Senior Paralegal, Children's Program

Description

Who We Are

The Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition is now Amica Center for Immigrant Rights (“Amica Center” for short). Click here to learn more about our new name. Since our founding in 1999, we have grown significantly and added new services to support immigrants in detention. Recently, Amica Center has outgrown our name, expanding beyond our initial services and geographic boundaries.

“Amica” is the Latin word for “friend,” and that echoes the way we approach what we do. Just as friends stand with one another, Amica Center stands with our clients to achieve the safety, stability, and opportunity we all deserve.

We are the only non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C. area that is exclusively focused on providing legal assistance to adult and child immigrants detained by the government in the Capital Region and beyond.

Our Work Environment

The Children’s Program (DUCs) provides legal orientation and screening to detained migrant children in the Maryland and Virginia region. We also offer free legal services to children released from Office of Refugee Resettlement custody to the greater Washington/DC Baltimore region.

DUCs is a highly collaborative work environment. We are committed to providing high-quality, trauma-informed legal and social services and a culture of professional growth and support for staff. Although aspects of our work are completed in smaller teams, we work towards integrated and client-focused services across the program by embracing interconnectivity. We strive to create systems that provide structure while fostering innovation and adaptability. Supervisors in our program share a commitment to teaching, mentorship, and work life balance.

Position Summary

• A Paralegal in the Detained Children’s Program works collaboratively with staff and leadership to:
• ensure clients receive high-quality, culturally competent legal services while detained and after release;
• coordinate, participate, and supervise visits to detention centers for the purpose of conducting know your rights presentations and intakes with detained children;
• support attorneys in providing legal services to unaccompanied immigrant children, including assisting with paperwork and case preparation;
• contribute to the program’s provision of services as a whole, including administrative tasks such as database maintenance and reporting to funders;
• supervision and training of junior staff with a focus on professional development (dependent on experience level); and
• regularly engage with senior staff and leadership to identify programmatic needs and implement program goals.

General Duties and Responsibilities [1]

Client Services:

• Supervises and participates in preparation and breakdown of detention facility visits, as needed.
• Conducts detention facility visits in Virginia and Maryland, for the provision of know your rights presentations, intakes, and follow-up conversations with immigrant children.
• Ensures that junior staff complete all shelter-involved tasks to a high standard.
• Demonstrates advanced understanding of common immigration relief eligibility and provides high-quality input during internal case reviews.
• Performs and can train other staff on performing administrative tasks, including database maintenance and reporting to funders.
• Supports attorneys representing detained and released clients before USCIS, Baltimore, Arlington, and Hyattsville Immigration Courts, and local state courts in Maryland, DC, and Virginia. This includes representation in the following types of cases: Asylum, Withholding of Removal, Protection under the Convention against Torture, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U-Visas and T-Visas, in addition to limited social services assistance.
• Actively engages in Amica Center’s training efforts of new staff and interns, as needed.

Organizational Services:

• Ensures the timely and accurate entry of case information into shared databases. Troubleshoots data management system problems.
• Assists program leadership in planning and implementation of program goals.
• Assists other program staff in completion of their workload during high-work/low- bandwidth periods.
• Leads projects to improve systems or client services.
• Actively participates and contributes to stakeholder relationship activities.
• Engages with internal Amica Center committees and working groups to lend a voice to the growth and strategy of the organization.

[1] This list is illustrative and not intended to be a complete classification of all job functions or tasks.

Additional Role-Specific Details:

Position Type

Full-time, non-exempt

Supervisory Responsibility

Yes

Salary [2]

$50,000- $68,100

[2] In 2018 Amica Center implemented a compensation framework to be more straightforward, transparent, and provide assurance of internal equity. The compensation model we use is based on an individual's position and years of relevant work experience to avoid salary discrepancies and to reduce the risk of racial, gender, or other forms of bias affecting a candidate's salary.

Location and/or Travel Requirements

Washington, DC / Baltimore, MD

This position will be based at the Washington, D.C. or Baltimore, M.D. Office with a hybrid work model. Due to business related travel expectations, it is recommended candidates live within 30-miles of their assigned primary office.

Telework

Amica Center operates a hybrid work environment. Most staff are required to work at least one day per week in-office, but some roles require more office/on-site attendance or travel.

COVID-19 Vaccination:

All employees are required to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. To be fully vaccinated means having completed the full dosages required for the type of vaccine obtained as designated by the CDC. If boosters are subsequently recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) then employees will be required to receive the booster within thirty (30) days of their eligibility to access the boosters.

Benefits

• Amica Center’s benefits package includes:
• Free gym access located in Washington, D.C or Baltimore, MD (dependent on employee’s primary office)
• Flexible working hours after successful completion of trainings and with approval of supervisor
• Pre-tax commuter benefits for those living in the DMV
• Subsidized health, dental insurance, and vision insurance (Amica Center pays a very high rate of the insurance package, for which we can provide additional information)
• Life Insurance valued at $50,000, as well as long- and short-term disability
• The option to set up a Flexible Spending Account
• High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a one-time employer contribution of $350 to the Health Savings Account (HSA)
• The option to set up a 403(b) account (the equivalent of a 401(k) account for non-profits) which the organization has the option, for all employees on an annual basis, to match at a certain percentage after one year of continuous employment

Paid time off includes:

• 23 personal days per calendar year
• Up to 20 days of sick time per calendar year
• 7 hours of volunteer time off
• Federal holidays
• Paid winter break closure
• 12 weeks of parental leave

Competencies Required:

Legal Proficiency

The Senior Paralegal demonstrates a firm understanding of children’s removal proceedings, relief eligibility, and culturally competent legal services. The Senior Paralegal plays an active role in client relationships and can independently advance work on cases with attorney approval and supervision. The Senior Paralegal demonstrates understanding of legal information versus legal advice and educates others on appropriate limitations for non-attorney staff. The Senior Paralegal is familiar with preparing client filings and can do so with limited or minimal attorney supervision and review.

Client and Programmatic Proficiency

The Senior Paralegal will skillfully and clearly present legal information and know your rights presentations to detained children and clients with limited supervision. The Senior Paralegal has, and continually improves upon, trauma-informed interviewing and rapport-building skills. The Senior Paralegal effectively manages time and resources and appropriately prioritizes client needs and other program responsibilities.

Administrative

The Senior Paralegal ensures that all administrative aspects of their position are carried out with limited supervisory support, including facility visit preparation and breakdown, file and database upkeep, etc. The Senior Paralegal contributes to updates and adjustments, as needed, to administrative systems designed to support shelter and client work.

Qualifications Required:

• Written and oral Spanish fluency
• 2-3 years of relevant experience in immigration legal service provision.
• 2-3 years of relevant experience interviewing / working with clients, preferably children.
• Management or supervision experience preferred.
• Driver’s license
• Favorable results on background check including driving record, Child Protection Registry, and state and federal criminal records

At Amica Center, we embrace the fact that talented individuals come from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. We believe that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to our success. Amica Center values your unique perspectives, skills, and potential, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities for growth and development. If you are passionate about Amica Center's mission and are excited to contribute your talents to our team, we encourage you to submit your application. Candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. If you are a candidate with a disability and require accommodations to apply for this position, please contact us at HR@amicacenter.org.

EEO Statement

Amica Center for Immigrants’ Rights is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti-discrimination law, it is the purpose of this policy to effectuate these principles and mandates. Amica Center prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Amica Center conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

Our Anti-Racism Statement:

https://amicacenter.org/becoming-anti-racist/

How to Apply:

Submit your resume, a cover letter that explains your interest in this role, and a writing sample with your Paylocity application.

Requirements

Competencies Required:

Legal Proficiency

The Senior Paralegal demonstrates a firm understanding of children’s removal proceedings, relief eligibility, and culturally competent legal services. The Senior Paralegal plays an active role in client relationships and can independently advance work on cases with attorney approval and supervision. The Senior Paralegal demonstrates understanding of legal information versus legal advice and educates others on appropriate limitations for non-attorney staff. The Senior Paralegal is familiar with preparing client filings and can do so with limited or minimal attorney supervision and review.

Client and Programmatic Proficiency

The Senior Paralegal will skillfully and clearly present legal information and know your rights presentations to detained children and clients with limited supervision. The Senior Paralegal has, and continually improves upon, trauma-informed interviewing and rapport-building skills. The Senior Paralegal effectively manages time and resources and appropriately prioritizes client needs and other program responsibilities.

Administrative

The Senior Paralegal ensures that all administrative aspects of their position are carried out with limited supervisory support, including facility visit preparation and breakdown, file and database upkeep, etc. The Senior Paralegal contributes to updates and adjustments, as needed, to administrative systems designed to support shelter and client work.

Qualifications Required:

• Written and oral Spanish fluency
• 2-3 years of relevant experience in immigration legal service provision.
• 2-3 years of relevant experience interviewing / working with clients, preferably children.
• Management or supervision experience preferred.
• Driver’s license
• Favorable results on background check including driving record, Child Protection Registry, and state and federal criminal records