Career Path of a Project Coordinator at Legal Aid San Mateo County
Maraina's role as Project Coordinator at The Legal Aid Society involves "the client facing side of the legal work," including community outreach, client intake, case management, and communication with government agencies as an authorized representative. This position also leverages Maraina's experience to create accessible materials, combining client advocacy with project management and technological skills, showcasing a blend of legal, communication, and administrative expertise.
Project Management, Communication, Advocacy, Community Outreach, Legal Services
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Maraina Weyl
Project Coordinator
The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County
Syracuse University
Santa Clara University School of Education and Counseling Psychology- M.A. Counseling
International Relations & Affairs
Government & Public Sector, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Consulting
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, LGBTQ, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. The role involves client interaction, from initial outreach and intake to ongoing case management and communication with relevant agencies.
2. Strong communication and advocacy skills are essential, as the position requires interacting with clients, schools, and government agencies.
3. The work includes not only case coordination but also project-based tasks such as creating accessible informational materials to help clients understand complex legal issues. This showcases skills in communication, organization and project management
Transcript
What are your main responsibilities within your role?
As a project coordinator, I'm the client-facing liaison for the legal work we do. Our team consists of a supervising attorney, myself, and another project coordinator.
We handle the initial intake process, starting with outreach. We meet families in the community at schools or through various tabling events.
After that, we'll contact you to conduct an intake and confirm your eligibility for our services. Once an intake is completed, either myself or Jessica, the other project coordinator, will manage those cases.
This process begins with intake and requires many signed forms and releases. We communicate immediately with school districts or government agencies on behalf of our clients, as we are authorized representatives. As an employee of Legal Aid, I am an authorized representative for many of the issues we address.
Consequently, I often participate in lengthy meetings and calls. Due to my previous experience, I also create materials like pagers and fact sheets.
My role involves making complex legal information more accessible and understandable for everyday individuals navigating issues concerning their children. It's a combination of customer service, advocacy, and extensive computer work, as all our filings are electronic.