Spanish-Speaking Paralegal

New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children

The New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children (NJCIC) is seeking a passionate and highly-motivated paralegal to support the provision of legal services to unaccompanied immigrant children (UCs) and similarly-situated youth. The paralegal will also have the unique opportunity to help establish New Jersey’s first of its kind, medical-legal partnership (MLP) dedicated to holistically serving UCs and similarly-situated youth in immigration matters. 

About NJCIC 

NJCIC works with New Jersey’s young immigrants and their allies to advance their full, fearless participation in our society. NJCIC seeks lawful status for immigrant youth and advocates for system-wide change in the areas of education, access to justice, and health equity. NJCIC’s Legal Program, of which this position is a key part, provides direct immigration legal services to youth under 21 in removal defense and applications for asylum, SIJS and other benefits, and serves as the intake and referral hub for all unaccompanied children seeking help from a state-funded program providing free representation in immigration court. We empower immigrant youth and families by conducting Know Your Rights sessions and developing youth-oriented educational materials, and improve representation and advocacy on behalf of immigrant youth by convening trainings and bimonthly provider meetings. NJCIC’s Policy Program coordinates our members and youth advocates to achieve systemic change in our three focus areas. Our ultimate goal is a New Jersey where every young immigrant has lawful status and the opportunity to advance, and where families can stay together and thrive.

Job Responsibilities

The Paralegal will work with the Legal Team on the intake and referral of unaccompanied children seeking free legal representation through a state-wide program. The Paralegal will conduct brief intakes, and will select and process cases for referral to our partners in the state-wide program. The Paralegal will also provide casework support to the Legal Team in the direct representation of youth through this program. 

The Paralegal will provide support to NJCIC’s Legal Program staff in the development of a medical legal partnership (MLP) with a community health center in Morristown, New Jersey. MLPs are an innovative model providing holistic, wraparound medical, mental health, and legal services to UC children in a trusted community setting, improving both medical and legal outcomes. The Paralegal will work with NJCIC’s Legal Team in the initial start up phase of the partnership and will provide support in filing applications for immigration relief such as SIJS and asylum, and will connect youth to social services. This is an exciting opportunity to work with NJCIC’s Legal Team and our partners on a new initiative that will expand NJCIC’s capacity to serve immigrant youth and can be replicated throughout the state.     

Under the direction of the Legal Director, the Paralegal will:

• Provide administrative support to attorneys, including maintaining communication and scheduling with community partners;
• Schedule and conduct trauma-informed intake interviews of children and their caregivers, both by phone and in-person; 
• Triage and refer cases to legal services providers who participate in the state representation program;
• Work closely with attorneys to prepare custody petitions, affidavits and supporting documents for filing in New Jersey Family Court;
• Work closely with attorneys to collect and organize evidence, prepare forms, and file applications and supporting documents with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for relief such as Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) and asylum;
• Support attorneys in preparing and filing forms, affidavits, other supporting documents, motions, and legal memoranda for submission to the Immigration Court.
• Coordinate with partners and stakeholders to support program activities and case management;
• Update case files and notes, and ensure that case management database reflects all case activity;
• Translate documents and provide interpretation;
• Collect, analyze and report data on case activities and outcomes to staff, partners and funders;
• Refer clients for social services support as needed;
• Develop and maintain referral lists for social services and other resources for youth clients;
• Other duties as determined by the Senior Staff Attorney and Legal Director.

The successful candidate will join a small team and will have opportunities to grow in their role. This role is an excellent fit for a legal professional who is passionate about helping immigrant communities and wants to participate in building a new program.

Qualifications

• A minimum of one year of experience as a paralegal, legal assistant or in a similar role, or other relevant professional experience, such as a case manager or community organizer for immigrant populations;
• Fluency in English and Spanish is required;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail;
• Experience with immigration law and/or working with immigrant children or other vulnerable populations is preferred but not required.
• Strong interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity and comfort working with diverse populations;
• Experience working in a health care setting a plus;
• Experience independently conducting screenings or interviews with clients is preferred but not required.

This position will offer a competitive salary $55,000 - $60,000, depending on experience, with excellent benefits including health insurance, generous leave and 401(k) match. NJCIC has a hybrid work model - staff work a minimum of two days a week in person and the remaining days remotely. On-site work is conducted at an amenity-filled co-working space in Jersey City and at the health center in Morristown, NJ. The Paralegal must be able and willing to travel to Jersey City and Morristown, New Jersey. Additional occasional travel to meetings and other events within New Jersey is also required. The candidate will be required to pass a basic medical clearance and to have a yearly flu vaccination beginning in October 2024 as required by the health center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants should include a resume, cover letter and writing sample. Applicants are encouraged to include how their lived experiences, in addition to professional experiences, qualify them for the role.  

This position has a proposed start date of May 28, 2024. 

NJCIC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, LGBTQIA+ people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.

This position will offer a competitive salary $55,000 - $60,000, depending on experience, with excellent benefits including health insurance, generous leave and 401(k) match. NJCIC has a hybrid work model - staff work a minimum of two days a week in person and the remaining days remotely.