Legal Advocate - Poverty Law
The Legal Advocate – Poverty Law provides direct front-line support to clients experiencing poverty law issues in order to increase access to justice. The Legal Advocate also provides information, education, and advocacy to support increased understanding/realization of legal rights, legal empowerment, and increased awareness of collaborative options. Legal areas covered include but are not limited to, income security, tenancy issues, debt and consumer law, employment law.
Archway’s Legal Advocate – Poverty Law with the Community Legal Advocacy Centre contributes by:
- Supporting clients to understand their legal rights and responsibilities and resolving their legal issues.
- Interviewing and assessing client poverty legal issues and determining courses of action.
- Providing information, insight, and advocacy and if appropriate, representation at a tribunal level.
- Providing clients with legal information and assistance (e.g., income assistance, housing - residential tenancy and employment standards and disability applications).
- Assisting clients with completing applications, forms, tribunal appeal documents and letters as appropriate.
- Supporting and encouraging clients to engage in self-advocacy (providing self-help material).
This position is a great fit for someone who has experience providing legal guidance and advocacy in tenant, disability, and income support programs, and has a demonstrated ability to read, interpret and understand legislation. You must be compassionate and understand the barriers clients face when accessing justice and support clients to understand their legal rights and assist them in resolving legal issues.
- A minimum two years’ post-secondary education with preference to those with a diploma/degree in the social service-related field.
- Experience working alongside individuals who have been traditionally marginalized (e.g., individuals who are underserved and underrepresented).
- Demonstrated experience and knowledge of legal/community resources and familiarity with poverty/social justice issues.
- Experience in tenant, disability, and income support programs advocacy and, an ability to read, interpret and understand legislation.
- Well-developed written and verbal communication skills including ease in addressing large groups and communicating with diverse workgroups.
- Knowledge of local community resources and an awareness and understanding of poverty related issues.
- Strong competency with computers; able to use Microsoft Office365 particularly Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Strong planning, organizing, and time management skills; able to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
- Strong record keeping, communication and administrative skills.
- Skills in working with sensitive issues and commitment to respecting the confidential nature of the program.
- The ability to function independently and as part of a team, with the ability to meet deadlines
- Ability for long periods of sitting, being on the phone and at a computer.
- Ability to interact with people in difficult situations.
- Ability for occasional shifts outside of the advocate’s main location.
- A valid BC Driver’s License, with a satisfactory driver’s record.
- A reliable, personal vehicle is required for program-related driving
- A satisfactory Criminal Records Check is a condition of employment. .
Interested applicants are to reference Posting #2026-17-02 in the subject line.
Please submit your cover letter and resume online only:
Email: jobpostings@archway.ca
Subject: Job Posting #2026-17-02
