Program Assistant V, Experiential Learning Programs, School of Law

Updated: over 1 year ago
Location: Campus, ILLINOIS
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: The position may have been removed or expired!

Job Title:

Program Assistant V, Experiential Learning Programs, School of Law

Job Summary:

The University of San Francisco School of Law seeks an organized, dependable, and responsive individual with strong collaborative skills to assist USF Law Clinics and the Externship Programs Office. The successful candidate will be an integral part of providing comprehensive office management and support and a problem-solving approach in interacting with students, attorney supervisors, judges, other legal employers, staff and other faculty. The Program Assistant V must be able to work independently in the absence of specific instructions and be customer-service-and-team-oriented.
The Program Assistant V provides administrative support for the USF Law Clinic, an in-house teaching law firm operated by faculty and students of the School of Law, and USF Law Externship Programs, both domestic and international
The Law Clinics include:
• Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic,
• Immigration and Deportation Defense Clinic
• Immigration Policy Clinic
• International Human Rights Clinic
• Internet and Intellectual Property Clinic, and
• Racial Justice Clinic
The Externship Programs consist of the Civil Law Externship Program, Criminal Law Externship Program, Tax Appeals Assistance Program, the Judicial Externship Program, and the International Summer Externship Program.
The Program Assistant V reports to the Director of Law Clinic Administration and the Director of Externship Programs with dotted line reporting to the faculty members who oversee students involved in clinical work.
The Program Assistant V is the liaison between the Clinic, the court system, service providers, affiliated attorneys as well as other city, state and federal agencies. In addition, they facilitate the interface between the students, clinic clients, the Clinic itself, and the School of Law.
Approximately 100 students participate in the Clinic during the academic year, and 100-130 students participate in the Externship Programs in the fall and spring semesters, and 15-30 participate in the domestic summer program. Approximately 25 students participate in the International Summer Externship Program.

Full Job Description:

Job Responsibilities

  • Provide comprehensive, high-level administrative office management and support.  Develop and fine-tune office work procedures to increase efficiency, consistency, maintain confidentiality, and improve record-keeping capabilities.  Maintain office inventory and order office supplies.

  • Provide quality customer service, including answering and screening telephone calls; and providing reception for clients, students, faculty and other visitors.  Serve as a point of information for faculty and students regarding the Law Clinic, Externship Program, School of Law and University administrative procedures.

  • Manage and track timesheets, assignments, attendance, program records, and student records.

  • Maintain class CANVAS sites and general program websites.

  • Track, maintain, and manage expense reports and office budgets. Facilitate honorariums, reimbursements, W-9s, Independent Contractor Agreements, Contingent Worker Contracts.

  • Manage clinic and externship physical space, including storage, filing systems, student workstations, conference rooms and administrative work areas (such as copiers/printers/fax machine).  Coordinate with the Deans’ Office and Facilities Management on any repairs or necessary projects.

  • Plan and supervise on-campus and off-campus events for Law Clinic and Externships including: calendaring, marketing, set-up, materials production, ITS coordination, catering.  Oversee parking pass coordination for guests. 

  • Manage University protocol for health conditions, e.g., COVID questionnaire. Create timely posters and announcements.

  • Other duties as assigned.

Clinic Responsibilities

  • Process student applications for following semester and register accepted students.

  • Under the direction of the clinic faculty, create and implement structural changes for the administration of all cases including the development of a confidential case management system. Independently manage all case files, including documenting all ongoing case-related events and updating all computer and hard file systems, as necessary. Coordinate the development of a case calendar and contact database, schedule follow-up documentation and correspondence, and respond to deadlines from incoming mail, faxes and telephone calls.

  • In coordination with the clinic faculty, train and assist students in management of case files and billing hours. Instruct and direct students on required procedure for production and service of legal documents. Communicate information to students as directed by the clinic faculty.

  • Coordinate required permissions and certifications for students to provide legal services on behalf of clients under the direction of supervising attorneys, including: USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office), PTLS (Practical Training of Law Students) – State Bar of California, HRA (Human Rights Advocates) and jail and prison clearance requests. Process USPTO forms and communicate with clients.

  • Coordinate training and use of technology for clinic management including Google Drive and CLIO (law firm practice management).

  • Prepare materials for clinic class work and clinic projects’ class work as directed by clinic faculty.

  • Oversee production of legal documents and correspondence, including legal memoranda, pleadings, discovery requests and responses, demand letters, subpoenas, and other court documents.

  • Update the policies and procedures manuals for the operations of each Clinic and clinic projects as needed and communicate these to students each semester.

  • Produce Law Clinic newsletter, including gathering contributions from students and faculty, editing content, and working with the Communications department to produce; maintain mailing list, student records and email distribution lists. Collect information of interest for Dean’s Monthly Update newsletter. 

  • Maintain clinic library and bulletin boards.

  • Work with law school administration to maintain the clinic security including monitoring of faculty, student and staff access to the clinic.

Externship Program Responsibilities

  • Counsel students and employers regarding Externship Program requirements.

  • Assist with preparation of class materials.

  • Maintain databases of student and employer records and update office resources, both print and electronic.  Maintain records of student assignments and required forms. 

  • Plan and organize projects concerning document production, correspondence, communications with law students and legal employers, research and report preparation.

  • Support the overall development, organization and implementation of the international summer externship program, including marketing the program to students, organizing information sessions, processing payments and expense reports, tracking student assignments, supporting evaluation of the program and other duties as required.

Minimum Requirements

  • Understanding and commitment to USF’s mission, vision, and values.

  • Post high school education preferred.

  • Training or experience equivalent to five years of increasingly responsible work experience in a senior support role or related education.

  • Successful candidate will demonstrate excellent organizational and project management skills; ability to deal with a wide variety of callers and visitors with tact and diplomacy; sound judgment, discretion, and a gracious and highly professional manner. 

  • Strong PC skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office and ability to learn new databases and systems. 

  • Outstanding verbal and written communication skills. 

  • A committed work ethic and dependability are critical to the success of this position.

  • Experience with or the ability to work with a diverse student body, faculty and staff.  Strong equity lens, cultural humility and proven ability to work well in a diverse context.

  • Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 lbs.

Full-Time/Part-Time:

Full time

Pay Rate:

Hourly

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