Student Legal Specialist - Family Court

City of New York • New York, NY

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The NYC Law Department is seeking currently matriculating law students for the position of Student Legal Specialist (Law Student) in its Family Court Division. Under supervision, with latitude for independent initiative and judgment, the Student Legal Specialist (SLS) may perform various legal support duties within the Family Court. This role is specifically for law school students and offers an opportunity to gain practical experience in legal proceedings, case management, and court appearances under attorney supervision. The position is also open to qualified persons with a disability eligible for the 55-a Program.

Requirements

• Must be a currently matriculating law school student.
• Ability to manage discovery/caseload through various stages of legal proceedings.
• Proficiency in assisting attorneys with various legal tasks.
• Experience with case tracking systems (e.g., Law Manager program).
• Ability to notify police officers and chemists using specific systems (e.g., NYPD Appearance Control system).
• Skill in scheduling appointments and managing witness statements.
• Willingness to appear in Court under attorney supervision.
• Experience interviewing witnesses and victims.
• Ability to open files, determine needed documents, and draft requests for records.
• Capability to arrange for service of process and ensure timely evidence receipt.
• Experience in conducting preliminary warrant investigations and preparing reports.
• Skills in locating respondents using various record systems (DMV, Lexis Advance, search engines).
• Ability to conduct legal research.
• Experience assisting with legal document preparation (Notices of Entry, Notices of Appeal, etc.).
• Proficiency in using computer-based programs for inquiries (LawManager, CSMS, UCMS).
• Familiarity with Outlook for communication.
• Ability to sort and distribute mail.
• Skills in retrieving, filing, and maintaining files.
• Experience archiving files using Excel and preparing them for storage.

Nice To Haves

• Qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program should indicate their interest.

Responsibilities

• Manage discovery/caseload through various stages of legal proceedings.
• Assist attorneys in the Family Court intake office with telephone inquiries, making copies of forms, rescheduling, address verifying, preparing, copying and filing of petitions, motions, orders for family court minutes, orders for 911 and other electronic recordings, escorting witnesses, picking up and distributing temporary orders of protection, subpoenas, warrants, probation referral forms, and dispositions.
• Maintain case tracking using the Law Manager program and notifying police officers, and chemists using the NYPD Appearance Control system.
• Schedule appointments for witnesses to come in and give statements/sign release forms.
• Appear in Court under the supervision of an attorney pursuant to the student practice order before Judges of the Family Court on juvenile delinquency matters at all stages of the practice.
• Interview and take statements from witnesses and victims.
• Open files and determine what documents are needed to complete the file, drafting requests to secure these records, arranging for service of process, or transmitting these requests once they have been executed and ensuring that the evidence is received within the specified deadline.
• Assist the staff attorneys in conducting preliminary warrant investigations and prepares warrant reports for filing in Court, documenting their efforts in this regard with the assistance of NYPD detectives.
• Complete investigations to locate Respondents by using DMV records, Lexis Advance and search engines.
• Assist the staff in conducting legal research.
• Assist attorneys with Notices of Entry, Notices of Appeal, Requests for Appellate Division Intervention and filing these documents with the Court.
• Assist with front desk coverage by answering the telephone and responding to inquiries using computer based programs such as LawManager, Child Support Management System (CSMS) and the Universal Case Management System (UCMS).
• Using Outlook, emails or informs attorneys by phone when witnesses, police officers or agency representatives arrive.
• Sort and distribute mail.
• Retrieve, file and maintain the file as needed.
• Archive files of overage respondents using Excel and labeling/boxing files for storage in the municipal waste.

Benefits

• Inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.
• Work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern