Referral Counselor (Legal)

REFERRAL COUNSELOR (Legal)

Remote work opportunity - Full-time or part-time
FLSA Status: Exempt
 
The New York City Bar Association (City Bar), founded in 1870, is a voluntary association of lawyers and law students. The City Bar’s mission is to equip and mobilize a diverse legal profession to practice with excellence, promote reform of the law, and uphold the rule of law and access to justice in support of a fair society and the public interest in our community, our nation, and throughout the world.
 
THE POSITION
Do you enjoy finding ways to help others who need legal assistance? Would you like to work remotely from your home 100% of the time (with the option to attend a few in-person meetings per year)?
 
We are in the business of public service. For more than 75 years, we have made it our mission to help individuals and businesses find the right lawyer to meet their legal needs. Established in 1946, the New York City Bar Legal Referral Service (LRS) is the oldest lawyer referral service in New York State, and the first one in New York City approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
 
Will consider full-time or part-time candidates (part-time candidates must be able to work at least 21 hours/week, including all afternoons from 2:00 - 5:30 p.m. and at least one full day per week) for this opportunity.
 
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY include, but are not limited to:

• Respond to high volume of calls and emails from the general public

• Triage legal issues and direct clients to participating lawyers and other legal resources

• Provide basic legal information to the public

• Achieve and maintain general knowledge of New York law and legal resources available to New Yorkers

• Other duties, including legal research, public relations, marketing and public outreach, as assigned

• At least one year of employment in a legal environment/organization 
• JD or LLM from U.S. law school (preferred from an ABA-accredited law school)

• General knowledge of New York law and legal resources available to New Yorkers preferred
• Excellent phone manner, customer service and written/verbal communication skills
• Must be able to deal effectively with challenging individuals 

• Ability to stay calm in stressful situations

• Strong database and PC skills, especially in Microsoft Office 365 products (will be required to take skills-based technology assessments as a condition of and prior to being hired)
• Bilingual preferred
• Must be eligible to work in the U.S.

COMPENSATION/BENEFITS
Starting annualized salary will be $53,000 - $60,000 (based on experience) for full-time employment (generally working 35 hours/week) or prorated for part-time employment. The LRS Department at the City Bar is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Eastern time zone) and is closed daily from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Starting/ending time varies by schedule.
 
We provide a competitive benefits package, for full-time employees, which currently includes generous paid time off (vacation, personal, sick time, holidays including closing between Christmas and New Year’s day, day off each year for volunteer work, extra time off in summer), choice of medical plans, dental, vision, 401K, life insurance, Employee Assistance Program, short-term/long-term disability insurance, employee discounts, and complimentary City Bar membership/many CLE programs/City Bar events. Part-time employees are eligible for a limited benefits package.
 
HOW TO APPLY:
In addition to completing the questionnaire and submitting a resume, we strongly recommend that qualified candidates submit a cover letter explaining their specific interest in this role and in public interest work generally.
 
We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and unique experiences to apply, especially those candidates belonging to historically under-represented communities. We welcome diversity of all kinds. It is the policy of the City Bar to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, disability, arrest or conviction record, pregnancy, credit history, salary history, caregiver status, marital status, partnership status, or status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking and sex offenses, religion, sex, genetic information, military status, unemployment status or any other characteristic as protected by law. With regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other related laws. The City Bar will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations for persons due to their religious beliefs, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition or because the individual was a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking.