Receptionist

ArchCity Defenders seeks a Receptionist to serve as the first face of the organization on the phone via written correspondence or in person with clients staff board members volunteers and other partners and community members.

ABOUT ARCHCITY DEFENDERS:

ArchCity Defenders (ACD) is a holistic legal advocacy organization that combats the criminalization of poverty and state violence especially in communities of color. ACDs foundation of civil and criminal legal representation social services impact litigation policy and media advocacy and community collaboration achieves and inspires justice and equitable outcomes for people throughout the St. Louis region and beyond.

ACD envisions a society liberated from systems of oppression where the promise of justice and racial equity is realized; communities where our approach to public safety prioritizes investment in well-being health and transformation without relying on criminalization and incarceration; and people living freely in their communities thriving regardless of their race or income.

ACD and its partners in the organizing and advocacy community are at the center of efforts in the St. Louis region to:

• Re-envision public safety promote community well-being through policy change and hold public actors and institutions accountable for misconduct through litigation and zealous holistic representation.

• Challenge a system of policing courts and jails designed to meet municipal financial needs and criminalize poverty rather than the needs of those they purport to serve.

• Engage in litigation and collaborative advocacy designed to bring abusive practices to an end and empower those communities that have been targeted by such practices.

ROLE OVERVIEW:

ACD seeks a dynamic and creative individual with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff of attorneys paralegals social workers community organizers and media and communication advocates who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of poverty and involvement with the legal system.

For the Receptionist position we seek a skilled and self-motivated professional to work alongside ACD staff members to ensure consistent communication administrative support and timely access to information resources and legal representation. The individual will report to ACDs Managing Paralegal Dom Hussain.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with attention to detail.

• Able to set priorities work quickly and meet deadlines in a busy nonprofit civil rights law firm.

• Comfortable working with applicants or clients who are in stressful or crisis situations.

• Efficient work style problem solving skills and the ability to exercise good judgment.

• Proficient in spelling punctuation grammar and other English language skills.

• Must be committed to ACDs mission.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Greeting applicants clients and visitors and answering inquiries.

• Answering and routing incoming calls on a multi-line telephone system.

• Welcoming visitors and providing information about the application or representation process.

• Maintaining the waiting area lobby or other public areas.

• Data entry and other office tasks like scanning photocopying faxing and filing documents.

• Collecting and routing mail and hand-delivered packages.

• Prepare and manage correspondence standard legal documents intake assessment case notes grant-specific documentation and/or evaluation metrics.

• Help attorneys and paralegals with projects as needed.

• Facilitate positive working relationships between clients attorneys and paralegals.

• Knowledgeable about the services of the organization and able to route calls and inquiries to the right staff members.

• Identify emerging or changing trends in the types of legal assistance requested by prospective clients.

• Provide resource information to help applicants including referral resources to other agencies and the private bar when applicable.

• Understand and maintain client confidentiality and attorney-client privilege and act to support the highest level of confidentiality in communications with applicants clients and the community.

• Embrace and support ACDs overall mission standards policies and procedures and confidentiality guidelines as well as adhere to the legal professional responsibilities that underpin the organization.

• Perform other duties and projects as required by management.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills: able to work well with a wide range of people and cognizant of how identity dynamics inform and shape interactions with clients partners and colleagues.

• Demonstrate resourcefulness and ability to take initiative in development and completion of projects.

• Able to work collaboratively as well as independently.

• Strong organizational and time management skills.

• Able to handle competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Demonstrate dependability through good attendance and adherence to timelines and schedules.

• Able to deal with ambiguity effectively cope with change shift gears comfortably exercise discretion and judgment and handle risk and uncertainty.

• Good problem-solving and analytical skills.

• Able to learn and use legal case management systems.

• Strong proficiency in computer applications.

• Able and willing to continue professional development.

• Knowledge of the St. Louis region is a plus.

This is a full-time in-office position with benefits including health/dental/vision coverage 401(k) with partial match YMCA membership parental and sick leave paid continuing education or professional development opportunities and 26 days of PTO each year plus holidays. The salary for this position starts at $50000 with annual salary review or cost-of-living adjustment.

ArchCity Defenders is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from

people of color persons with disabilities women LGBTQIA and gender non-conforming applicants.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Priority will be given to candidates who apply by Monday December 15 2025.