Receptionist

THE FIRM

Tice Mendes Law, PLLC is a Mesa-based litigation firm operating under an Arizona Alternative Business Structure license. We practice criminal defense, immigration removal defense, federal habeas corpus, bankruptcy, and civil litigation, including wrongful death and personal injury.

People usually call a law firm on one of the worst days of their lives — after a crash, an arrest, or a family member’s detention by immigration. The receptionist is the first person they talk to. How that first call goes shapes whether they trust us, and whether they come back. We expect to teach. We do not expect you to arrive knowing everything.

The receptionist will work from our office at Phoenix Office Location.

POSITION SUMMARY

We are hiring one receptionist to run the front of the office. The core purpose of the role is to make sure every call, visitor, and piece of mail is handled promptly and routed to the right person, so that attorneys and paralegals can stay focused on case work.

This is an in-office position during regular business hours. We are not offering a remote or hybrid arrangement.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Answer and route all incoming calls in English and Spanish; take complete, accurate messages and get them to the right person the same day.
• Greet clients, family members, and visitors; manage the front office and waiting area.
• Conduct initial intake for new callers using the firm’s intake questions — contact information, type of matter, key dates, and any upcoming court date or deadline — and flag urgent matters, such as a detained family member or an imminent hearing, to the attorney immediately.
• Schedule consultations and client appointments, send reminders, and keep the shared calendar accurate.
• Receive, open, date-stamp, scan, and distribute incoming mail — including court notices and USCIS and EOIR correspondence — and log anything with a deadline so it reaches the responsible attorney or paralegal that day.
• Handle outgoing mail and certified mailings, and track delivery confirmations.
• Collect and log client payments and documents; make copies and scans for the file.
• Maintain office supplies and assist the attorneys and paralegals with administrative tasks as needed.

WHAT A RECEPTIONIST DOES AND DOES NOT DO

Callers will ask legal questions — whether they have a case, whether they will be deported, what they should say to the police or the insurance company. A receptionist here does not answer those questions or guess. The answer is “I will get that to the attorney today” — and then it actually gets to the attorney today. We will ask you about this in the interview.

You will also hear private and painful things about people’s lives. Everything a client or caller tells you stays inside the firm.

HOW WE EVALUATE CANDIDATES

We do not screen on degrees. Law firm experience is welcome but not required. We care whether you are calm and kind on the phone with someone who is upset, whether you write down names, numbers, and dates correctly the first time, whether you follow through without being reminded, and whether you take correction without taking offense.

If you are qualified on the items below and want to do this work, apply. Do not screen yourself out.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• At least one year of experience in reception, customer service, or front-office work. Medical office, insurance, call center, and retail backgrounds are all welcome.
• Written and spoken fluency in Spanish and English. Many of our callers speak Spanish first.
• Accuracy with details. A wrong phone number or a misread hearing date can cost a client more than an inconvenience.
• A professional, patient phone manner, including with callers who are frightened or angry.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Outlook and Word, scanning, and multi-line phone systems.
• Reliable attendance and punctuality. The front desk has to be covered when the office opens.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: EXPECTATIONS

We use artificial intelligence tools in this practice. You may use them to help draft routine emails, summarize messages, or organize the calendar. Anything a tool produces is checked by you before it goes anywhere, and nothing a tool writes goes to a client without staff review. If you have never used these tools, say so — we will teach you.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience at a law firm, particularly in immigration, criminal defense, or personal injury.
• Familiarity with legal case management or intake software.
• Experience handling payments and basic bookkeeping entries.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Pay of $18.00 to $22.00 per hour, commensurate with experience.
• Health insurance premiums for the employee paid by the firm.
• Paid federal holidays.
• Fifteen days of paid time off annually.
• Paid on-the-job training, with room to grow into a legal assistant or paralegal role.

WHAT THIS ROLE OFFERS

A stable, full-time role at a firm where the work matters to the people who walk through the door. If you are interested in the law, you will learn how criminal, immigration, and personal injury cases actually move, and we will support you in growing into a legal assistant or paralegal position.

TO APPLY

Send a resume and a short cover note to [email protected]. Please use the subject line “Receptionist Application — [Your Name].”

Tice Mendes Law, PLLC PO Box 12031, Tempe, AZ 85284 800-352-1678

Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person