Legal Assistant – Portland Regional Office

Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO), is seeking a full-time Legal Assistant for its office in Portland. This position is eligible for a partial remote work option but will require regular in-person work at our office in Portland.

LASO is a statewide non-profit organization that represents low-income clients in civil cases. LASO’s offices serve the general low-income population throughout the state and two specialized statewide programs provide additional services related to farm worker and Native American issues. LASO is an effective, high-quality legal services program. We are committed to advocacy and litigation strategies having the broadest possible beneficial impact on problems common in our client’s communities.

LASO is actively working to build an inclusive organizational culture that centers on racial equity. We are committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a welcoming and culturally responsive environment for our staff and clients.

The Portland Regional Office of LASO serves a poverty population of more than 220,000. The office serves Multnomah, Clackamas, Hood River, Sherman and Wasco counties, a diverse service area requiring the ability to work effectively with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds. The Portland Office has adopted a race equity agenda to guide its work with clients as well as its internal operations.

The office has a strong commitment to building an inclusive, diverse workplace.

• Answer and triage incoming client calls and assist walk-ins.
• Issue spot and screen potential clients and schedule consultations.
• Provide detailed referral information to potential clients.
• Data entry and programmatic compliance support.
• Respond to staff requests for legal support.
• Meet the clerical needs of a busy law office.
• Process incoming and outgoing mail.
• File client documents internally.
• Help maintain stock of brochures and other self-help legal materials.
• Oversee ordering and maintaining office supplies.
• Other receptionist/administrative support tasks as needed.
• Maintain direct communication with multifaceted support staff team.
• Use computers as needed, including word processing, Excel, email and CMS.

We re looking for an organized and efficient person with a cheerful ability to deal with complex office procedures, works well on a dynamic team, and can handle a high volume of potential clients who may be in crisis and who are usually facing difficult problems. This role is key to the efficient operation of our law office. The primary function is client screening by answering a multiline phone system, issue spotting, and problem solving for clients seeking services.

Duties may include computer processing, data entry in several different software formats, preparing letters and documents, using necessary office equipment, communicating with co-workers, clients, staff from other organizations, answering telephones, routing calls appropriately, handling office mail and other appropriate duties. Candidates should be bilingual in English and Spanish, or another language commonly spoken by our client population. Candidates should have a minimum of 3 years of experience working in a customer service-oriented call center, law firm, legal clinic, or equivalent environment.

The position requires excellent people skills and emotional intelligence, as well as sound judgment and the ability to work independently while completing tasks with a high degree of attention to detail.

Compensation is based on a 35-hour work week. Salary range is $44,200 – 49,700 for 0-5 years’ experience; $50,800 – 55,200 for 6-10 years’ experience and $56,300 - $66,200 for 11-20 years’ experience annually; salaries are determined by relevant work experience and our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Additional compensation of $4,300 to $5,700 is available annually for bilingual ability, depending on proficiency.

Full benefits package including individual and family health, vision, and dental insurance coverage; 6% employer retirement contribution; generous paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave; and paid moving expenses.

Position…