Paralegal - Immigration Unit

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is committed to fair employment practices. We are proud to employ staff with cultural and linguistic competency to work within a variety of communities.

GBLS seeks a full-time Immigration Paralegal to join its Immigration Unit. The Unit represents clients in a wide range of immigration matters, including asylum, removal defense (detained and non-detained), T and U visas, VAWA petitions, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), and other forms of humanitarian relief.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with Unit attorneys to handle client casework, including preparing immigration applications, affidavits, and other filings, gathering supporting documentation, and drafting correspondence to clients, courts, and administrative agencies;
• Review applications, supporting documentation, and other materials carefully for accuracy, completeness, and consistency before submitting them to supervising attorneys for review;
• Conduct client interviews and intakes in person and by phone, and assist with brief services, limited-scope and full representation work, and referrals under attorney supervision;
• Assist attorneys with case management, including tracking deadlines, obtaining records, communicating with clients, maintaining accurate physical and electronic case files, following up on outstanding tasks, and other administrative responsibilities; and
• Participate in community outreach, intake, and legal clinics.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate will

• Be able to work collaboratively with attorneys and other staff while also taking initiative, managing assigned tasks independently, following through on commitments, and recognizing when to seek guidance;
• Have strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex information clearly to clients;
• Be comfortable interviewing and assisting clients from diverse backgrounds, including individuals who have experienced trauma and/or violence;
• Demonstrate strong organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to prioritize competing assignments, meet deadlines, maintain accurate records, and communicate proactively with supervising attorneys about workload and progress;
• Take responsibility for tracking assigned work through completion, keeping attorneys informed throughout, and promptly identifying delays, obstacles, or questions that require attention;
• Be proficient in Microsoft Office applications (including Word, Outlook, and basic Excel) and willing and able to learn other applications;
• Be able to draft letters, immigration applications, and other written materials; and
• Be receptive to supervision and feedback, willing to learn and follow established procedures, and able to incorporate feedback into future work.

Helpful additional skills and experience

• Competency in oral and written communication in a second language that is prevalent among our clients, such as Spanish, Haitian Creole, or Portuguese, is helpful;
• Experience working with low-income clients and community organizations is helpful;
• Familiarity with immigration law and different types of immigration remedies/applications is helpful; and
• Experience as a paralegal is helpful but not a requirement.

Competency in oral and written communication in a second language that is prevalent among our clients, such as Spanish, Haitian Creole, or Portuguese, is helpful.