Bilingual Immigrant Rights Paralegal

Employment Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Practice Group: Immigration Law

Organization Information

Empire Justice Center, a diverse and highly respected statewide legal services organization, seeks a Bilingual Immigrant Rights Paralegal for our Immigration Law practice group. This is an opportunity to join and grow in one of the most influential organizations serving marginalized low-income individuals and families in New York State. 

Empire Justice Center attracts and employs a diverse team of dedicated, determined, and passionate advocates who significantly impact the lives of low-income New Yorkers. We succeed through direct legal representation, high-impact litigation, and legislative and administrative advocacy. As an organization, we provide top-notch training and technical assistance to other advocates to ensure fairness and justice for New Yorkers. We thrive on our commitment to supporting justice for populations that have historically experienced high levels of oppression. These populations include racially diverse individuals and families experiencing poverty, housing insecurity, immigration issues, and domestic violence. Additionally, the organization advocates for people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and school-age children facing discrimination and violations of their civil rights in schools.

Our offices in Rochester, Albany, Westchester County, and Long Island offer staff an exciting, dynamic, inclusive working environment with a solid commitment to work/life balance, teamwork, diversity, wellness, and personal/professional development. 

Position Summary 

Empire Justice Center is pleased to announce an opening for a Bilingual Immigrant Rights Paralegal. This position will be a critical member of our growing Immigration Practice Group working on the Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) grant, a position funded by the New York State Office of Victim Services. The primary function of the Bilingual Immigrant Rights Paralegal is to assist and support the Immigration Attorneys in administrative oversight of the project, and all aspects of direct representation in immigration law matter for victims of crimes. 

Salary

The referenced pay range/scale represents this job's estimated minimum and maximum compensation. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job's compensation range and determined by considering factors including, but not limited to, education, experience, qualifications, expertise of the individual, market data, and internal equity considerations.

The salary range for this position is $40,000-$54,256.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

· Travel to and work in the Central Islip, Long Island office four days a week is required to meet client and organizational needs.

- This position is eligible for a hybrid work request under the organizational policy.

· Must demonstrate high comfort and commitment to working with disadvantaged clientele.

· Engage in administrative duties, including but not limited to taking and returning phone calls, answering correspondence, filing, copying, and scanning.

· Conduct intake interviews for potential clients and accurately enter their information into the Empire Justice Center case management system. 

· Provide support and assistance to attorneys with case preparation. 

· Develop and maintain the organizational systems for case files and other documents.

· Engage in investigations, including gathering documents from clients, requesting records, interviewing clients and potential witnesses, and gathering and compiling data. 

· Coordinate client service and contacts, including scheduling appointments with attorneys. 

· Send case updates to practice group attorneys and engage in other communication about clients and cases. 

· Provide legal information to clients and others under the supervision of an attorney. 

· Maintain confidentiality of client information and files.

· Maintain the highest standard of ethics and professionalism.

· Arrange and schedule other language access services, as appropriate.

· Provide quality Spanish/English interpretation and translation as needed.

· Develop a thorough understanding of the general requirements for grant reporting.

· Timely completion of tasks and assignments while working in the office and hybrid.

· Work well both independently and as a member of a team of attorneys, paralegals, and support staff.

· Provide appropriate referrals for crime victims seeking services not provided by Empire Justice Center.

· Participate in immigration law-related training to understand fundamental immigration legal rights and remedies.

· Complete all work accurately and promptly, meeting or exceeding the caseload target required by grant sources.

· If the paralegal is Department of Justice (DOJ) accredited, they will provide direct representation, under attorney supervision, in immigration matters.

· Work with community groups, conducting outreach on the availability of services, and help to develop and distribute community education materials.

· Work closely with your assigned supervisor and participate in regular supervision meetings, work plan development, and grant deliverable management.

· Participate, as requested, in the overall Crime Victims Legal Network (CVLN) and ensure that all referrals from CVLN are handled promptly and appropriately.

· Provide client support and advocacy with other related matters, including but not limited to filing Office of Victim Services (OVS) Victim Compensation applications. 

· Actively participate in the overall VOCA-funded Immigration Practice Group team and the work of the overall Practice Group as assigned, and otherwise be an active member of the organization.

· Please note that all positions will supervise other practice group members if needed.

· Due to limited resources, all staff are expected to perform administrative and other support-related duties to serve our clients and fulfill our mission as a non-profit legal services organization.

· Other duties as assigned by your supervisor and/or to meet the organization’s needs. 

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) 

· Successful completion of a background check is required to perform this role.

· Minimum of 3 years' experience working as an immigration paralegal. 

· Bilingual (Spanish/English interpretation and translation) is required.

· Demonstrated excellence in utilizing the Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, PowerPoint), with the ability to quickly learn and adapt to other applications. 

· Must demonstrate strong analytical and communication skills, including proficiency in technology that facilitates the delivery of communication, documents, and other materials. 

· Ability to manage immigration inquiries, gather required information, and inform clients of case process.

· Must demonstrate knowledge and ability to e-file legal documents (e.g. pleadings, motions, etc.) in state and federal court. 

· Ability to communicate effectively in written language. 

· Practice effective time management and demonstrate an ability to meet deadlines. 

· Demonstrated case management experience. 

· Exceptional recordkeeping skills. 

· Ability to schedule appointments and manage calendars. 

· Administrative skills, including database and file management.

· Must demonstrate excellence in technology systems, facilitating the creation and delivery of communication, documents, and record-keeping, among other tasks. 

· Skilled in problem management. 

· Strong organizational skills and adept at managing multiple priorities. 

· Strong document drafting skills. 

· Ability to work in the office and the community, as determined by the supervisor. 

·  Experience in and commitment to working with marginalized communities.

·  Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 

Physical and Mental Requirements

· Effective decision-making skills and ability to work under pressure.

· Ability to shift priorities while working on multiple competing projects.