Paralegal-Asylum & Detention

New Mexico Immigrant Law Center (NMILC) is seeking a full-time Paralegal for the Asylum and Detention programs.

NMILC’s Asylum and Detention Program provides free legal support to individuals held at the privately-owned civil immigration detention facilities located in Torrance and Cibola counties and non-detained asylum seekers. Through a team of attorneys and volunteers, the Asylum and Detention program provides direct representation, know-your-rights presentations, individuals intake, asylum workshops for unrepresented applicants, pro bono and social service referrals, and actively engages in advocacy to advance justice for detained individual and asylum seeker, and end immigrant detention.

Job Summary:

NMILC has an immediate opening for a full-time Paralegal in the NMILC Asylum and Detention Program to provide support to attorneys providing legal services and advocacy to non-detained asylum seekers and to individuals detained at the Torrance and Cibola ICE Contract Facility. This position is meant for an individual who believes in the right to free legal counsel for persons facing immigration proceeding who would otherwise be unable to afford representation.  The paralegal will join NMILC’s team of attorneys and volunteers devoted to supporting people ensnared in the immigration system who, without this program, would otherwise face the immigration court without legal counsel.

This position is meant for an individual who is exceptionally organized and detail-oriented, who is compassionate and patient, and who enjoys working directly with clients and members of their support networks. This is an ideal position for someone who wants to work closely with people detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and asylum seekers, and wants to provide essential support to attorneys providing no-cost representation to survivors of crime.

Ideal Candidate

• Is an individual with a solid understanding of immigration law and has experience and familiarity working with clients – this person is passionate about NMILC’s work and mission.
• Is exceptionally organized and excellent at multitasking – understands how to prioritize tasks with little guidance; is efficient and has a keen eye for detail; enjoys handling multiple projects running in parallel and can triage to meet time-sensitive deadlines. This person is highly responsive and promptly returns clients’ calls and keeps track of hearing dates, deadlines, and other important details that are crucial to an individual’s legal case.
• Is able to work autonomously and independently – understands how to shape their own work flow, doesn’t require micromanaging and can be trusted to manage and meet deadlines and complete tasks in a timely manner. This person knows what needs to be done, and does without having to be asked twice.
• Is a team player and works well with colleagues and supervisors – engages in direct communication, demonstrates empathy, is an active listener, demonstrates excellent problem-solving abilities, understands the importance of constructive feedback, easily builds trust, and works in close connection and collaboration with colleagues. This person asks, “How can we work together on this? What tasks can I assume?
• Is dedicated to person-centered legal representation – this person is skilled at communicating with clients and building trust and rapport – this person is confident speaking to individuals from diverse backgrounds and is willing to take the time to develop trust and ensure understanding with individuals. This person asks, “How can I best support this client and earn their trust?”

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Asylum Program Direct Client Support

• Assist with drafting and gathering supporting documentation from program clients for I-765 applications
• Assist with asylum workshop, including obtaining signatures from clients, assembling and scanning the applications, entering notes and electronic files in Legal Service, and draft and send closing letters.
• Prepare all pro se and legal information material for detention center visit and, assist with Know Your Rights presentations at the Detention Centers.
• Assist attorneys as requested with preparing and assembling legal filings for submission.
• Conduct in-depth client intake interviews. Visit with clients to obtain initial and follow-up information.
• Responsible for scheduling client meetings, obtaining and preparing supporting documentation, including country conditions, and legal research.
• Track and monitor caseload and filing deadlines.
• Liaison between the attorney, family members, and the applicant to obtain required documentation and information.
• Routinely check client case status with the courts.
• Keep family members/clients informed of the status of matters and complies with reasonable requests for information.
• Maintain complete and accurate case notes and client records.
• Prepare timely statistical reports.
• Ensure the accuracy, substance, and timeliness of data, statistical and narrative reports, projects, schedules and other relevant work products.
• Assist clients in gathering relevant evidence for their legal case.
• Attends team meetings and trainings.
• Be well versed in immigration law, policies and procedures.
• In accordance with required ethical standards, preserves client confidentiality and avoids conflicts of interest.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with the Immigration Court (EOIR) and the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), government and social service organizations, and community organizations.
• Investigate and develop evidence to support clients' fear-based claims, such as drafting client declarations, witness letters and obtaining supporting documents from feared country of return.
• Refer clients who are released from ICE custody to appropriate pro bono resources in their destination community when such resources are available and develop a compilation of packets of support.

Data Entry:

• Data Entry, timekeeping, and file management.
• Enter required organizational and client information into required databases, maintain data entry requirements by following data program techniques and procedures.
• Refer eligible clients to partner organizations for holistic services.
• Verify entered client biographical information by reviewing, correcting, deleting, or reentering data. Ensure no duplication of files.
• Maintain client confidence and protect operations by keeping information confidential.
• Sort and handle detention center and asylum mail and request forms, upload electronic copies of mail to electronic files where appropriate.
• Generate form response letters to client inquiries where appropriate.
• Prepare paper filings and copies of court documents for legal staff and clients.
• Prepare monthly statistics for grant reporting purposes.
• Work with legal staff to organize and maintain client files (both paper and electronic).
• Other duties as necessary—which may include but are not limited to: coverage of reception duties, traveling to other facilities to get signatures, translations, assisting with document collection, scanning, photocopying, collating, and faxing information.
• Prepare, proofread, and send documents as assigned.

Coordination and Support of Filed Direct Representation Cases:

• Ensure incoming and outgoing mail is timely and accurately processed and received by legal representatives and filed;
• Maintain and update client cases in Legal Server case management system and physical and electronic case storage systems, including cleaning up imported client documents;
• Review cases filed, help ensure filings are in Legal Server and Dropbox, create an audit note in Legal Server, and ensure activities are correctly entered in Legal Server;
• Close cases by drafting closing letters and preserving client files by scanning them into Legal Server and storing the closed case file in the appropriate location

Administrative Support:

• Create and maintain a system for timely responses to administrative support requests from legal team staff. 
• Prepare paper filings and copies of court documents for legal staff and clients. 
• Respond to incoming telephone calls related to the Asylum and Detention Program. Make outgoing telephone calls as needed by the Asylum and Detention Program.
• In collaboration with the Asylum and Detention Program Managerial Team, support in the creation and maintenance of systems for legal files. This includes file maintenance through Legal Server, Dropbox, and paper files. 
• Provide large-scale print, mailing, and filing assistance to Asylum and Detention legal staff to ensure such jobs are completed and executed in a timely manner. 
• Provide file maintenance, storage, and retrieval assistance to Asylum and Detention program legal staff.  Such assistance includes, but is not limited to, in-office physical file maintenance and storage as well as electronic file maintenance.  
• In collaboration with the Asylum and Detention’s Program Managerial Team, develop training materials and train new staff regarding Asylum and Detention’s Program processes for file maintenance, storage, and retrieval.

Calendar Maintenance:     

• When receiving a hearing notice or other notice regarding a case deadline or briefing schedule, ensure that the date is listed in the client’s Legal Server folder as well as on appropriate team calendars. Send appropriate calendar invitations.

Case Procedures:

• Effectuate routine and consistent case opening, case closing, and case transfer procedures. 
• In collaboration with Attorneys and Paralegals, complete routine and consistent case opening tasks, such as ensuring internal databases are created and up to date, making initial and routine records requests, drafting retainer agreements, and preparing any additional documents identified that are essential to the initial stages of a case.
• In collaboration with Attorneys and paralegals, complete routine and consistent case closing tasks, such as drafting client closing letters, completing file organization, scanning files, and updating internal databases regarding the final outcome of the case.

Other Duties & Responsibilities:

• Translate written documents from Spanish to English and English to Spanish as needed.
• Provide interpretation from Spanish to English and English to Spanish as needed.
• Participate in organizational fundraising and outreach efforts as requested
• Participate in developing and implementing special projects, trainings, or presentations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Spanish.
• Strong cultural competency, cross-cultural communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation. Travel is required for this position.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suites.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Highly organized and able to work in high-volume settings.
• Excellent problem solving, research and analytical skills.
• Effectively manages multiple projects and meets deadlines.
• Demonstrate ability to work in a collaborative, innovative, and client centered work environment.
• Ability to work independently, be adaptable and reliable in the face of conflict, pressure, crisis or changing priorities.
• Exhibits high ethical standards and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Must be able to pass federal and state background checks.
• Demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights and willingness to support NMILC’s mission, vision and values, which can be found at nmilc.org/values
• Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 required, or a request for reasonable accommodation prior to commencing employment at NMILC.

Preferred Requirements:

• 6 months to 1-year relevant office experience.
• Experience with asylum and detention, including assisting attorneys on legal applications to obtain benefits.
• Prior experience with interviewing clients, preferably in humanitarian immigration or detention context.
• Prior work or internship experience in a nonprofit legal services setting.
• Prior advocacy work in immigrant rights or experience working with trauma survivors.
• Experience with databases and data tracking (i.e., Legal Server).

Environment

NMILC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome people from a diverse set of experiences. NMILC is a progressive organization and applicants are expected to collaborate in an inclusive and diverse environment. We are a group of highly dedicated and motivated individuals seeking transformative change for our state and welcome anyone who is interested in being part of our team.

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time position. Salary is competitive for our field and geographic area and is commensurate with experience. Starting salary for the Paralegal position is $23/hour with upward adjustments for additional years of relevant paralegal experience.

NMILC currently offers a generous benefits package, including;

• 100% of Individual Employee Health Premium paid by NMILC for the Base Plan and 50% for dependents. Buy-up Plan also available.
• Access to a 401K plan and discretionary employer match up to 10% of base salary (determined each fiscal year based on funding projections);
• Optional Flexible Spending Account for pre-tax funds for medical and/or dependent care cost.

Benefits may be subject to change at any time based on changes to the organization’s budget.

NMILC also recognizes the value of creating an environment of positive work/life balance, acknowledging that investing in staff’s ability to take care of themselves and their families enables them to do their best work. The plan currently includes:

• Flexible work schedule and hybrid remote work options;
• 15 paid vacation days (3 weeks) annually;
• 1 earned sick leave hour for every 30 hours worked;
• Company-paid federal holidays in addition to 2 weeks of winter break, 1 week for spring break, and 1 week for summer break, and other days as established in coordination with the local public school schedule.