Temporary Paralegal Casehandler, Immigration Legal Clinic, Immigration Law Unit

The Immigration Law Unit of The Legal Aid Society is a recognized leader in the delivery of legal services to immigrants in all five boroughs of New York City. The Unit provides low-income New Yorkers with free comprehensive immigration services ranging from deportation defense to adjustment of status to legal permanent residence and citizenship applications. The Unit specializes in the intersection between immigration and criminal law and works collaboratively with all practice areas to serve the society’s diverse immigrant clients through a comprehensive service model. Unit staff represent immigrants before USCIS, immigration judges in removal proceedings, and the Board of Immigration Appeals, as well as in federal court on habeas corpus petitions, petitions for review, administrative and judicial appeals, and other matters. 

 

The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice is seeking to hire 2 Temporary Legal Clinic Paralegal Casehandlers to join the citywide Immigration Law Unit (ILU). The ideal candidate would have a strong work ethic and a deep commitment to public interest.

 

ILU provides full legal representation to non-citizens every day and we believe that full legal representation is the best practice. However, in these times when demand for immigration legal services is tremendous, ILU has developed a successful limited scope legal clinic model.  Under the supervision of the ILU Legal Clinic Supervising Attorney, the Legal Clinic Paralegal Casehandler would work with clinic clients to draft and file applications, motions, petitions, and affidavits, as well as assist in gathering needed evidence.  They would also work closely with the ILU Legal Clinic Supervising Attorney and Legal Clinic Coordinators with other legal clinic needs, including coordination and scheduling of our legal clinics and grant reporting projects.

 

This Legal Clinic Paralegal Casehandler would focus on ILU’s legal clinic work with non-citizen youth and families and would also collaborate closely with ILU’s Youth Project, which provides full-scope representation for this non-citizen population. The range of case matters handled in these legal clinics may include work permit assistance, family court guardianship petitions, filings for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and assistance with motions before the Immigration Court. It may also involve other legal matters.

 

This position is funded through a temporary grant and the continuation of the position is dependent on funding availability. If funding for the position is not continued, the Temporary Clinic Paralegal Casehandler will be eligible to apply for other internal positions or be transferred into a comparable position.

 

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct telephone and in person screenings and intakes for potential clinic clients
• Provide support in compiling application packets, conducting factual and legal research
• Assist with fact development by meeting with clients, contacting family members abroad, and gathering information and documentation from clients and appropriate agencies
• Interview, assess, and provide direct assistance to clients under attorney supervision
• Respond to client inquiries and address emergent immigration policies that affect clients
• Identify, assess, and escalate time sensitive and emergency legal issues to supervisory staff
• Provide oral and written advocacy to or on behalf of clients
• Liaise with court officials and other stakeholders to ensure clients’ immigration needs are met
• Develop community education materials and conduct trainings for clients and other advocates
• Maintain, organize, and update case files and case management database (LawManager)
• Enter and search data on various databases, including OCA CRIMS
• This position may require off-site work and evening hours
• Participate in continuous professional development 
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment 
• Other duties as assigned 

 

QUALIFICATIONS

Required qualifications:

• Eligible candidates must have at least one of the following:
  • A bachelor’s degree (strongly preferred)
  • A paralegal certificate from an ABA accredited paralega