Receptionist/Intake Paralegal

Receptionist/Intake Paralegal

Staten Island Legal Services (across the street from the ferry), seeks a full-time Receptionist/Intake Paralegal to join our team. This position is available for immediate start.

Staten Island Legal Services (SILS) fights poverty and seeks racial, social, and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. SILS provides high-quality, innovative representation to address the pressing legal needs of Staten Island's diverse low-income populations. SILS focuses on the problems that have the greatest impact on our clients preserving affordable and decent housing, preventing foreclosures, representing survivors of domestic violence, assisting in obtaining government benefits, obtaining immigration status and preventing deportations, and advocating for the LGBTQ community, students with educational needs and people with disabilities.

SILS is a part of Legal Services NYC (LSNYC), which is the largest provider of civil legal services in the country. We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations, elected officials, public agencies, pro bono lawyers, and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equity for all low-income New Yorkers.

LSNYC employees have numerous opportunities for growth and professional development, including access to our internal Justice Learning Center.

Role and Responsibilities

• Welcoming prospective clients and visitors to the office and directing them to the appropriate case handler or external resource;
• Answering the phones, including responding to inquiries regarding our services, directing calls, and taking messages;
• Performing preliminary intake or screening interviews, including preparation of appropriate forms, which may require occasional typing;
• Conducting screenings and intake via telephone, video, and in-person at our office and off-site to determine whether prospective clients can be assisted by our office, including obtaining necessary demographic data, initial determination of financial eligibility, and ascertaining type of problem;
• Coordinating follow-up services, including appointments, referrals, client correspondence, and gathering documents and other information;
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of our office priorities and intake;
• Maintaining familiarity with internal and external referral resources to ensure appropriate client referrals;
• Identifying appropriate referrals for people who cannot be assisted by our office, and making referrals;
• Opening and closing files for clients and ensuring compliance with program protocols;
• Distributing basic client service information materials;
• Assisting case handlers on client-related matters, including making phone calls, sending basic correspondence and obtaining information;
• Entering and tracking information in electronic format, including databases and grant management systems and other formats, running reports with the data, and assisting in preparation for audits;
• Maintaining client-related files, including copying, scanning, uploading and distributing documents;
• Interpreting, translating, and using language assistance resources;
• Sorting and distributing the mail; and
• Other tasks as assigned consistent with the collective bargaining agreement.

Experience and Qualifications

• Experience working directly with the public;
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a calm, helpful demeanor in a sometimes stressful and fast-paced environment;
• Be able to handle a busy reception desk and interact with a wide range of people including low-income clients, case handlers, and representatives of community organizations;
• Excellent attention to detail and able to meet deadlines;
• Excellent client interviewing skills (the ability to identify a client's needs quickly and accurately);
• A demonstrated passion for social justice and a commitment to working with low-income communities.
• Strong written, communication and organization skills;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and the ability to learn and adapt to new technologies; and
• Spanish language fluency is required.

Salary and benefits are determined by the Legal Services NYC Collective Bargaining Agreement. As fluency in Spanish is required, a language proficiency test and interpreter skills assessment will be administered.

All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.

Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are strongly encouraged to apply.

Dependent on work history and experience.

Salary Range

$60,000 - $83,706 USD