Temporary Paralegal – Unaccompanied Children’s Team

ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL

Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.

Public Counsel operates eight legal projects: Children’s Rights, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants’ Rights, Veterans’ Advancement, Gender Justice, and our impact litigation project, Opportunity Under Law. 

Public Counsel has a full-time staff of approximately 160. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities. We recognize the essential role of staff in achieving our goals, and we have set a long-term intention to provide competitive compensation, benefits, training, mentorship, and overall workplace wellness, making Public Counsel a leader among nonprofit law firms.

ABOUT IMMIGRANTS’ RIGHTS PROJECT

Public Counsel’s Immigrants’ Rights Project (IRP), envisions a world where all (im)migrants live with dignity, power, and opportunity. Staffed by approximately 30 attorneys, support staff, and social workers, IRP provides direct legal representation to non-citizens seeking asylum, special immigrant juvenile status, VAWA, T and U visas, and other relief in immigration court. 

In addition to direct representation, IRP engages in advocacy at the local and national levels, represents detained immigrants, recruits, trains, and mentors hundreds of pro bono attorneys each year, handles appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and California Court of Appeal, and conducts impact litigation. For 30 years, IRP has been at the forefront of protecting the rights of immigrants in Los Angeles. 

IRP’s Unaccompanied Children (UC) Team represents approximately 200 children who have come without parents to the United States, often after fleeing extreme violence. We defend our clients from deportation and represent them in immigration court, state court and before the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). We also empower the children we serve by assessing their non-legal needs and helping them access essential services, including education and health care. The vast majority of our clients are eligible for and secure asylum or special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS), and ultimately become permanent residents.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Unaccompanied Children’s Team Program Manager, the Temporary Paralegal will:

• Communicate with clients;
• Translate documents and interpret, including consecutive interpretation at client interviews before the USCIS offices; 
• Create and maintain case files; 
• Conduct intake interviews; 
• Prepare applications and legal documents; 
• Manage a caseload of pending cases under the supervision of multiple attorneys;        
• File documents in court/online;
• Recruit and manage volunteers;
• Assist in maintaining calendars and case files; 
• Other duties as assigned; covering for attorneys when they are out: being the point of contact with clients and monitoring mail under supervision of an attorney.

The temporary paralegal may also work with attorneys to cite-check and prepare appellate briefs for filing; file appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals, California Court of Appeals, and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; and develop templates for use by   the UC team and our partners.

The UC team uses client-centered advocacy to provide holistic, trauma-informed, and interdisciplinary services for our immigrant clients who come to the United States as children. We also integrate social work into our services and support clients in addressing the barriers they face, accessing emotional and social support, and feeling empowered to voice their needs, concerns, and goals related to their legal case.

ESSENTIAL JOB SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and either: 1) Paralegal certificate/degree in paralegal studies from an ABA-approved institution OR 2) at least 1 year of experience in litigation support under the supervision of a California attorney required;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (in English and Spanish);
• Attention to detail, outstanding organizational skills, ability to multitask and work well under pressure;
• Ability to prioritize numerous tasks and deadlines, and meet deadlines;
• Complete fluency in Spanish, to a level where individual can translate documents and interpret at immigration related proceedings (including asylum and green card interviews);
• Prior experience in immigration law strongly preferred, and experience with appellate work a plus; non-profit experience a plus;
• Commitment to working well as a member of a collaborative team that includes administrative staff, social worker, case coordinator, and attorneys; ability to effectively and respectfully communicate with other team members, including giving/receiving constructive feedback;
• Competence in and dedication to working with others of diverse cultural, geographic, and economic backgrounds including individuals with a history of severe trauma and/or criminal history;
• Experience working with immigrant children and trauma survivors strongly preferred;
• A commitment to economic and racial justice
• Interest in working in a multidisciplinary environment;
• Commitment to gender/racial/social justice, immigrants’ rights, and the mission of Public Counsel.

JOB TYPE AND BENEFITS

• Full-time/non-exempt 
• Salary range/hourly rate: $55,000 - $61,153.73 ($28.21 - $31.36 per hour) 
• Non-bargaining
• Probationary period: N/A (temporary position)
• Position to be staff on a temporary basis until May 30, 2025, unless otherwise extended.

Public Counsel offers a competitive benefits package including:

• Medical coverage with an option for 100% employer-paid employee and dependent child(ren)’s premiums; buy-up options are available for other HMO and PPO coverage 
• Dental and vision coverage 
• Option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account
• Employer-paid life insurance and disability plans

Generous paid time off (per year):

• 15 accrued vacation days that increase to 20 days after 3 years of employment
• 12 accrued sick days that may be used for physical and mental health needs
• 2 personal observance days 
• 11 paid holidays plus 2 one-week office closures (during the summer and winter)
• Up to 60 hours of compensatory time per calendar year (for exempt staff only)

Additional benefits:

• 37.5 hour work week for all full-time employees 
• 403(b) retirement plan with an elective employee contribution, and after a year of employment a discretionary employer contribution 
• Free on-site parking or public transportation reimbursement 
• Up to 6 months of parental leave 
• Organizational and team wellness activities to build team cohesion and camaraderie
• Professional development support and opportunities

HOW TO APPLY

We value lived experiences and experiences working with clients across a range of settings. Please consider discussing such experiences in your cover letter, especially if they are not reflected in your resume. 

PUBLIC COUNSEL VACCINATION POLICY AND COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

Public Counsel requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees, including new hires. Pursuant to federal and state laws, Public Counsel will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship.

Public Counsel is generally office-based, but remote work has been permitted during the pandemic. All employees with Public Counsel are required to work in the office at least one day per week, at the discretion of the head of department. Some positions require additional in-office days. This policy is subject to redesign by leadership. Public Counsel will work in a manner consistent with public health and local and state emergency orders. 

PUBLIC COUNSEL EEO POLICY

Public Counsel is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate against employees or prospective employees on the basis of union membership or activity, race, religious creed, religious observance, ethnicity, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or predisposition, military service, military and veteran status, pregnancy, child birth and related medical conditions, marital and family status, national origin, ancestry, age, medical conditions as defined by state or federal law, or disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.

All qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.

Our leadership team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities discipline, discharge and general treatment during employment.