Family Law Advocate Assistant

Job content

JOB POSTING
November 23, 2023

Family Law Advocate Assistant

12 hours per week until November 30, 2024

Position Summary:
To provide support to the Family Law Advocate regarding client intake interviews and documentation, file management, database upkeep and legal research.

Qualifications:

• Education, Training and Experience
• Post-secondary education or equivalent education or training in paralegal, Family Law or a related Human/Social

Services field

• Excellent communication skills
• Minimum of three (3) years recent related experience, specifically in professional office environment.

Job Skills and Ability

• Strong communication skills.
• Strong organizational and file management skills.
• Experience with client and professional ethics.
• Strong understanding of Provincial and Federal Privacy regulation.
• Strong computer and other technological literacy.
• Ability to learn and understand the Legal community and Social Services available in the Upper Fraser Valley region.
• Ability to work independently as well as seek assistance, advice and/or direction as appropriate.
• Maturity and capacity to communicate with and manage a demanding and varied client list.
• Demonstrated ability to establish trusting relationships.
• Appreciation for diverse personalities and cultures and the various issues that bring to the Family Law Advocate practice.
• Appreciation for key social, ethnic and economic issues that may play a role in client’s access to justice.
• Ability to communicate with various client types with diverging backgrounds, ethnicities and language bases.
• Strong reading comprehension: allowing for understanding and navigation of BC Family Law Statutes (Family

Law act, Divorce Act, Child and Community Services Act along with the Federal Child Support Guidelines andSpousal Support Guidelines).

• Some knowledge and/or understanding of Family Law issues and child protection.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Field incoming client calls and gather information to determine eligibility for the program.
2. Conduct initial intake to gather information required for program data base.
3. Open files and maintain in databases as per Law Foundation requirements.
4. Establish and maintain Excel spread sheets on key advocate data initiatives.
5. Assist and/or complete Legal Aid online applications as required.
6. Gather case related documentation needed and input into the data base.
7. Document where and who the referrals are coming from and enter into the data base.
8. Assist with various file management upkeep including, but not limited to, documenting client interaction/conversation details and key information.
9. Personal and sensitive case specific information to be kept confidential and private with discretion used at all times.
10. Assist Family Law Advocate with legal research related to and required for BC Provincial and Supreme Court applications/responses. – Statutes, caselaw searched online using some data bases and general searches.
11. Explain court language and process to clients during intake and during the course of service.
12. Assist Family Law Advocate with the creation and presentation of Public Legal Education sessions.
13. Maintain confidentiality and security requirements as outlined by Chilliwack Community Services and the Law

Foundation of BC’s Family Law Advocate ‘Scope of service’.
14. Complete any training as required.
15. Perform other relevant duties as may be required.

General:

• Wage rate as per BCGEU Collective Agreement, Unique – Grid 10 (536 Points) - $25.05 (Under Review).
• This position requires Union membership.
• This position is open to all persons.
• This position requires successful completion of a criminal record check.
• This position reports to the Advocacy Services Coordinator.

Please mention the name of the job position you are applying for in your cover letter.

NO phone calls. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

Please submit your cover letter and resume to:
Human Resources
Chilliwack Community Services
45938 Wellington Avenue, Chilliwack, BC V2P 2C7
Fax: 604.792.6575 Email: careers@comserv.bc.ca

Closing Date:12:00 Noon, December 07, 2023

Job Type: Part-time

Salary: $25.05 per hour

Expected hours: 12 per week

Work Location: In person