Intake Coordinator & Legal Assistant

Job Description

The Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC) is seeking a talented professional with a knack for client relations and an eye for social justice issues to advance CVLC’s mission: to help veterans recovering from mental illness and homelessness overcome legal barriers to housing, healthcare, and income. As a national leader in medical-legal partnerships and legal aid to veterans, CVLC’s work often occurs where veterans law intersects with economic and racial justice, human rights, and mental health.

The position will have a focus on veteran engagement, applicant screenings, and client-relations. The Intake Coordinator & Legal Assistant will be joining a dedicated team of attorneys, paralegal, and support staff to serve veterans seeking civil legal aid. This is a unique opportunity for a J.D. graduate, attorney returning to the workforce, experienced paralegal, social worker or others to seek meaningful work to advance CVLC’s mission.

Job Description

The Intake Coordinator & Legal Assistant will be responsible for (1) responding to telephone and walk-in requests for legal services in a timely fashion; (2) screening veterans for eligibility, including income, basic legal issue, and legal conflicts; (3) consulting with the Intake Attorney/Pro Bono Manager about legal eligibility screenings and attorney intake scheduling, (4) gathering and entering legal documents into our case management system, (5) calendaring initial scheduling for eligible veterans, (6) working with VA clinicians to facilitate scheduling or identify alternative resources for ineligible applicants, and (7) partnering with the paralegal to assist in filing legal documents with the Veterans Administration, Department of Defense, state and federal courts. This is an opportunity to grow with our organization and assume greater responsibility in the future.

The ideal candidate is extremely organized, an effective communicator, able to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team, able to manage a reasonable volume of work and solve problems creatively, and able to successfully collaborate with other groups and organizations. CVLC is a paperless office so proficiency and high level of comfort with technology is preferred.

Because the intake coordinator will be directly working, on a daily basis, with disabled veterans applying for critical legal assistance, this is a position that requires the ability to hold space for compassion and empathy while also maintaining the ability to set clear personal and professional boundaries.

Experience working with veterans and their families, individuals facing immediate homelessness, trauma, and/or mental health issues would be beneficial. Previous experience in office administration, reception, paralegal work or a related legal responsibility is strongly preferred.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Greeting applicants seeking legal assistance, clinicians seeking legal guidance on behalf of the veterans, and pro bono attorneys using the office space.
• Interviewing and assessing client requests for legal assistance.
• Partnering with VA clinicians and physicians to provide other referral services when appropriate.
• Scheduling legal intake appointments for veterans seeking legal assistance.
• Writing professional correspondence to applicants, clinicians, and attorneys.
• Scanning, copying, and faxing legal screening documents into our case management system.
• Maintaining and organizing applicant files, referral documents, office policies and screening process documents.
• Attending and participating in VA program meetings that strengthen the partnership.
• Providing administrative support to the Intake Attorney and paralegal, as needed.

Office Culture

The office environment is client-centered, hard-working, creative, democratic, outcome-oriented and collegial.  If you loathe the idea of addressing your own envelopes, faxing your own documents or folding chairs after an event, this is not the job for you; we all pitch in as needed.

Veterans, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ individuals are strongly encouraged to apply. CVLC will make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. CVLC is proud to work with a diverse community of clients, staff, and constituents. Come join our team!

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, and legal-related writing sample to CVLC at applicants@ctveteranslegal.org. Please be prepared to share the names, title and contact information for three references if requested. The position is open until filled. We anticipate that it will be filled quickly, so please send your materials as soon as possible.