Paralegal, Immigration Legal Services

Jewish Family Service of San Diego; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health coverage

401(k) contributions

Employer-covered life insurance

Job summary

Jewish Family Service of San Diego is seeking a Paralegal to support the Immigration Legal Rights Program. Under supervision, you will assist attorneys with case work, interact with court and DHS, manage intake and service requests, and coordinate file organization for both detained and non-detained clients.

Ideal candidates have 1–2 years in immigration law and a paralegal certificate or equivalent experience. This is a full-time, onsite, non-exempt role with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; paralegal certificate or equivalent preferred.
• Minimum 1 year of immigration law experience with nonprofit work is expected.
• Strong data entry, filing, and document management skills.

Responsibilities

• Support ILRP attorneys and DOJ accredited representatives with case work requests.
• Coordinate communications with Immigration Court and DHS for client meetings.
• Manage service requests for ILRP, including intake scheduling and eligibility checks.
• Assist Intake/Referral Coordinator with the immigration phone line and emails.
• Provide intakes for detained and non-detained clients and coordinate filin gs.
• Organize physical and electronic ILRP files; maintain waiting lists for intakes.
• Assist with drafting applications, motions, declarations; review by attorneys.
• Support FOIA requests and affirmative applications for cases handled.
• Maintain client communications on case status; interpret/translate as needed.
• Attend trainings on immigration law; support visits to detention centers.

Skills

Paralegal experience

Immigration law

Nonprofit experience

Multilingual communication

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills

Data recording

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree

Paralegal certificate or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Overview:

JFS is looking for a compassionate, mission-driven individual to join the Immigration Legal Rights Program, Immigration Legal Services, team as the Paralegal. Under the supervision of the Lead Paralegal, the Paralegal is responsible for directly supporting the Immigrant Legal Rights Program (ILRP) staff. The Paralegal supports with tasks related to legal representation to ILRP clients in immigration cases, which includes representation before EOIR, DHS, federal circuit courts, and state courts.

Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of Lead Paralegal, the Paralegal will be responsible for:

• Supporting with requests for case work assistance from ILRP attorneys and DOJ accredited representatives
• Communicate with representatives of Immigration Court and various DHS agencies to advocate for and schedule meetings for ILRP clients
• Manage all requests for services received by ILRP and coordinate the scheduling of legal screenings or dismissal of request, if applicant is not eligible for our services due to income or funding restrictions
• Support our Intake and Referral Coordinator with the management of our general immigration phone line and email, and request for services via postal mail
• Provide and coordinate intakes for non-detained and detained potential ILRP clients
• Coordinate the organization of all physical and electronic files
• Help clients prepare immigration filings, including the completion of draft applications, motions, and declarations, for review by attorneys
• Assist attorney and DOJ Accredited Representatives with the filing of FOIA requests and affirmative applications for cases s/he is supporting
• Stay in constant communication with clients about the status of their pending immigration cases
• Interpret during meetings and translate documents if you speak another language
• Provide support to legal team with in-person visits to clients at Imperial Regional Detention Facility and Otay Mesa Detention Center. This will require flexibility in schedule as some of these visits may happen outside JFS business hours
• Support the Lead Paralegal with maintaining the waiting list for intakes for potential clients detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center; coordinate with Otay Mesa staff to schedule weekly intakes for ILRP
• Support with data entry for all ILRP cases
• Provide administrative support to the attorneys and DOJ Accredited Representatives, such as the completion of mailings, scheduling, reimbursements, and assistance to our other immigration programs, as needed
• Attend trainings on various aspects of immigration law to stay up to date with legal and policy changes

Skills/Experience/Abilities That Are a Must-Have:

• Exceptional attention to detail required, with the ability to consistently produce highly accurate work, identify discrepancies, and prevent errors in complex documents and processes.
• A passion for social justice for immigrants
• A passion for providing culturally competent, trauma-informed, services to noncitizens and newcomers in San Diego County, Imperial County, and generally in the San Diego border region, including but not limited Tijuana/Mexicali, Mexico
• Bachelor’s degree
• A paralegal certificate or equivalent experience
• 1-2 years of work experience in a nonprofit setting
• A willingness to attend immigration law trainings, including ethics trainings
• A minimum of 1 years of experience with immigration law
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including good communication and active listening skills
• Detail oriented and self-directed with strong oral and written communication skills in English
• An ability to record accurate data
• Strong relational skills and professional attitude
• Strong case management, legal research, and legal writing skills
• A demonstrated ability and willingness to zealously defend the rights of immigrants
• A demonstrated ability to take initiative and work under pressure
• An ability to work both independently and in a group and with a team
• An ability to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekend
• Ability to prioritize, multi-task and organize in a fast paced and fluid environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft software including Excel, Word, and Outlook
• Program and project management experience and supervisory skills
• A passion for our mission and work
• Multilingual English/Arabic, Spanish, Farsi, Dari, Haitian Creole, French, Russian, and/or Portuguese – desired
• Experience working with immigrant populations and in multi-cultural settings
• Experience working with detained immigrants or other incarcerated populations
• Experience working with marginalized populations and survivors of trauma
• Dedication to serving immigrant communities with a sincere commitment to working on behalf of low-income immigrants

Skills/Abilities We’d Like You to Have:

• A paralegal certificate or equivalent experience

Physical Requirements:

• Occasional evening and weekend work may be required
• Travel may be required for conferences, client meetings, court hearings, or community events
• While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, and listen
• The employee frequently needs to stand, walk, use hands and fingers to operate a keyboard, handle documents, and reach for the telephone or other office equipment
• The work environment has a moderate noise level, requiring the ability to concentrate and maintain good auditory perception
• The employee must have the ability to lift, push, or pull up to 25 pounds as needed. ding leg and spine
• Reaching – Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any directions

Other Duties:

Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Position Title

Paralegal

Organization

Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Department:

Immigration Legal Services

Position Type

Full-Time (37.5+ hours/week), Non-Exempt

Work Setting

Fully Onsite

Reports To

Lead Paralegal

Pay Range

$23-$26/hour

Total Compensation

In addition to standard pay, compensation for this position includes:

• Comprehensive, low-cost healthcare coverage for employees
• Generous employer 401(k) contributions
• Employer-covered life insurance

Time Away from Work

Being able to take time away from work is critical in bringing your best self to work. Time off benefits for this position include:

• Paid vacation time and sick leave
• 15 paid holidays, including Federal and Jewish holidays (as long as the holiday lands on a normal scheduled work day), and floating holidays
• 2 Wellness Days to be taken any time during the year to support employees’ mental wellness

About Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Jewish Family Service of San Diego is a client-centered, impact-driven organization working to build a stronger, more resilient community. For over 100 years, Jewish Family Service has been a trusted resource for the entire community, offering an array of services that are always life-changing, and often life-saving. At Jewish Family Service, we believe our employees are the backbone of our Agency. We strive to ensure that each employee is treated with dignity and respect. Our goal is your success. Come work at JFS and be our partner in
Moving Forward Together. To learn more about JFS, please visit jfssd.org.

*Jewish Family Service is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.