Legal Assistant

Essential Duties

• Provide excellent and timely customer service, responding to inquiries from clients, potential clients, courts, agencies, and members of the public. Maintain a log of contacts and responses.
• Applying basic concepts in immigration law (with training), screen potential clients to determine who may benefit from a consultation with one of the legal representatives. Where appropriate, schedule and assist the legal representative with preparation for the consultation.
• Where FIS cannot serve a potential client or contact’s needs, provide targeted referral information.
• Schedule appointments for legal representatives according to parameters set forth by the legal representative.
• Collect fees (for client services and/or fees to be paid on clients’ behalf to agencies or courts). Work with the finance department to manage incoming cash and non-cash payments. Maintain accurate records and receipts in accordance with standard operating procedures.
• Process incoming mail and other documents according to standard operating procedures. Update and maintain calendar and docketing information.
• With direction from the assigned legal representative, gather and organize evidence and client documents, and communicate with courts, agencies, witnesses, and clients.
• Provide updates to clients regarding case status, new appointments and interviews, and other developments under the direction of the legal representative.
• Support legal representatives as requested by working on immigration forms, locating and collecting information and evidence from clients and others, making copies, processing mailings, making phone calls, or otherwise.
• Open and close client files following standard operating procedures.
• Organize, update and maintain client paper, database, and electronic files in accordance with standard operating procedures and direction from the legal representatives.
• Assist with creating, organizing and maintaining records sufficient for statistical reports required by our funding sources, our accrediting agency (the U.S. Department of Justice), and Catholic Charities.
• Provide English-Spanish oral interpretation and written translation services for clients and staff as needed.
• Arrange oral interpretation and written translation services for clients who speak languages other than English or Spanish.
• Assist clients with technical competencies necessary to receive legal services, such as signing onto videoconferencing platforms, submitting documents, and signing up for necessary services or memberships.
• Draft cover letters, immigration forms, and other documents under direction from the legal representative.
• Delegate tasks to and provide mentorship and oversight to volunteers as appropriate.
• Work with the director and staff to improve standard operating procedures and FIS systems.
• Represent Catholic Charities within agency guidelines.
• Serve as a notary public for Catholic Charities.
• Support the director and staff as requested.

Education & Experience

• High School diploma/equivalent required.
• Associate’s degree or at least two years towards a bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, detail-oriented office setting required. More extensive experience in such an office preferred.

Requirements & Competencies

• Fully bilingual in English and Spanish (verbal and written) required.
• Excelente atención al detalle.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word; ability to learn other computer systems.
• Demonstrated self-starter. Ability to work independently with little supervision and collaboratively within a team.
• Detailed and strong time management and organizational skills, with ability to prioritize multiple important tasks, meet deadlines, and work under pressure.

Work Environment

• A majority of the assigned duties are performed in an office environment.
• El empleado está sometido a condiciones ambientales tanto interiores como exteriores.
• Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of this position.

This description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the principal job elements essential for making compensation decisions.

Compensation

• The salary range for this position is $18.00-$19.00 per hour. Salary is determined based on the applicant’s incoming skills and experience, and the budget at time of hiring.

Clasificación y calendario de puestos

• No exento
• Jornada completa: 40 horas semanales.
• Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Occasional evenings and weekends are required to accommodate family schedules, meetings, and special events.

Benefits Offered

• Paid Leave 17 holidays (approximate) annually
• 15 days of Discretionary Time Off (DTO) during your first year, increasing with seniority
• Enriquecimiento espiritual (2 horas al mes)
• Your Birthday! (Take a paid day off during your birthday month)
• Health & Wellness Benefits Employee Assistance Program
• Seguro dental
• Seguro médico
• Seguro oftalmológico
• $2,000 Dependent Life Insurance for spouse and each eligible child
• Income Protection Short-term Disability Insurance after 30 days of employment
• Seguro de incapacidad permanente tras 6 meses de empleo
• Workers’ Compensation Insurance
• Seguro de vida
• $50,000 Term Life/AD&D Insurance
• Retirement Benefits Pension Plan (6% of wages plus interest) with 20% vesting after each year of service
• 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuities
• Other: Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Equal Employment Opportunity

Catholic Charities se rige por los principios de igualdad de oportunidades en el empleo. Prohibimos la discriminación ilegal contra los solicitantes o empleados por motivos de edad (mayores de 40 años), raza (incluidas las características históricamente asociadas a la raza, como la textura y la longitud del cabello, los peinados protectores), color, origen nacional o ascendencia, expresión de género, sexo, orientación sexual, identidad de género, expresión de género, religión, credo, origen nacional, embarazo, parto o cualquier condición relacionada, discapacidad, estado civil, condición militar, información genética o cualquier otra condición protegida por las leyes federales, estatales o locales aplicables. Esta prohibición incluye el acoso ilegal basado en cualquiera de estas clases protegidas. El acoso ilegal incluye conductas verbales o físicas que tengan el propósito o el efecto de interferir sustancialmente en el rendimiento laboral de una persona o de crear un entorno de trabajo intimidatorio, hostil u ofensivo.

Applicants and employees need not be Catholic. However, all employees are governed by Canon Law or the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Este empleador participa en E-Verify y proporcionará al gobierno federal la información de tu formulario I-9 para confirmar que estás autorizado a trabajar en EE.UU.

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