Illinois Legal Aid Diversity Survey – Staff

Definitions

Executive Director/CEO/Director of Legal Aid Project:
The individual serving as the chief executive of the legal aid organization or of the legal aid project within a larger organization (e.g. social services agency, law school)

Senior Management Staff:
Management-level staff who report to the executive director, e.g., deputy/associate/assistant director; chief operating officer; chief financial officer; legal director/director of advocacy; development director.

Managing/Supervising Attorney:
Attorneys who directly supervise the work of other attorneys, as head of a department, practice group, project, or office.

Staff Attorney/Senior Staff Attorney:
Attorneys who are not managing/supervising attorneys and who provide services to clients. Includes legal fellows (e.g., funded by Equal Justice Works) employed on a full-time basis.

Paralegal/Legal Advocate :
Paralegals and other individuals (e.g., Department of Justice accredited representatives) who are not licensed attorneys and who are directly involved in providing legal services to clients.

Operational/Administrative/Other Staff :
Individuals whose roles include fundraising, financial management, human resources, information technology, data analysis, marketing and/or other critical organizational functions. Also includes social workers and VISTAs.

Legal Interns : Law student interns who work at least 20 hours per week for a continuous period of at least eight weeks.

Other :
Any individual employed by the organization in a capacity not listed in one of the categories listed above.

Definitions

Cisgender: A term used to describe a person whose gender identity aligns with those typically associated with the sex assigned to them at birth.

Transgender: An umbrella term for a person whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.