Legal Assistant
Legal Assistant
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Job Description
Job Category
M&P - Excluded M&PJob Profile
XMP Salaried - Unassigned Grade 02Job Title
Legal AssistantDepartment
Indigenous Community Legal Clinic Peter A. Allard School of LawCompensation Range
$4268.00 - $6129.58 CAD MonthlyThe Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge qualifications and experience for the the normal course employees will be hired transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.
Posting End Date
October 21 2025Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
OngoingAt UBC we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research innovation and learning for all faculty staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Job Summary
The Peter A. Allard School of Law Indigenous Community Legal Clinic (ICLC) exists for two purposes: first to provide free legal services to the Indigenous community in British Columbia and second to provide legal education to law students in the Allard School of Law. By enrolling in the ICLC program students interested in advocacy social justice and Indigenous peoples can gain practical experience and make a meaningful contribution to a historically underserved and marginalized community. Working at the ICLC gives students practical hands-on experience managing client files and making court appearances.
The Legal Assistant plays a key role in providing administrative leadership to ensure the ICLC works effectively to deliver advocacy and legal support to vulnerable Indigenous communities. The Legal Assistant provides leadership for the ICLC in managing its administrative relationship to Law Society of British Columbia and to the Allard School of Law.
Organizational Status
Reports to the ICLC Co-Directors of Litigation Services; takes direction from the Legal Directors and supervising lawyers.
Work Performed
LEGAL CLIENT SERVICES
Explain the function of the ICLC to people who contact the clinic by telephone or walk in.
Conduct intakes with potential clients by phone virtually or in person.
Triage Indigenous peoples into the legal support services offered within the program.
Compile and provide client intake forms to the supervising lawyers so they determine whether the ICLC can offer assistance
Open and Close Files at Supervising Lawyers request; file management.
Lead all front-end communications to all accepted and non-accepted persons; suggest alternative sources of legal assistance as required.
ADVOCACY
Under supervision of the ICLC Co-Directors and supervising lawyers:
Provide advocacy to clients primarily by telephone fax and email regarding legal issues (providing resources and referrals and legal information as directed by the supervising lawyers)
Manage administrative requirements of all ICLC client files to sensitively and confidentially support files from triage to completion
DOCUMENT PREPARATION:
Under supervision of supervising lawyer:
Assists students in the administrative tasks of the preparation of a variety of legal documents such as civil forms affidavits powers of attorney representation agreements and Wills
Directs students to practice manuals or other materials for information on proper execution certification and methods of filing and serving documents; refers students to precedents court rules regulations practice manuals practice rulings and in-house manuals.
Oversees the correct execution of all legal materials for the ICLC with the appropriate pagination tabs tables of contents pleadings provided by students or lawyer) exhibits affidavits Orders Judgments and Transcripts in their proper order as defined by the particular proceeding.
Maintains a precedent and protocol manual and creates memos on Clinic operations.
CLINICAL PROGRAM MANAGEMENT:
Coordinate the ICLCs annual student orientation and intake programs
Coordinate event speakers and lead all aspects of event coordination
Lead information sessions during student orientations to the administrative and operational aspects of the ICLC including protocols on legal intake client document processes and all other policies and procedures as necessary
Manage the complex confidential file storage of all legal documentation for the Clinic including short and long term time-frames for storage and destruction of legal files in accordance with Law Society Rules.
Manage and ensure the successful coordination of all legal meetings for the ICLC clinicians Directors and clients
Oversees the review and submission of all documentation in adherence to the Law Society to ensure regularly compliance for the ICLC.
ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT:
Manages the front desk and office of the ICLC for client intake and triage.
Answers phone calls and check voicemails.
Organizes ICLC calendars and meetings as necessary.
Organizes internal databases legal precedents and templates as necessary.
Ensure client information are entered in Clio appropriately.
Oversees all aspects of the Clinics financial management and reporting; builds strong working relationships with the Allard School of Law Finance team to ensure the successful management of the ICLC operational budget.
Prepares Law Foundation of British Columbia reports and applications including the monthly semi-annual and annual reports as well as the annual funding application working with the ICLC team.
Acts as ICLC administrative liaison with the: Allard School of Law Allard Faculty and Senior-Staff the Indigenous Legal Studies Program the Law Society; Law Foundation; Indigenous Legal Studies Program at UBC; First Nations House of Learning at UBC; Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia; Native Courtworkers and Counselling Association of British Columbia; legal practitioners and others.
Manages the physical space of the ICLC e.g. organizing building maintenance per approval.
Performs other duties as required.
Consequence of Error/Judgement
Errors in judgments during the intake process could result in the client being without legal representation. Failure to report errors could result in the client not receiving adequate representation. Failure to be sensitive to Indigenous issues and culture could result in alienation of clients or students and of the Indigenous community resulting in loss of credibility of program.
Supervision Received
ICLC Directors of Litigation Services Academic Director and supervising lawyers.
Supervision Given
Monitors the work of temporary administrative support staff.
Minimum Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Knowledge of legal procedures and terminology.
- Excellent organization management or program coordination experience.
- Familiarity working in a university setting with a focus on student learning an asset.
- Completion or working towards completion of a Paralegal certificate from a recognized institution. 1-2 years of Paralegal experience an asset.
Preferred Qualifications
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision.
- Ability to communicate and relate to Indigenous people and their communities.
- Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment handling multiple simultaneous tasks prioritizing and meeting deadlines effectively.
- Ability to work in a team environment and to take instructions.
- Ability to use own initiative and make independent decisions.
- Ability to draft routine correspondence. Ability to organize workload identify urgent work items and set priorities.
- Ability to cope with a heavy workload.
- Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to deal with distressed demanding and/or hostile clients.
- Ability to work effectively with a wide range of people including those with low incomes physical/emotional disabilities limited literacy or otherwise disadvantaged.
- Ability to exercise empathy and to assist disadvantaged clients including those with mental disabilities those with low income or those whose first language is not English.
- Ability to exercise sensitivity to aboriginal people s issues.
- A demonstrated awareness of the Indigenous communitys cultural diversity.
- Ability to exercise a high level of professionalism
Although we welcome candidates from all groups preference will be given to those of Indigenous heritage.
Employment Type
Full-Time
