Paralegal Casehandler, Immigration Law Unit- Youth Project

The Legal Aid Society • New York, NY

9d

About The Position

The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice is seeking a Paralegal Casehandler with a
strong work ethic and a deep commitment to public interest to join the citywide
Immigration Law Unit’s Immigrant Youth Representation Project (Youth Project).
The Paralegal Casehandler will be part of an inter-disciplinary legal team that
includes attorneys, paralegals and social workers, working closely to address
the needs of unaccompanied minor children and other minor non-citizens to secure
the bestcase outcome. The Paralegal Casehandler will collaborate with project
attorneys, paralegals and social workers with case support, litigation
assistance, advocacy efforts and assist clients in connecting them with
community-based organizations to support their long-term success. The Legal Aid
Society participates in the Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort (ICARE)
coalition, which provides direct legal representation, comprehensive advice,
social, health, and mental health services, and advocacy to vulnerable youth in
removal proceedings. The Paralegal Casehandler will actively participate in the
Youth Project’s work with the ICARE Coalition and partners as well as our Legal
Clinic Program that works with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status-eligible youth
and vulnerable families. The Paralegal Casehandler will also assist the
Supervising Attorney with project-based case data reports. A minimum two-year
commitment is required to enable the paralegal casehandler, if there is
demonstrated interest, to apply to become partially accredited through the Department of Justice (DOJ) with privileges to practice before the United States
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The Immigration Law Unit of The Legal Aid Society is a recognized leader in the
delivery of high-quality legal services to immigrants in all five boroughs of
New York City and surrounding counties within the New York District of the
USCIS. 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 as well as immigration and
family 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.

Requirements

• Eligible candidates must have at least one of the following: A bachelor’s degree (strongly preferred) A paralegal certificate from an ABA accredited paralegal program At minimum, a high school diploma / GED and 4+ years of legal work experience 4+ years of combined higher education and legal work experience
• Excellent writing, verbal, organizational, and computer skills
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team
• Ability to work efficiently and under time constraints to meet deadlines for multiple attorneys
• Ability to manage a reasonable volume of cases and solve problems creatively
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate successfully with other groups and organizations
• Commitment to protecting the rights of low-income clients

Nice To Haves

• Experience in and/or commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income people, immigrants, and children is strongly desired
• Knowledge of immigration law is strongly desired
• Experience preparing immigration applications is strongly desired
• Proficiency in Spanish or French is strongly desired
• Experience assisting people in crisis is desired

Responsibilities

• Provide support to staff attorneys and supervising attorneys in the Youth Project
• Assist with litigation tasks, such as drafting affidavits, preparing family court petitions, compiling motions, and assisting with arranging for service of process
• Assist in fact development by meeting with clients, contacting family members in the United States and abroad, and gathering information and documentation from clients and appropriate agencies
• Screen, interview, assess, and provide direct assistance to clients under attorney supervision
• Assist attorneys in preparing applications for immigration relief on behalf of immigrant clients
• Upon becoming a partially accredited representative, handle a reasonable volume of individual immigration applications
• Maintain and update case management database
• Coordinate the Legal Aid Society’s participation in the ICARE Coalition
• The position may require off-site travel for discrete tasks, subject to availability

Benefits

• The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more.
• The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs.
• Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level