Spanish Bilingual Paralegal

Posted: June 2022

Reports to: Managing Attorney

Position: Full Time, Hourly: 40 hours per week

Location: San Jose, California

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Human Agenda is a grassroots organization that integrates the immigrant community in its community building projects. Human Agenda’s mission is to materialize a world where the human needs of all can be met, and where institutions and policies are democratic, egalitarian, cooperative, kind, and sustainable (the DECKS values of Human Agenda). Some of its non-legal services projects have included community organizing, facilitating the creation of collaboratives, the SOLO fund which provided pandemic relief to undocumented immigrants, and rental assistance. The key to meeting the vision of Human Agenda is providing access to high-quality legal immigration services. CLARO, a legal collective within Human Agenda, meets this need by providing free or low-cost legal services, primarily for immigrants in removal proceedings in Santa Clara County. The acronym CLARO in Spanish signifies Colectivo Legal Accesible Razonable y Organizado - the Legal Collective that is Accessible, Reasonable, and Organized. CLARO members make collective decisions about the direction of the legal services project and every member’s vote is equally valued.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Human Agenda / CLARO is seeking a Spanish bilingual paralegal/legal assistant to join our team to assist with providing legal services to individuals for their immigration needs, including defense of removal proceedings in immigration court, and humanitarian-based applications before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). There will be an opportunity to transition to a DOJ Accredited Representative, depending on confirmation of funding. The paralegal/legal assistant would become a full CLARO legal collective member after six months and participate in collective decision making about the organization’s direction, vision, and day-to-day operations.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Answer telephone, screen calls, and provide general information.
• Screen, prioritize and route mail received and update clients, client database, removal defense calendar, and file in client files.
• Prepare initial and renewal Employment Authorization Document (EAD) applications.
• Fill out other USCIS forms with clients.
• Translate client documents from Spanish into English. Read completed declarations in Spanish to clients as necessary. Interpret during client preparation for hearings.
• Prepare supporting documents for applications (for USCIS or in immigration court). This would include requesting documents from clients, collecting them, organizing. them and creating a table of contents, paginating, adding exhibit pages and tabs
• Assist attorneys with preparing country conditions packets for asylum cases, including country conditions research and creation of annotated table of contents, then preparing and organizing the country conditions reports, paginating, adding exhibit pages and tabs.
• Draft basic motions and edit complex motions and briefs for grammar and spelling, add table of authorities. Assist attorneys with additional tasks as necessary.
• File submissions, including electronic service on Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and electronically filing through ECAS or paper filing in person or by mail to the San Francisco Immigration Court.
• Maintain legal best practices by complying with CLARO’s procedures, policies, protocols, and best practices, including participating in regular staff meetings and legal trainings, including training on cultural competence and representing GBV survivors.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Undergraduate degree or paralegal certificate
• Spanish fluency. Proficiency in other languages welcome but not required
• Prefer prior paralegal experience in immigration law
• Well versed with Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and ability to learn new technology
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Excellent time management skills and ability to take initiative
• Commitment to providing services to low-income immigrant communities
• Ability to relate and communicate with a diverse range of clients and colleagues
• Up to date with COVID-19 vaccination and booster shots

COMPENSATION

Pay is $24-$30 per hour ($49,920-$62,400 annually if working full-time), depending on experience. Our comprehensive and competitive benefits package includes fully paid health insurance (medical) for employee and health coverage for dependents. Transportation and/or mileage and parking is reimbursed for any work travel. All immigration training hours are paid time. Extremely generous Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, which includes 7 weeks of PTO (35 days or 280 hours) per calendar year, including 3 weeks or 15 days for floating holidays/personal days and the remaining 4 weeks for sick and vacation time (to be used interchangeably). This will be pro-rated based on start date for the first year. We offer a flexible work schedule with a comp hours policy (any hours worked over can be used as PTO in subsequent weeks). Ability to work remotely part-time but expected to be in the office at least 60 percent of the time.

TO APPLY

Interested applicants should email with Attn: Spanish Bilingual Paralegal in the subject line the following materials:

• A cover letter describing their interest in the position, how they feel they will be able to fulfill the roles and responsibilities of the position, and their proficiency in Spanish
• A resume
• 3 references

Human Agenda / CLARO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and places a high value on diversity in our workplace, including diversity in race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and physical ability. We strive to create an environment welcoming to all individuals and we encourage applications from individuals traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession. Applicants requiring accommodation for the interview /application process should contact Liliya or include that information in their email submitting the application.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $24.00 - $30.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Travel requirement:

• No travel

COVID-19 considerations:
All employees are asked to be vaccinated and wear masks when meeting with others. All clients are asked to wear masks when coming to the office, and asked to be vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test within the last 48 hours.

Ability to commute/relocate:

• San Jose, CA 95131: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Immigration: 1 year (Preferred)
• Microsoft Office: 1 year (Required)
• Paralegal: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

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