fbpx Job opening: Legal Assistant | Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy

Reports To:   Senior Legal Assistant
Job Status:   Full-time, Hourly Non-Exempt

Salary Range: $40,000- $45,000 annually DOQ.  This is an hourly position that earns $40,000 - $45,000 per year, based on a 36-hour work week.

 

To Apply: Please send your resume and cover letter to hr@mncenter.org by October 20th, 2023 for priority consideration. The position will remain open until filled. You must submit all materials directly to this email address.

 

About MCEA

Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy uses law and science to protect Minnesota’s environment, its natural resources, and the health of its people. We work at the legislature, in the courts, and with public agencies to enact, strengthen, and enforce smart environmental laws. We currently work across different program areas: Water, Climate, Northeastern Minnesota, and Healthy Communities.

At MCEA we respect the individual strengths, views, and experiences of all employees and understand that we thrive in our differences. We are committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in our culture, policy, and practice.

 

Position Summary

The legal assistant provides essential support to MCEA’s legal team, as well as general administrative support to MCEA staff. The successful candidate will have a front-row seat for cutting-edge legal work that is shaping environmental policy across the state. The organization has dozens of projects and legal matters in progress at any given time on a wide range of topics including climate change, water quality, threats from mining pollution and persistent pollutants. The legal assistant is a key part of our work to protect the environment and the health of Minnesotans.

Supporting MCEA’s legal work is 70-80% of the job. The legal assistant also has the opportunity to work with MCEA staff outside of the legal team and learn about the full breadth of work happening within the organization.

MCEA is currently a hybrid workplace. This position will report to the office 2-3 times per week. Each month there are required in-person meetings.

 

Areas of Responsibility

 

Legal:

  • Work with MCEA attorneys to review, format, and file/serve briefs, comments, discovery, exhibits, and testimony with courts or agencies and also prepare materials for hearings.
  • Maintain organization of legal/project files (primarily electronic), track discovery filings, ensure confidential data is adequately protected, and maintain indices as necessary.
  • Maintain and manage various administrative tasks for the legal team,including opening and closing legal matters, maintaining licenses and registration, and handling invoices.
  • Attend Legal Committee and Legal team meetings and take minutes/notes.
  • Prepare and submit freedom of information act or data practices act requests as directed.
  • Perform research on case dockets and other topics/matters as requested.

 

General Administrative:

  • Office support such as in-office technology support and logistics, miscellaneous office supplies tracking, and backup for answering the main phone line.
  • Staff Hiring assistance: upload job postings for all MCEA open positions, monitor, track, and review applications. Assist with onboarding as necessary.
  • Provide back-up administrative support for non-legal MCEA staff as needed: schedule meetings, help with note taking or meeting minutes, submit event registrations.
  • As needed, assist in developing and drafting organizational policies; sit on committees of interest; support outreach activities and development initiatives.

 

Performance Criteria

  • Positive contribution to the creation of a diverse, equitable, inclusive team-oriented work environment that celebrates differences.

  • Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize, plan ahead, follow-through, and meet deadlines.
  • Good working relationship with MCEA staff, clients, partners, experts, outside counsel, and representatives from affected communities.
  • Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.
  • Attention to detail and good communication skills.

 

Required Experience and Qualifications

  • Strong typing, writing, editing and proofreading ability.

  • Detail-oriented with good follow-through on assigned tasks.
  • Strong organizational, time management, and document management skills.
  • Ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks independently and within a team project.
  • Ability to communicate progress on projects and alerting others of unforeseen issues in order to problem solve in a timely manner.
  • Some legal or administrative assistance experience.

 

Preferred Experience and Qualifications

  • Knowledge of electronic filing and service procedures in administrative proceedings, state and/or federal courts.

  • Familiarity with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Gmail and Google Calendar, Slack, and Zoom.
  • Familiarity with document management systems and project management software
  • Commitment to MCEA’s mission of using law, science, and research to protect Minnesota’s natural resources, wildlife, and the health of its people.
  • Commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and culture that values differences.

 

Pay & Benefits:

We believe everyone deserves consideration, regardless of where you went to school, where you grew up, and what opportunities you’ve had in the past. MCEA is an equal opportunity employer. MCEA highly values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud to support our employees through a range of strategies, including generous benefits for employees and dependents, paid family leave, and others. This position is an hourly, nonexempt position. 

MCEA strives to create a mission-focused work environment that is equitable and inclusive. The annual pay range for this position is $40,000 - $45,000 DOQ.

A full workweek at MCEA is 36 hours, and we are closed on Friday afternoons. The annual pay range listed above assumes a 36 -hour work week for an hourly employee.

 

To Apply

Please send your resume and cover letter to hr@mncenter.org by October 20th, 2023 for priority consideration. The position will remain open until filled. You must submit all materials directly to this email address.