Senior Paralegal, Children's Program

Who We Are

The Amica Center for Immigrant Rights fights for the rights, safety, and unity of immigrant communities, standing with those trapped in our nation’s fundamentally flawed immigration system. We engage in unwavering legal defense and strategic litigation for immigrant children and adults facing detention and deportation in the Capital Region and beyond, because everyone has the right to be free, safe, and supported. 

Our Work Environment

Amica Center’s Children’s Program is a highly collaborative work environment. We are committed to providing high-quality, trauma-informed legal and social services and a culture of professional growth and support for staff. Although aspects of our work are completed in smaller teams, we work towards integrated and client-focused services across the program by embracing interconnectivity. We strive to create systems that provide structure while fostering innovation and adaptability. Supervisors in our program share a commitment to teaching, mentorship, and work life balance. 

Position Summary

A Senior Paralegal in the Children’s Program works collaboratively with staff and leadership to:

• ensure clients receive high-quality, culturally competent legal services while detained and after release;
• support attorneys in providing legal services to unaccompanied immigrant children, including assisting with paperwork and case preparation; 
• contribute to the program’s provision of services including administrative tasks such as database maintenance and reporting to funders;
• participate in and assist with the coordination of visits to detention centers for the purpose of conducting know your rights (KYR) presentations and legal intakes with detained children;
• supervision and training of junior staff with a focus on professional development (dependent on experience level); and
• regularly engage with senior staff and leadership to identify programmatic needs and implement program goals.

General Duties and Responsibilities [1]

Client Services:

• Supports attorneys representing detained and released clients. This includes representation before local immigration courts, USCIS, and state courts in the following types of cases: Asylum, Withholding of Removal, Protection under the Convention against Torture, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U-Visas and T-Visas. 
• Facilitates and/or participates in facility visits for the purpose of conducting Know Your Rights presentations, court preparation, and legal intakes with detained children.
• Ensures that junior staff complete all shelter-involved tasks to a high standard.
• Performs and can train other staff on performing administrative tasks, including database maintenance, preparation of filings, file maintenance, recordkeeping, and reporting to funders.
• Actively engages in the Children’s Program training efforts of new staff and interns, as needed. 

Organizational Services:

• Ensures the timely and accurate entry of case information into shared databases.
• Assists program leadership with the implementation of program goals and contract/grant compliance.
• Assists other program staff in completion of their workload during high-work/low- bandwidth periods.
• Actively participates and contributes to stakeholder relationship activities.
• Engages with internal Amica Center committees and working groups to lend a voice to the growth and strategy of the organization. 

[1] This list is illustrative and not intended to be a complete classification of all job functions or tasks.

Competencies Required:

Legal Proficiency

The Senior Paralegal demonstrates a firm understanding of children’s removal proceedings, common immigration relief eligibility, and culturally competent legal services. The Senior Paralegal plays an active role in client relationship building and can independently advance work on cases with attorney approval and supervision. The Senior Paralegal demonstrates understanding of legal information versus legal advice and educates others on appropriate limitations for non-attorney staff. The Senior Paralegal is familiar with preparing client filings and can do so with limited or minimal attorney Intervention. 

Client and Programmatic Proficiency

The Senior Paralegal will skillfully and clearly present legal information and know your rights presentations to detained children and clients with limited supervision. The Senior Paralegal has, and continually improves upon, trauma-informed interviewing and rapport-building skills. The Senior Paralegal effectively manages time and resources and appropriately prioritizes client needs and other program responsibilities.

Administrative

The Senior Paralegal ensures that all administrative aspects of their position are carried out with limited supervisory support, including facility visit preparation and breakdown, timekeeping, file maintenance, and database entries, etc. The Senior Paralegal contributes to updates and adjustments, as needed, to administrative systems designed to support shelter and client work. 

Qualifications Required:

• Written and oral Spanish fluency
• 2-3 years of relevant experience in immigration legal service provision. 
• 2-3 years of relevant experience interviewing / working with clients, preferably children. 
• Prior supervision experience preferred but not required.
• The candidate is expected to travel for work-related business. As a result, the candidate must possess a valid driver’s license and be comfortable operating a vehicle upon hiring. This role requires travel, but qualified individuals with disabilities may be accommodated in a reasonable manner under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 
• Favorable results on background check including driving record, Child Protection Registry, and state and federal criminal records 
• If eligible, obtain notary commission in applicable states.
• Commitment to principles of equity and inclusion 
• Ability to work in a hybrid work environment and fulfill job responsibilities in-person as required. 

Salary: $50,000-$54,000 – A higher salary may be offered to candidates with 3+ years of directly relevant work experience.

Position Type: Full time, non-exempt position 

Reports To: Attorney 

Supervisory Responsibility: Yes 

Location and/or Travel Requirements: This position will be based at the Washington, D.C. or Baltimore, M.D. Office. Travel to the area when needed for hearings, jail visits, and programmatic meetings is required. 

Telework: Amica Center operates a hybrid work environment where staff are required to work at least one day per week in-office, but some roles require more office/on-site attendance or travel.

Benefits: Amica Center offers a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, flexible spending account, life insurance and pre-tax commuter benefits for those living in the DMV. 

Paid Time Off: Amica Center provides personal, sick and volunteer time off, federal holidays, winter break closure and parental leave. 

EEO Statement: Amica Center for Immigrant Rights is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti-discrimination law, it is the purpose of this policy to effectuate these principles and mandates. Amica Center prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Amica Center conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations. 

Our Anti-Racism Statement: To learn more about our anti-racism statement- https://amicacenter.org/becoming-anti-racist/

COVID-19 Vaccination: All employees are required to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. To be fully vaccinated means having completed the full dosages required for the type of vaccine obtained as designated by the CDC. If boosters are subsequently recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), then employees will be required to receive the booster within thirty (30) days of their eligibility to access the boosters. 

How to Apply: Submit your resume, cover letter and writing sample that explains your interest in this role with your Paylocity submission. Please refrain from sending application materials separately via email.