Legal Assistant/Paralegal

Based in Portland, Maine, with a satellite office in Lewiston, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) is Maine’s only state-wide immigration legal aid organization. ILAP’s mission is to help low-income immigrants improve their legal status and to work for more just and humane laws and policies affecting immigrants. ILAP’s work includes direct legal services for over 3,000 clients each year; education and outreach to immigrant communities and service providers; and systemic advocacy on local, state, and federal immigration law issues. 

ILAP is committed to having a respectful, collaborative, and equitable work environment, with equal opportunity for all employees. We encourage applications from individuals with lived immigrant experience, as well as those from other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We believe in building an organization that is reflective of the communities that we serve and is diverse in work background, experience, education, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental, and physical abilities. We believe that having a diverse and equitable organization strengthens our programming and services and advances our organizational values. 

POSITION DESCRIPTION   

Based in ILAP’s Portland office, the Legal Assistant/Paralegal is responsible for providing paralegal and administrative support to ILAP’s legal team. Their work promotes the provision of high-quality immigration legal services and includes but is not limited to document preparation, client communication, records requests, and mail processing.

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Provide paralegal support to attorneys and DOJ accredited representatives, including but not limited to: preparing and organizing case files, documents, forms, and applications; providing administrative support such as filing, photocopying, and scanning; and assisting with client-related communications, scheduling, and record requests.
• Prepare, file, and track Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) requests and appeals. Develop and maintain a working knowledge of trends and developments in FOIA processing and communicate updates to the legal team.
• Oversee the handling of incoming and outgoing mail, including training and supervision of staff assisting with mail processing, to ensure compliance with office protocols.
• Participate in ILAP clinics, walk-in hours, and outreach activities as needed. Provide back-up coverage of the front desk as needed.
• Maintain client files and data in accordance with ILAP protocols, grant requirements, and ethical obligations.
• Participate in ILAP legal team meetings and collaborate and share expertise with other ILAP legal staff.
• Perform other tasks and assume other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Senior Staff Attorney, Co-Legal Director, or Executive Director.

QUALIFICATIONS  

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Paralegal or relevant administrative experience preferred.
• Professional or lived experience with immigrant or other vulnerable communities preferred.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Office 365.
• Strong analytical, research, communication, and writing skills.
• Ability to multi-task effectively, including having strong detail-orientation, planning, and organizing skills, and the ability to work well under pressure.
• Collaborative mindset and ability to adapt and problem solve in response to shifts in team priorities and developments in the law.
• Demonstrated passion for advancing immigrants’ rights, and an ability to work well with individuals from different cultures and with varying levels of English proficiency.
• Proficiency in a relevant community language preferred, especially French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Lingala.
• Personal and professional commitment to racial justice and equity.

ILAP offers a generous benefits package. Current benefits include: 

• ILAP offers a generous benefits package. Current benefits include: 
• Fully paid individual health and dental insurance coverage and significant coverage for dependents’ health insurance; 
• Vacation (20 days), Holidays (14.5), Sick Days (12), and Personal Days (4);
• Reduced Hours Fridays; 
• Paid parental leave and a paid family and medical leave policy; 
• Paid sabbatical after each 5 years of employment;
• Employer Retirement Contributions;
• Health Savings Plan; 
• Law School Repayment Assistance; 
• Employer paid premium for long term disability and life insurance;
• Individual and staff-wide professional development opportunities; and 
• Alternative Work Arrangement (eligible after 90-day onboarding). 

Proficiency in a relevant community language preferred, especially French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Lingala.