Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Justice Case Manager Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Justice Case Manager Assistant supports attorneys, case managers, and multidisciplinary teams in delivering client-centered legal and social services. This role combines administrative legal support, client intake and assessment, court liaison duties, record management, and coordination of community resources. Ideal candidates are organized, trauma-informed, culturally competent, and experienced with case management systems and court processes. Keywords: justice case manager assistant, court support, case coordination, client advocacy, legal intake.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Legal administrative assistant or paralegal support roles.
Community outreach worker or intake coordinator in nonprofit/social services.
Juvenile justice or corrections support staff, probation clerk.

Advancement To:

Case Manager / Senior Case Manager (legal or social services).
Paralegal or Legal Case Coordinator supporting litigation or defense teams.
Court Liaison / Court Services Coordinator.
Program Coordinator or Supervising Case Manager within justice-related programs.

Lateral Moves:

Victim Advocate or Victim Services Coordinator.
Reentry Specialist or Probation Support Officer.
Benefits Specialist or Social Services Coordinator.

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct comprehensive client intake interviews and eligibility screening, documenting presenting legal and social needs, risk factors, and immediate safety concerns using trauma-informed interviewing techniques and the organization's case management system.
Maintain and manage a caseload of open files, ensuring client files are complete, up-to-date, and compliant with organizational policies and legal confidentiality requirements (HIPAA and privacy best practices).
Draft, proofread, and prepare legal correspondence and basic pleadings (noticing, subpoenas, intake letters, court packet materials) for attorney review; ensure all documents meet filing timelines and jurisdictional formatting rules.
Schedule and coordinate client court appearances, hearings, and attorney meetings; manage court calendars, confirm logistics, prepare clients for proceedings, and arrange transportation or interpreters as needed.
Provide targeted case coordination by linking clients with community resources (housing, behavioral health, substance use treatment, employment services, benefits enrollment), tracking referrals, and following up to monitor outcomes.
Perform benefits and public assistance application support, including intake for SNAP, Medicaid, SSI/SSDI, and local emergency assistance programs; assist clients with documentation collection and submission.
Conduct client safety planning and crisis intervention, including assessing imminent risk, coordinating emergency services, and providing de-escalation to support client stabilization.
Support attorneys and senior case managers with legal research basics, evidence collection, witness contact and statements, and assembling exhibits and case chronologies for hearings or trials.
Maintain rigorous deadlines by calendaring critical legal and administrative dates (statutes of limitations, court-imposed deadlines, appointment dates) and proactively reminding team members and clients.
Enter and update high-quality client data and case notes in case management databases (e.g., Apricot, Penelope, Clio, Legal Files), ensuring records are accurate, auditable, and searchable for reporting and compliance.
Prepare regular status reports, demographic summaries, and case outcome documentation for supervisors, funding partners, and grant reporting purposes.
Facilitate multi-disciplinary team meetings and case conferences by organizing materials, circulating agendas, summarizing action items, and tracking follow-through on service plans.
Perform outreach and engagement to re-establish contact with clients who have barriers to consistent communication, using culturally competent engagement strategies and multiple outreach methods (phone, SMS, in-person, mail).
Assist with intake and diversion programs by screening for program eligibility, documenting diversion plans, and coordinating alternative-service pathways to reduce re-arrest or deeper system involvement.
Provide basic advocacy in systems navigation (courts, probation, child welfare) by communicating client needs to agency contacts, negotiating reasonable accommodations, and escalating issues to supervisors when systemic barriers arise.
Maintain confidentiality and ethical boundaries while handling sensitive client information, ensuring secure storage and restricted access to protected documents and client communications.
Track client compliance with court-ordered requirements (community service, treatment attendance, restitution) and prepare compliance summaries for attorneys and court submissions.
Coordinate interpreter and translation services for clients with limited English proficiency and ensure informed consent forms and service agreements are accessible in client-preferred languages.
Support data quality and program evaluation by collecting outcome metrics, administering client satisfaction surveys, and participating in quality improvement initiatives.
Conduct client follow-up and aftercare planning to support long-term stabilization, including referrals to employment programs, transitional housing, and peer support networks.
Assist in witness and victim support, including safety assessment, court accompaniment, and referrals to trauma-informed counseling resources.
Monitor and track incoming legal notices, mail, and electronic filings, distributing to relevant team members and ensuring timely action.
Assist in preparing materials and logistical support for community legal clinics, Know-Your-Rights workshops, and pro bono outreach events.
Maintain vendor and partner coordination (treatment providers, housing partners) by documenting MOUs, tracking service capacity, and escalating service gaps to program leadership.
Implement and follow organizational risk-management protocols, such as reporting obligations for mandatory reporters, incident documentation, and chain-of-custody procedures for client evidence.

Secondary Functions

Support audits and compliance reviews by producing case file slices, uploading supporting documentation, and responding to information requests from funders or auditors.
Participate in continuous improvement and case management system optimization projects by documenting workflow pain points and testing new templates or forms.
Provide training and onboarding support for new staff on intake procedures, confidentiality requirements, and use of the case management platform.
Assist program leadership with grant deliverables and data pulls for funding reports, including extracting KPIs and summarizing client outcomes.
Coordinate transportation logistics and voucher systems for clients needing court appearance support or critical appointments.
Engage in community partnership development by attending stakeholder meetings, building referral pipelines, and representing the program at interagency collaborations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficiency with case management and legal support software (examples: Apricot, Penelope, Clio, Legal Files, Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud) — accurate data entry and records retrieval.
Strong Microsoft Office skills: Word (document drafting and formatting), Excel (spreadsheets, basic formulas, pivot tables for reporting), Outlook (calendar and scheduling).
Knowledge of court procedures, filing timelines, and basic civil/criminal calendaring protocols.
Experience preparing and proofreading legal documents, letters, and notices for attorney review and court filing.
Familiarity with public benefits systems and application processes (Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, SSI/SSDI) and supportive documentation requirements.
Ability to perform basic legal research and organize supporting evidence and exhibits for hearings.
Client intake and assessment tools proficiency (screening instruments, risk assessment templates, safety planning frameworks).
Crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques; knowledge of mandated reporting laws and confidentiality obligations.
Data quality and reporting skills: extracting metrics, preparing outcome reports, and supporting evaluation requirements.
Bilingual language skills (Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Arabic, or other community languages) highly desirable for direct client communication.
Experience with electronic document management and secure file storage systems; understanding of information security best practices.
Familiarity with restorative justice principles, diversion program frameworks, and reentry supports.

Soft Skills

Exceptional written and verbal communication for client interactions, legal correspondence, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to prioritize competing deadlines across multiple cases.
Empathy and cultural humility, able to build rapport with diverse clients impacted by trauma and systemic inequity.
Problem-solving mindset and resourcefulness to secure community resources and troubleshoot service barriers.
High attention to detail for accurate recordkeeping, deadline tracking, and document preparation.
Team-oriented with the ability to collaborate across legal, clinical, and community partner teams.
Resilience and stress tolerance to manage crises and high-volume caseloads without compromising quality.
Professionalism and ethical judgment when handling confidential or sensitive information.
Flexibility and adaptability to changing court schedules, program priorities, and client needs.
Conflict resolution and negotiation skills when coordinating with external agencies or advocating for client accommodations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED required; combination of relevant experience and demonstrated skills may substitute.

Preferred Education:

Associate degree or Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Paralegal Studies, or a related human services/legal field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Social Work
Criminal Justice
Psychology
Paralegal Studies
Sociology
Public Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1–3 years of experience in legal support, case management, community services, victim advocacy, or related roles.

Preferred:

2–5 years of progressive experience in justice-related case management, court support, legal aid clinics, or nonprofit social services, including demonstrated proficiency with case management systems, documentation standards, and community resource networks.