Program Associate / Paralegal

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND:

The National Immigration Project is a national membership organization of attorneys, advocates, and community members who believe that all people should be treated with dignity, live freely, and flourish. For over 50 years, the organization has litigated, educated, advocated, and built bridges across movements so that those who are most harmed by the immigration and criminal systems are uplifted and supported. The organization regularly initiates special projects that are responsive to the needs of immigrant communities and the immigrant justice movement. Current projects include habeas representation projects in several regions, a legal representation screening and referral program, and a long-term project focused on youth who are eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status but are caught in a visa backlog.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The National Immigration Project seeks a motivated Program Associate / Paralegal to join our team to assist with program administration needs, with particular focus on supporting the setup and management of special projects. The Program Associate / Paralegal will also work closely with the Legal Program Manager on general support for our legal and advocacy teams. The ideal candidate will have worked on removal defense cases; have experience working with pro bono attorneys and/or referring cases; have paralegal or other program management experience; have experience working with community groups and advocates; and be committed to social justice.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Receive case and legal representative referrals from our partner organizations
• Conduct initial screening, fact checking, and document gathering for incoming cases seeking placement through habeas projects and other projects focused on legal representation
• Communicate with partners, people seeking representation or their friends / families, and legal representatives about incoming referrals and case placement
• Conduct factual research and/or client interviews and declaration drafting (including translation) in connection with special projects, litigation, or advocacy matters
• Support the administration of special projects including data cleanup and maintenance, membership support, and general administrative assistance
• Assist with the setup and maintenance of project resource folders, working with programmatic leads to gather legal and practical resources and ensure accessibility of those resources to project partners
• Assist with triaging technical assistance requests and tracking responses from relevant program staff
• Plan and coordinate trainings, quarterly case rounds, and other project specific programming in collaboration with operations team
• Assist with proofreading and compiling materials for public facing reports
• Provide administrative assistance to litigation staff including redacting, formatting, proofreading, cite-checking, and filing legal documents, as well as maintaining case files and Legal Server administration
• Other legal and advocacy program support responsibilities assigned by directors or supervising attorneys.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience: 3-6 years of work experience with program administration in relevant settings, though we may consider exceptional applicants with fewer years of experience. Experience working with detained immigrants and their legal representatives as well as broad experience with different types of immigration representation is a strong plus.

Skills: Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. Strong writing skills and comfort interfacing with and placing cases with private firms conducting pro bono immigration legal representation as well as community groups seeking assistance.

Knowledge: Familiarity with immigration issues and a commitment to social justice. Comfort with technology, including Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Zoom, Adobe Pro, and databases such as Legal Server.

Languages: Proficiency in Spanish highly desirable.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

Attributes: Detail-oriented, proactive, and able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Highly organized and self-driven.

Excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, and generous vacation and leave time. This is a full-time union position. All National Immigration Project union (non-management) staff are represented by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers (NOLSW), UAW Local 2320, AFL-CIO. This position is fully remote, though occasional travel is required for in-person meetings.

Proficiency in Spanish highly desirable.