Austin, Texas, United States · On-site
$42k–$53k/yr
Job DetailsJob Location: TRLA-AUSTIN - Austin, TX 78751Salary Range: $41,765.00 - $53,269.06 Salary/yearTexas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) provides free civil legal services to residents in 68 Southwest Texas counties and …
Skills: Clerical support, Legal documentation, Notarization, Data entry, Conflict of interest checking
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The legal assistant will handle clerical office matters, maintain client files, and prepare standard pleadings for attorneys. They are also responsible for managing office equipment, coordinating schedules, and communicating with clients and other legal professionals.
Candidates must have at least two years of secretarial experience and a typing speed of at least 45 words per minute. Proficiency in both English and Spanish is required, and a high school diploma or equivalent is preferred.
Job DetailsJob Location: TRLA-AUSTIN - Austin, TX 78751Salary Range: $41,765.00 - $53,269.06 Salary/yearTexas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) provides free civil legal services to residents in 68 Southwest Texas counties and represents migrant and seasonal farm workers throughout the state and in six other southern states. TRLA serves about 23,000 clients each year. However, more than 2.6 million residents of Southwest Texas are considered eligible for TRLA services, a ratio of almost 21,000 potential clients per legal aid lawyer. As a result, thousands of low-income Texans still lack access to civil legal representation.
TRLA has an opening for a Legal Assistant in its Austin office. The candidate should be detail-oriented, punctual, self-driven, able to work on multiple assignments at once, and responsive to the legal needs of low-income persons. The work schedule is Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., plus additional hours if occasionally requested to meet deadlines. Duties of the legal assistant include, but are not limited to, the following:
Type, file and handle all clerical office matters for the casehandlers to whom assigned;
Maintain client files and applications and complete assigned work on case files within the required time frame;
Make copies of documents as requested;
Create files for all new cases;
Notarize documents;
Maintain office law library;
Communicate with clients and other lawyers as requested;
Coordinate schedules and maintain case requirements calendar of casehandlers, as requested;
Prepare standard pleadings for review by attorneys;
Set hearings, depositions and other appointments with clients and other attorneys as requested;
Compose routine correspondence;
Obtain information from data base and check conflict of interest;
Make appropriate disposition of applications as instructed by assigned attorney;
Answer office telephone as required, and take messages for other staff;
Handle incoming and outgoing mail, ensuring that all income mail is distributed to the appropriate parties and that outgoing correspondence is prepared in time and is placed in the appropriate location for mailing;
Assist in overflow work to ensure smooth office operations;
Maintain office equipment by replenishing toner in copiers and printers when necessary and refilling copier and printer paper trays as needed; and respond to equipment breakdowns, distracting office conditions and other office conditions requiring management attention;
Maintain office supply inventory and requisitions supplies and office equipment when necessary;
Maintain trust accounts according to standard accounting procedures, including typing of trust account checks or receipts or reporting, whichever is assigned by the branch manager;
Orient new employees on office procedures and briefs employees on policy and procedure changes;
Coordinate staff leave and travel arrangements for staff;
Translate;
All other secretarial duties as may be requested by the immediate supervisor.
Qualifications & Preferences
Type minimum of 45 words per minute;
Experience with word processing
Preference given to persons with high school degree or equivalent;
Minimum of two years secretarial experience;
Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Justice begins here.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid provides free legal services to people who cannot afford an attorney in 68 southwestern counties, including the entire Texas-Mexico border. TRLA attorneys specialize in more than 45 areas of law, including family, employment, disaster assistance, landlord-tenant, housing, education, and civil rights. TRLA was initially formed in 1970 to provide legal services to poor people, primarily farmworkers, in a handful of South Texas counties. Our continuing work with migrant and seasonal workers now extends to all of Texas and has expanded into Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. With our commitment to providing high-quality legal services and empowering communities, we are working to ensure that justice truly begins here.
Offices: 301 S Texas Ave, Mercedes, Texas 78570, US · 123 N 6th St, Alpine, Texas 79830, US · 4920 N Interstate 35, Austin, Texas 78751, US · 331A N. Washington St., Beeville, TX 78102, US · 1206 E. Van Buren St., Brownsville, TX 78520, US
Justice begins here.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid provides free legal services to people who cannot afford an attorney in 68 southwestern counties, including the entire Texas-Mexico border. TRLA attorneys specialize in more than 45 areas of law, including family, employment, disaster assistance, landlord-tenant, housing, education, and civil rights. TRLA was initially formed in 1970 to provide legal services to poor people, primarily farmworkers, in a handful of South Texas counties. Our continuing work with migrant and seasonal workers now extends to all of Texas and has expanded into Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. With our commitment to providing high-quality legal services and empowering communities, we are working to ensure that justice truly begins here.
Offices: 301 S Texas Ave, Mercedes, Texas 78570, US · 123 N 6th St, Alpine, Texas 79830, US · 4920 N Interstate 35, Austin, Texas 78751, US · 331A N. Washington St., Beeville, TX 78102, US · 1206 E. Van Buren St., Brownsville, TX 78520, US
