Paralegal

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)

Atlanta (GA)

On-site

USD 30,940 - 38,683

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Employer-paid life and disability insurance

Job summary

A nonprofit organization is seeking a Paralegal in Atlanta, GA, to support legal services for unaccompanied children. Responsibilities include conducting client intakes, legal research, and drafting immigration forms. Candidates must be fluent in English and Spanish, with a strong ability to multitask and a commitment to collaborative work. Competitive pay offered, along with comprehensive benefits including health insurance and wellness programs.

Qualifications

1 year of experience working with children, preferably at-risk youth.
1 year of experience conducting legal intakes or interviewing children.
Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Responsibilities

Conduct client intakes and legal research.
Draft immigration forms and maintain case files.
Assist with hearing preparation and social services referrals.

Skills

Fluent in English and Spanish

Excellent organizational skills

Time management skills

Ability to multitask

Education

Bachelor's or undergraduate degree

High school diploma with 5 years of experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Overview

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied and separated children who are forcibly displaced from their countries of origin. Launched in 2008, KIND champions a world in which every child’s rights and well-being are protected throughout their journey to safety. Building on its extensive programming and successful model in the United States, KIND is expanding in the Americas and Europe to bring its experience to bear in working with unaccompanied and separated children. Our work focuses on addressing the legal and mental health needs of this population; building strong partnerships and engaging in training and capacity strengthening with governments, NGOs, and the private sector; and advocating for systemic and pragmatic reforms to advance the rights of unaccompanied and separated children.

Position Summary KIND seeks a Paralegal who will be responsible for supporting KIND’s delivery of legal services through a range of case support tasks in coordination with our attorneys. Paralegals are responsible for conducting client intakes, legal research, preparation of immigration forms, drafting affidavits, maintaining files and data, hearing preparation, social services referrals, and other related duties. The Paralegal reports to the Staff or Senior Attorney. This position is contingent upon continued funding.

Base pay range

$22.46/hr - $28.08/hr

Essential Functions

Provides support to attorneys, including conducting legal research; fills out immigration benefits and other standard forms; drafts affidavits and basic motions; assists with hearing and interview preparation; maintains case files and data entry in the case management database; and other tasks as needed
Conducts client phone screenings, intake interviews, and know your rights presentations and draft intake memoranda
Provides support to pro bono attorneys during case placement and assists with administrative and planning tasks related to pro bono attorney training and mentoring
Serves as point of contact for clients, proactively ensuring that case files and case management system reflect current contact information and status updates on case developments and child’s wellbeing
Conducts regular check-ins with the child for direct representation cases, particularly in cases in which case adjudication is delayed; updates attorney and senior paralegal regarding new developments, as needed
Assists in case audit efforts for pro bono cases, ensuring that updates from pro bono attorneys regarding case status and child’s wellbeing are timely and accurately recorded
Conducts an initial assessment of case referrals received against case acceptance criteria and program priorities
Ensures appropriate processing and data entry for referrals and intakes
Liaises with Social Services Coordinators regarding social services needs and referrals; assists with social services projects depending on office needs; works collaboratively to achieve programmatic goals where legal services and social services intersect

Qualifications and Requirements

Bachelor's or undergraduate degree with 1 year of relevant experience; or high school diploma with at least 5 years of relevant experience
Must be fluent in English and Spanish (required for direct communication with the children we serve and their caregivers, the majority of whom are Spanish-speaking)
Minimum of one year of experience working with children, preferably at-risk youth, immigrants or refugee children
Minimum of one year of experience conducting legal intakes or interviewing children in a professional setting
Excellent organizational, time management skills, and attention to detail
Ability to travel (locally) as assigned
Ability to work within an office environment and have regular interaction via telephone, videoconference, IM, and email with KIND's team
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (such as Teams, Excel, etc.)
Ability to work collaboratively and multi-task in our KIND environment, managing numerous priorities and emerging opportunities
Excellent organizational skills with the ability to work on multiple projects in a deadline-oriented environment; ability to prioritize tasks and delegate as appropriate
Ability to multitask and work with a sense of urgency in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
Committed to practicing and supporting wellbeing and a work-life balance
Experience working and communicating in a remote environment preferred but not required

Our Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance with KIND paying 100% of the employee-only portion of the premium for one of the three medical plan options, dental, and vision
Pre-tax flexible spending account FSA for both medical and dependent care
Pre-tax transit and parking spending account
Employer-paid life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance
Employer-paid short and long-term disability insurance

For a complete list of benefits, please click here.

Our Focus on Wellness

KIND recognizes that our ability to help our clients starts with helping our team members. KIND has prioritized wellness for employees through Mindfulness and Wellness Trainings, Wellness Platforms, Employee Assistance and Resilience Programs, Time Away and Office Wellness Activities. For more information regarding our Wellness initiatives please visit this link.

Application Instructions

To be considered for this role, please submit an employment application at supportkind.org/join-the-team, along with your resume and cover letter.

Disclaimer: KIND is committed to an ethical recruitment and hiring process and maintains a firm no fees recruitment policy. We will never charge a fee or ask for money as part of the application process. KIND also conducts all interviews via telephone or video conference, and at no time will KIND engage in a text or mobile app-based application or interview process. For more information, please visit the following website: https://supportkind.org/join-the-team/kind-employment-practices/

Seniority level