Legal and Administrative Assistant (Bilingual)

DC Affordable Law Firm (DCALF) is rooted in the conviction that income should never be a barrier to justice. Founded in 2015 to help close access to justice gaps in the District of Columbia, DCALF serves an expansive range of hardworking DC residents unable to afford market-based legal services, including modest-income residents whose household incomes put them just beyond the limits of traditional legal aid and low-income residents navigating unmet legal needs. Through innovative programming and a commitment to equity, DCALF delivers no cost and low-cost legal services in family law, probate, estate planning, and immigration, bridging the gaps in DC’s civil justice system and delivering transformative legal services that empower DC residents to thrive.

Across the past decade, DCALF has solidified its role as a mainstay DC legal services organization with a staff of 30 and a strong network of institutional partners and pro bono volunteers. DCALF serves more than 500 clients annually, reaching hundreds more through community education and outreach across DC. DCALF’s award-winning annual fellowship programs play an essential role in expanding access to justice, empowering recent law graduates to become skilled public interest attorneys and lifelong champions for justice.

Since its founding in 2015, DCALF has launched the careers of over 60 passionate, diverse public interest attorneys through its Signature LL.M. Fellowship Program, thanks to enduring partnerships with Georgetown University Law Center and the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law.

Position Overview

DCALF seeks a full-time, bilingual (Spanish/English) Legal and Administrative Assistant to support our team of attorneys and provide administrative assistance in support of DCALF’s office management and operations.

The successful candidate will be adept at building relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds, has a strong sense of empathy, organization, and professionalism, is able to work independently to meet time-sensitive deliverables, and is committed to supporting our organization’s race, diversity, and equity initiatives. In addition, the selected candidate must be comfortable working with individuals navigating emotional and high stakes issues in immigration, probate and estate planning, and family law realms. The anticipated start date for this position is February 2026. Specific duties include, but are not limited to:

Case Management and Client Communication 

• Promptly answer incoming calls, take messages, and regularly monitor the general DCALF email account;
• Manage the intake process for DCALF’s legal services programs, including family law, immigration, estate planning, probate, and Heirs’ Property; 
• Conduct intake and conflict reports of potential clients in English and Spanish, screen clients for eligibility for services, and provide referrals when appropriate;
• Provide legal support for attorneys, including interpretation and translation to and from Spanish for client meetings, phone calls, correspondence, documents, court and government submissions, and hearings/interviews;
• Assist with compiling, organizing, and securely sharing case files with clients, to ensure timely and accurate distribution; and 
• Assist attorneys and supervisors with other case-related tasks as needed.

Office Management, Administration, and Community Outreach 

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legal and non-legal resources in the DMV region, maintaining and updating referral resources as needed; 
• Oversee and manage the firm calendars, ensuring accurate scheduling of internal meetings, trainings, and other key events; 
• Coordinate conference room reservations and facilitate external visitor arrangements, including scheduling, check-in, and workspace setup as needed;
• Assist with internal office operations, including ordering supplies, monitoring supply inventory, mail processing, and organization of physical office files;
• Maintain and update office procedures and templates to reflect current policies, workflows, and best practices; 
• Support the Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer, Legal Director, and Operations Manager on administrative tasks as needed;
• Provide coverage for other support staff, including the FLAN Hotline Intake Specialist, DCALF Law Clerk, and other legal assistants, as needed to ensure continuity of office operations and client support; 
• Be available to come into the office for a minimum of three days/week; and
• Attend other external meetings or community engagement events on behalf of DCALF, as required.

Qualifications 

• Fluency in Spanish required; fluency/proficiency in other languages a plus;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively in various situations and with a wide range of stakeholders;
• Ability to work well under pressure, multitask, and adapt in a fast-paced environment. Aptitude to interact with individuals with diverse backgrounds with patience and compassion, including people of limited means or who have experienced trauma;
• Strong organizational abilities with a detail-oriented and deadline-driven approach to work;
• Team player with the ability to foster strong relationships with clients, colleagues, partner organizations, and government agents;
• Demonstrated growth mindset, with a willingness to learn, receive feedback, and develop skills to enhance job performance and support the organization’s mission;
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Word, Outlook, and Excel) required;
• Proficiency with Clio and/or NetDocuments a plus;
• Active listening skills, with the ability to give full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made and asking questions as appropriate;
• Commitment to diversity, inclusion, and race equity; and
• Availability for periodic evening and weekend events. 

Work Environment 

DCALF is currently working in a hybrid remote/in-person model. Due to this position’s responsibilities, the selected candidate may initially be required to work in-person at DCALF’s offices five days per week. The candidate will have the opportunity to transition to a hybrid schedule, with a minimum of three in-person days per week, while remaining flexible to work additional in-person days as needed to support office operations, provide coverage for other staff, or facilitate in-person collaboration. This is a non-exempt, full-time position, Monday-Friday. This position may also require regular attendance at in-person community engagement events outside of working hours, in the District of Columbia.

This job description is not necessarily an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements, or working conditions. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the position or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.

DCALF offers the following benefits: 

• 401(k) retirement plan with 3% employer match. 
• Medical insurance and elective dental and vision insurance options. 
• Generous paid leave, including vacation, sick, and personal days, winter break closure (Christmas – New Year’s), Thanksgiving break, and all Federal and local holidays. 
• Paid parental/family leave through the DC Paid Family Leave Program. 
• Ongoing training opportunities. 

Fluency in written and spoken Spanish and English required; fluency/proficiency in other languages a plus