2020. We are hoping for a start date on or around October 5th, 2020.