ABOUT LEGAL AID OF SONOMA COUNTY

Legal Aid of Sonoma County (LASC) has been providing legal services to low-income Sonoma County residents since 1958. Our mission is to promote social justice and advance human rights for vulnerable members of our community. While our core legal services include Domestic Violence, Elder Law, Housing, Veterans' Benefits, and Child Abuse Prevention, we also provide a range of legal services including limited family law and expungements to clients referred by the County's Human Services Department. LASC collaborates with a network of community partners including immigrant service centers, homeless service providers, local government, and senior centers.

SUMMARY:

This role is responsible for providing case management and administrative support to the Veterans Benefits Program, helping low-income and homeless veterans access the benefits, housing, and employment resources they are entitled to. This involves conducting client intake and triage, preparing legal documents and VA forms, gathering and organizing military, medical, and employment records, and maintaining accurate case files and data in LASC's client database (Legal Server). This role also supports community outreach and client scheduling, and researches relevant statutes, decisions, and legal materials to assist attorneys in case preparation. Given the high-volume, deadline-driven caseload, this position requires strong organizational judgment in prioritizing work and is a key support to the Veterans Benefits Attorney.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct initial client triage and interviews.
• Assist Veterans Benefits Attorneys with preparation of legal documents and supporting evidence, including but not limited to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) forms, legal briefs, and correspondence.
• Assist attorneys in collecting information such as military, employment, medical, and other records.
• Schedule meetings with clients; maintain timely correspondence with clients.
• Schedule ongoing community outreach events and informational clinics.
• Set up case files and enter new client cases into LASC's client database (Legal Server). Maintain up-to-date case notes, time reporting and client demographic data in Legal Server. Follow legal case protocols and maintain organized case files.
• Close completed cases in Legal Server and enter appropriate legal outcomes.
• Maintain organized paper and electronic filing systems, including records in the VA's Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS), and provide the assigned attorney with complete case information and updates as needed.
• Track and manage case deadlines for the assigned attorney.
• Assist Veterans Benefits Attorneys with administrative and other tasks as assigned, including but not limited to transcribing documents, detailed record review and oral reporting of information and record review.
• Gather and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, and legal articles, codes, and documents.
• Complete specialized projects such as data compilation: o Enter data into computers for use in analyses and reports. o Compile statistics from source materials, such as production records. o Compile spreadsheets that describe and interpret data.
• Maintain regular communication with community partner organizations.
• Receive referrals from community partners and refer clients to appropriate community resources as needed.
• Attend regular community partner meetings.
• Prepare agendas and minutes for team meetings.
• Provide front desk and phone coverage as needed, including management of the program's main phone line.
• Other tasks as assigned to support program or agency.

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent communication skills including ability to relate to diverse client and attorney population via telephone and in person.
• Ability to work with a demonstrated sensitivity towards individuals who have experienced trauma and mental health symptoms.
• Excellent organizational and case management skills.
• Working knowledge of computer applications, including Microsoft Office and database programs.
• Must be flexible, work well under pressure, with ability to organize and prioritize work effectively with great attention to detail, including timely case management and a commitment to accurate and on time data and time keeping reporting.
• Valid CA Driver's License and proof of current automobile insurance required. Experience Desired, but not required:
• Previous experience working in a law office or working with clients in a non-profit organization.
• Previous experience in legal services and/or demonstrated commitment to public interest law work or to legal services for the poor, disabled or elderly, is strongly preferred.
• Bilingual in

English and Spanish Physical Demands:

(Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with differing abilities to perform the essential functions).

• Frequently required to sit, talk and hear. Occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl and walk.
• The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 lbs.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Expected Hours of Work/Travel:

• This is a hybrid position based out of the Santa Rosa office, eligible for remote work up to 1 day per week after 90 day introductory period.
• Travel for this position may occur throughout Sonoma County for outreach events, community meetings, or client appointments.
• Ability to work outside of regular hours on occasion for outreach events or meeting deadlines.

BENEFITS

Legal Aid of Sonoma County provides a dynamic and supportive work environment and an excellent benefit package for full-time employees, including company-paid health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, long-term disability, and life insurance, along with an employee assistance program through Telus Health on the first of the month after the hire date. Eligibility for 401K participation after one year of continuous employment, and very generous paid vacation/sick/holiday leave policies. Note that the benefits package is for the employee only; employees may elect to add dependents at their own cost. Note that all employment at LASC is "at will". LASC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

TO APPLY

Please submit a Cover Letter and Resume to Chase Kerrigan at ckerrigan@legalaidsc.com. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Pay:

From $26.00 per hour Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching AD&D insurance Dental insurance Employee assistance program Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Retirement plan Vision insurance

Language:

Spanish (Preferred) Ability to

Commute:

Santa Rosa, CA 95404 (Required)

Work Location:

In person