Part-Time Intake & Client Relations Coordinator - Hybrid Legal Role

**ABOUT OUR FIRM AND THE POSITION** This is a part-time, client-facing **administrative coordination** role for a small estate planning and estate administration law firm. The role requires careful reading, accurate written communication, calendar judgment, organized follow-through, confidentiality, and the ability to manage a busy, fluid workday without constant interruption of the attorney. * *To be considered, please include a brief note with your resume that you are seeking a* ***long-term part-time administrative*** *role and describing your experience with confidential client communications, scheduling, and file notes.* This is **not** **an attorney-track, law clerk, legal research, paralegal drafting, or courtroom role**. The person hired will not provide legal advice, analyze legal issues, draft legal instruments or pleadings, or perform attorney-level work. This role is not a fit for someone primarily seeking a legal-learning position, attorney mentorship, bar-admission pathway, substantive legal training, or frequent attorney access throughout the day. The firm provides systems, templates, checklists, and training. At the same time, the role **requires independent administrative follow-through, careful use of written procedures, and good judgment**. * **This role is best suited for someone seeking a stable, long-term part-time position and who is not looking for full-time hours and** enjoys administrative structure, client service, scheduling, and follow-through more than legal research or substantive legal work.**.** This position serves as the firm’s front-door and workflow support person. This role is responsible for handling prospective client inquiries, scheduling consultations and client meetings, maintaining accurate query and client records, coordinating signing logistics, tracking follow-up items, and escalating issues that require attorney attention. The successful candidate will be comfortable taking notes, following written procedures, using templates, keeping accurate file notes, compiling non-urgent questions, and escalating urgent or sensitive issues promptly. **KEY RESPONSIBILITIES** **Client Intake and Relations** * Respond to prospective client inquiries using approved firm templates and procedures. * Coordinate client meetings. * Use approved communication templates and adapt carefully when needed. * Communicate with clients and prospective clients in a professional, warm, and clear tone. * Maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries at all times. * Protect the attorney’s calendar by checking for conflicts and required buffers. * Coordinate logistics for signing conferences. * Promptly notify attorney of scheduling issues or client concerns. * Identify the nature of each inquiry, including matters outside the firm’s scope. * Maintain accurate query records. * Consultation management including scheduling and tracking and following-up as needed. * Escalate urgent, unclear, sensitive, or out-of-scope inquiries to the attorney. **Legal Operations Support** * Maintain matter information in practice management systems. * Track matter flow, client follow-up needs, signing logistics, and outstanding client actions. * Support probate and estate administration workflow tracking. * Enter time accurately and daily, including administrative and nonbillable time. **QUALIFICATIONS** **Required** * Prior experience in a law office, professional services office, or significant high-trust client-facing administrative role. * Strong reading comprehension and ability to follow written instructions carefully. * Excellent written communication skills. * Strong attention to detail and follow-through. * Comfort using practice management systems, calendars, email, and client portals. * Professional judgment, confidentiality, and discretion. * Ability to work independently within clear procedures. **Preferred** * Experience with legal practice management software. * Experience in client-sensitive practice area or services. * Experience managing deadlines and professional calendars. * Experience working in a solo or small-firm environment. **Important Fit Factors** This role requires someone who can: * Ask questions before making assumptions; * Maintain accurate records; * Demonstrate and use appropriate judgment; * Communicate with clients in a calm, warm, and professional manner; * Manage sensitive family and legal matters with care; * Complete routine work without constant prompting; * Understand that accuracy is more important than speed. This position is **not a good fit for someone who prefers a narrow task queue without client contact, is uncomfortable (or has a disruptive) working from home environment, is uncomfortable asking clarifying questions, or is seeking full-time employment.** Training will be provided on firm-specific procedures, but applicants should be comfortable learning and using office technology. Professional agencies, recruiters, and law students please do not contact us. Pay: $30.00 - $34.00 per hour Benefits: * Flexible schedule * Paid sick time Application Question(s): * How many years of high-trust administrative experience do you have in a law office, financial services office, medical office, accounting/tax office, trust/estate office, or other confidential professional-services setting? * Briefly describe a time you escalated an issue rather than proceeding on your own. * This role requires taking notes, documenting client/matter updates, and leaving clear status notes. Briefly describe your experience doing that. * This role requires batching non-urgent questions and interrupting the attorney only for urgent, client-sensitive, court/deadline, signing, or unclear-risk issues. Are you comfortable working that way? Please briefly explain. * This is a long-term part-time administrative role of 20 hours per week and is not intended to become full-time or attorney-track. Does that fit what you are seeking? * This role requires managing a busy and fluid workday; sometimes working from home. Briefly describe how you keep yourself organized when priorities change during the day and your work from home environment. Experience: * high-end administrative: 7 years (Required) Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chicago, IL 60611