Managing Paralegal- Know Your Rights, Detained Adult Program

Amica Center for Immigrant Rights (Amica Center)•Washington, DC

16h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition is now Amica Center for Immigrant Rights (“Amica Center”). Amica Center is the only non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C. area exclusively focused on providing legal assistance to adult and child immigrants detained by the government in the Capital Region and beyond. The Detained Adult Program (DAP) works with hundreds of adults detained by ICE each year, providing information, support, and legal representation. DAP staff are a source of expertise in the complex and ever-changing immigration system, working collaboratively and focusing on providing trauma-sensitive, person-centered services.

Requirements

At least 2 years of strong experience or legal training in immigration law.
Possess broad knowledge and adequate experience in immigration law and procedure.
At least 1 year of supervision experience required; informal and non-staff supervision experience considered.
Oral and written Spanish professional proficiency required, fluency preferred.
Valid driver's license and comfort operating a vehicle.
Demonstrates a firm understanding of relief eligibility to allow for meaningful contribution to client intakes, intake review and follow-up, and to support junior staff in casework with limited supervision.
Demonstrates a mastery of the understanding of legal information versus advice and educates others on this distinction.
Familiar with preparing court filings and can support junior staff on doing so with limited attorney input.
Satisfactorily handles all required client, jail, and managerial obligations with limited supervision.
Manages their workload to allow for proper prioritization and thoughtful use of time and resources.
Can effectively supervise a team of paralegals, assist them with managing workloads, completing referral and intake responsibilities, and advancing professional development.
Ensures that all administrative aspects of their position and that of their direct reports are carried out without managerial intervention, including timekeeping, file management, database requirements, etc.

Nice To Haves

Experience working within the detained removal defense sector.
Experience managing data systems and processes.

Responsibilities

Supporting the coordination and execution of monthly visits to local detention centers for Know Your Rights presentations, intakes, and workshops with detained unrepresented adults.
Providing structure, systems, and legal support for paralegals and paralegal fellows working on the KYR team in both jail work and removal defense cases.
Supervising junior staff with a focus on professional development.
Serving as a member of Amica Center’s organizational Leadership Team and helping set organization-wide policies.
Conducting detention facility visits for the provision of Know Your Rights presentations, intakes, and group workshops.
Implementing, managing, and providing training on systems that support direct representation and Know Your Rights work.
Ensuring KYR-related pipelines are up to date, including monitoring referrals and updating information on the organization’s Legal Server and other shared databases.
Overseeing systems for KYR jail visit preparation and breakdown, case assignments, and ensuring pro se guides and materials are up to date.
Holding regular and ad hoc paralegal meeting spaces.
Providing direct and matrix supervision to junior paralegals.
Tracking and monitoring patterns or trends in the field.
Serving as one of DAP’s Legal Server Administrators.
Providing leadership support on DAP’s recurring paralegal fellowships and/or DOJ Accreditation Program, including recruitment and onboarding of KYR paralegal fellows.
Demonstrating advanced understanding of basic relief eligibility and providing insightful input during case strategy meetings, case workshopping, intake review, facility team meetings, supervision check-ins, pro se case workshopping, and other critical junctures.
Conducting additional case research and preparation of cases for pro bono placement or other follow-up after intake review.
Supporting junior staff in their professional development and provision of KYR and direct representation services.
Conducting training and supervising other staff on administrative tasks, including database maintenance and reporting to funders.
Working with DAP leadership, grants administrator, program associate(s), and others as necessary on data reporting to funders.
Troubleshooting data supervision system issues.
Assisting program leadership in planning and implementation of program goals.
Assisting other program staff in high-work/low-bandwidth periods.
Participating in stakeholder relationship activities, including in-person and telephonic meetings with community groups, governmental bodies and representatives, and other legal service providers, as needed.
Attending and participating in biweekly organization-wide leadership group meetings.

Benefits

Free gym access located in Washington, D.C (dependent on employee’s primary office)
Flexible working hours after successful completion of trainings and with approval of supervisor
Pre-tax commuter benefits for those living in the DMV
Subsidized health, dental insurance, and vision insurance (Amica Center pays a very high rate of the insurance package)
Life Insurance valued at $50,000
Long- and short-term disability
The option to set up a Flexible Spending Account
High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a one-time employer contribution of $350 to the Health Savings Account (HSA)
The option to set up a 403(b) savings account (the equivalent of a 401(k) account for non-profit organizations)
23 Personal Days per calendar year
Up to 20 days of Sick Time per calendar year
7 hours of Volunteer Time Off per calendar year
Federal holidays
Paid winter break closure
12 weeks of parental leave