Self Help Law Administrator

Self Help Law Administrator

Description - External

This position will closed at 11:59PM on September 23rd, 2025. Please submit the following required documents on the State of Montana Careers website:

• Resume - Please include dates of employment and your supervisor's name/phone number for each position.
• Cover Letter
• Three Professional References

When submitting the required documents, you must check the "relevant document" box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application for this position. Documents not requested will not be considered in the recruitment process. The Judicial Branch is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

An employee new to the Judicial Branch will serve a one-year probationary period. The successful applicant will be subject to a criminal background check, including the Child Protection Services registry. Travel may be required and working hours may include evenings & weekends.

The Montana Judicial Branch offers a variety of opportunities to help you make a difference in your community, and further your career. As a service-oriented employer, we seek employees with a passion for customer service to help us fulfill our mission t
o provide an independent, accessible, responsive, impartial, and timely forum to resolve disputes; to preserve the rule of law; and to protect the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitutions of the United States and Montana.
Benefits
Benefits of working for the Judicial Branch:

• Work/life balance
• Family friendly policies
• Dedicated and caring colleagues
• Health coverage
• Retirement plans
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and Holidays (combination of up to 38 per year)
• Opportunities and room for professional growth
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness - Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF

Job Overview
The Court Help Program is a court based legal services program. The purpose of the Court Help Program is to increase court efficiency by assisting self-represented litigants with access to legal forms and information.

The Program Administrator performs professional advanced level work by administering and coordinating the Montana Supreme Court, Court Help Program. Work includes providing assistance and training to staff and center volunteers; collecting and analyzing evaluation data for all components of the Program; and serving as a liaison among various agencies and organizations responsible for implementing the Program. Regular contact with, updates to, and input from the Montana Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission and the State Bar's Justice Initiatives Committee. Work is performed under the supervision of the Court Services Director. The employee is expected to exercise initiative and independent judgment in the management, coordination, administration, oversight, and evaluation of the Court Help Law Program in accordance with established statutes, court rules, policies, procedures, and regulations. More information on the Court Help Program can be found at

Job Duties

• Provides direction and guidance for Self-Help Law Centers statewide to ensure consistency in services and proper collection of data.
• Offers technical assistance and support to the staff and volunteers of local Self-Help Law Centers. Technical assistance and support may include, but is not limited to, assistance in the maintenance and expansion of self-help services, creation of outreach and press materials for the Centers, providing coverage for Centers during staff shortages, and improving methods of providing services.
• Performs legal research and responds to staff inquiries regarding court procedure and resources available for self-represented litigants in Montana.
• Determines appropriate service content including the differentiation between legal advice and information.
• Assists in volunteer recruitment and answering ongoing questions by staff and volunteers of the Centers.
• Identifies priority areas of need for self-represented litigants.
• Assists in developing useful resources for self-represented litigants and ensuring that resources developed are user-friendly for self-represented litigants.
• Works closely with all self-help staff and volunteers to ensure that statewide projects are meeting the needs of self-represented litigants, clerks of court, and judges and experiences are being shared among all participants. Identifies service needs or issues and develops appropriate responses.
• Assesses Court Help Program training needs. Develops and provides appropriate and ongoing training for all self-help center staff and volunteers.
• Coordinates the activities of and facilitates communication between center staff and volunteers.
• Oversees the compiling, analyzing, and reporting of statistical data to evaluate workloads, make recommendations, and plan for future court improvements. Provides information and data on Court Help Program operations and outcomes for the Judiciary's budget development.
• Researches, develops, and coordinates grant application and disbursement processes, data collection, evaluation, and monitoring of the Court Help Program. Prepares and submits reports as needed.
• Provides assistance to courts interested in developing resources for self-represented litigants.
• Creates and updates a comprehensive directory of existing resources and services available for self-represented litigants in Montana.
• Facilitates communication between all entities working on resource and form development for self-represented litigants to increase coordination and consistency and minimize duplicative efforts.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Abilities And Skills

• Knowledge of resources and forms available for self-represented litigants in Montana is preferred.
• Knowledge of the systems for delivering civil legal services to persons with limited financial means in Montana is preferred.
• Work effectively with diverse people and groups.
• Communicate effectively in public settings, including making public presentations and leading trainings.
• Research, evaluation, statistical analysis, and report writing.
• Operation of personal computer equipment, including competent utilization of spreadsheet, word processing, and graphic software applications.
• Ability to organize, implement, and maintain a variety of projects and functions simultaneously; research information and compile data; establish and maintain effective working relationships with judges, attorneys, other agencies, and the public; discreetly keep or use confidential information; and effectively communicate orally and in writing.
• Ability to communicate honestly and effectively including defending unpopular decisions; persuade people of the advisability of undertaking controversial or difficult actions; be tactful and exercise discretion in the use and sharing of information; negotiate impasses or difficult problems; and facilitate resolution of interpersonal conflict.
• Ability to explain reasons for actions and creatively resolve difficult problems.
• Ability to make objective and, at times, unpopular decisions based on court interests, law, policy, and rule.
• Work in a team environment and establish and maintain effective and positive relationships with others.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records and documentation.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited college or university
• One to three years of responsible professional experience in the fields of law, social or human services, and/or public or business administration preferred.
• Combinations of education and experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Graduation from an accredited law school is also preferred.
• Employment is dependent on successfully passing a criminal background check.

Applicant Pool Statement: If another department vacancy occurs in this job title within six months, the same applicant pool may be used for the selection. Training Assignment: This agency may use a training assignment. Employees in training assignments may be paid below the base pay established by the agency pay rules. Conditions of the training assignment will be stated in writing at the time of hire.

Salary: $

Hourly

Telework Eligibility: Telework Eligible (Full-time telework is not available. Telework schedule must be supervisor approved.) Benefits Package Eligibility: Health Insurance, Paid Leave & Holidays, Retirement Plan

Number of Openings

: 1 Employee Status: Regular Schedule: Full-Time

Job Type

: Standard

Shift

: Day Job

Travel

: Yes, 15 % of the Time

Primary Location

: Helena

Agency: Judicial Branch Union: 000 - None

Posting Date

: Sep 9, 2025, 9:52:13 PM

Closing Date (based on your computer's timezone)

: Sep 24, 2025, 5:59:00 AM

Required Application Materials: Cover Letter, Resume, References

Contact Name: Mandi Edlin | Contact Email: | Contact Phone: The State of Montana has a decentralized human resources (HR) system. Each agency is responsible for its own recruitment and selection. Anyone who needs a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the agency's HR staff identified on the job listing or by dialing the Montana Relay at 711. Montana Job Service Offices also offer services including assistance with submitting an online application.

State government does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, creed, political beliefs or affiliation, veteran status, military service, retaliation, or any other factor not related to merit and qualifications of an employee or applicant.