Children’s Legal Assistant

JOB OVERVIEW: IRC New Jersey seeks a bilingual Legal Assistant to join a new legal services program that will provide legal representation to unaccompanied children who have been released from custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and reunified with sponsors in the New Jersey area. The Legal Assistant will support the Children’s Attorney and Managing Attorney to conduct intakes that identify options for asylum, special immigrant juvenile status, or other forms of humanitarian relief, and assist with preparing and filing immigration applications and petitions. The bilingual Legal Assistant will have stellar interpersonal and trauma-informed listening skills, be highly organized and have excellent attention to detail, and be able to work both in a collaborative team environment and independently on assignments.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Assist in conducting intakes or follow-up meetings with unaccompanied child clients, gathering supporting documents, and preparing translations;

· Assist in preparing filings for the immigration court, Asylum Office, and USCIS;

· Provide interpretation for clients at USCIS interviews, as needed;

· Open cases, create paper and electronic case files, and input data in relevant case management systems to ensure accurate and timely tracking of cases;

· Coordinate with other IRC program staff to provide wrap-around services, where appropriate, and prepare referral packages for children who move out of local jurisdiction;

· Support development of partnerships that have potential to bring valuable supports to clients;

· Communicate with clients to provide case status updates, request documents and other information, schedule appointments, and manage other communication as needed;

· Prepare affidavits, legal correspondence, and other documents for the Staff Attorney, Managing Attorney, and other legal staff;

· Translate documents from Spanish to English;

· Track deadlines for the Children’s Legal Services team and prepare monthly reports.

Job Requirements:

· An undergraduate degree or equivalent work experience in the legal field;

· Fluency in both Spanish and English required;

· Experience in a legal setting highly desirable, but not required;

· Experience working with children highly desirable, but not required;

· Excellent attention to detail, ability to multi-task, and comfort working in a fast-paced environment;

· Demonstrated ability to work independently, solve problems and exercise sound judgement;

· Evidence of capacity to be a strong team member in a highly collaborative social service environment;

· Deep commitment to working with immigrants, children, asylum seekers;

· Trauma-informed and sensitive listening and communication skills;

· Personal integrity in handling ethically complex and confidential situations;

· Commitment to anti-racism and ongoing learning; and

· Strong computer literacy, research, and analysis skills.

Working Environment:**

· Standard office environment with occasional participation in community outreach and legal assistance events; hybrid, flexible work options available.

· May require occasional weekend and/or evening work.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires candidates who are selected for interview to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for this position.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.