Legal Services Assistant Director (Paralegal DOJ Representative)
Full-Time
Our Legal Empowerment Clinic, the first of Proyecto Faro’s programs, educates people one-on-one and demystifies the law. We’ve built a network of pro bono and “low-bono” lawyers and volunteers to provide free legal services to Rockland’s immigrants. In addition to assisting with and answering questions on issues like asylum cases, SIJS, naturalization, DACA, removal proceedings, and battered spouse waivers, we also help people report unethical lawyers and seek remuneration where applicable. Many clinic guests have been connected to pro bono and low bono attorneys who have represented them in their removal cases. We have held know your rights (KYR) sessions, which discuss workplace violations including wage theft, unsafe working conditions, discrimination, fraud by lawyers, and people posing as lawyers and notaries.
Inspired by the model of Keep Tuscon Together, our clinic has a strong focus on empowerment through sharing knowledge. We aim for the clinics to not simply be a space where lawyers provide services to “clients.” We aim to train immigrants to coordinate and run the clinics, in close consultation with allied lawyers. We encourage those community members helped by the clinic to return as volunteers to use what they’ve learned to benefit others in a similar situation. We want to cultivate an environment in which immigrants develop confidence, empower themselves, and attain leadership skills to work with their peers to address other needs, navigate other systems, and work for change.
We were recently awarded a re-grant from the NY Immigration Coalition to expand our legal services program, enabling us to create this Legal Services Assistant Director (LSAD) position. In addition to this position, our current part-time Legal Services & Outreach Associate, a cadre of 10 dedicated volunteers and 5 lawyers who rotate to conduct the clinics together, we’re also hiring an attorney and a Legal Services Coordinator. In addition to now being able to hold legal services office hours, we plan to add a second clinic each month, provide more volunteer training, and hold more frequent KYR sessions. The LSAD is responsible for serving citizen and non-citizen community members, should be committed to the mission of Proyecto Faro, and will provide community members with high standards of legal services in a way that is client-centered. The LSAD must have strong advocacy skills; be proactive, organized and responsive to deadlines; be culturally competent; and collaborate well with other teams within the organization in addition to external partners and stakeholders.
The LSAD will work with staff and volunteers to plan clinics, create, organize, and help facilitate trainings for volunteers, track services for reporting purposes, and ensure follow-up is being done with community members. LSAD reports to the Director of Legal Services and the Executive Director.
Responsibilities include:
Legal Empowerment Clinics & Legal Services Program
- Support Director of Legal Services in overseeing Legal Services Coordinator and volunteers in coordinating the Legal Empowerment Clinic, including instituting a second monthly clinic.
- Develop relationships and ensure the maintenance of communication with existing volunteers and lawyers and support the Coordinator in recruiting and confirming the needed number for each clinic.
- Oversee the guest intake and appointment making process.
- Provide telephone screenings and in-person intake appointments with prospective guests.
- Conduct preliminary intake interviews, identify issues, perform research, gather all relevant facts, and recommend appropriate legal course of action to the Director of Legal Services.
- Provide immigration legal services to clients. Relief pursued includes Asylum, Waivers and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, VAWA Self-Petitions, U Visas, T Visas, Adjustment of Status, Cancellation of Removal.
- Provide substantive paralegal support to Director of Legal Services including, but not limited to, preparing immigration forms, gathering supporting documentation, drafting affidavits and sending out law enforcement certification requests.
- Conduct assessments of clients’ social, emotional, and financial well-being and determine appropriate interventions and referrals.
- Regularly keep clients informed of the status of matters and comply with reasonable requests for information.
- Oversee the planning of and help facilitate sessions at trainings for volunteers (ex. volunteer orientations, training on specific types of relief, FOIA trainings, etc.).
- With Coordinator and Director, co-create a team of Volunteer Clinic Coordinators/Clinic Crew.
- Work with Coordinator to ensure ongoing outreach to publicize the clinic to potential attendees.
- Recruit new volunteers to the clinics, especially, but not limited to, law students and others in the legal community who are bi/multilingual (Spanish, Haitian Kreyol, English, etc.).
- Participate as a member of the legal clinic team and help identify how we can make the clinic more welcoming to clients and new volunteers.
- Work with the Coordinator to ensure regular posting on social media to promote the clinic.
- Support Coordinator in responding in a timely way to clinic inquiries received through email, phone, text apps, and social media accounts.
- Work with legal services staff and volunteers to collect and document accurate data for services provided. Maintain complete case records.
- Support Coordinator to create, lead, and organize internship program.
Community Education on Immigration Laws, Policies, & Rights
- Represent PF at coalition meetings and share updates and action alerts with the community.
- Keep the community up to date about laws, policies, and know-your-rights information by sharing and creating social media posts and live and recorded videos.
- Subscribe to email lists of and follow on social media major immigrant law-related organizations and re-share their content.
- Conduct periodic Tu Voz Cuenta and Your Voice Counts facebook live sessions at which you present or bring in guests to present information about specific immigration law issues (DACA, work permits, asylum etc.).
- Work with Coordinator to produce clinic fliers and basic informational fliers on key legal issues (e.g. know-your-rights) to periodically distribute at events or in food boxes, and other promotional materials.
- Emphasize in posts, events, and materials the connection between knowledge about rights, the law and empowerment/community strength.
- Work with the Legal Services team to build a network of organizations and individuals to support services, trainings, campaigns, and educational opportunities.
General Staff Responsibilities:
- When interacting with community members, share information about our programs and encourage community members to get involved with the clinic and our other programs.
- Document and report on work activities on a regular basis.
- Work collaboratively with other staff members to plan, execute, and asses program activities, and create necessary educational and promotional materials.
- Bridge direct service activities with mutual aid, community organizing, and base-building for collective power.
- Support fundraising efforts.
- Share responsibility, with the entire staff, for the general maintenance of PF’s Stony Point and Spring Valley office spaces.
- Other duties as identified by the Director of Legal Services and Executive Director.
Qualifications and Skills Required:
- Bachelor’s Degree. Direct experience doing immigration law, family law, working with survivors of trauma, or general paralegal work preferred.
- Will work with the Proyecto Faro in the process of accreditation through the Department of Justice within 3 months of accepting the position. Must be diligent in completing the necessary training hours to apply for accreditation expeditiously.
- At least 2 years experience in nonprofit work in a position that involves immigration, social justice, or legal support.
- Experience working with diverse communities.
- Commitment to the public interest, to high standards of legal practice and to client-centeredness.
- Excellent research, writing and oral advocacy skills.
- Ability to analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- Strong organizational and time management skills.
- Ability to work in a fast paced, crisis oriented environment: assess priorities, take initiative, handle multiple assignments and meet deadlines.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft and Google Office Suites, as well as general high proficiency with computers and capacity to learn new systems as needed. Proficiency with social media, Canva, Whatsapp, Zoom.
- Demonstrated knowledge of managing volunteers and/or staff; legal information; spreadsheets or databases.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and be a proactive and personable team player.
- Experience in community organizing a plus.
- Fluent in both English and Spanish, Haitian Kreyol a plus.
- Ability to lift 50 lbs.
- Strong work ethic.
- Sensitivity to challenges faced by marginalized and undocumented immigrants and a desire to help strengthen PF’s immigrant rights efforts.
- A valid driver’s license and a reliable and insured vehicle are required.
Hours: 40 hr work week. Because we occasionally have weekend or evening activities or meetings, you can take flex time. This is an at-will position.
Compensation: $65,000 annually
Benefits: Health insurance plan with 80% employer contribution. Dental and vision plans (no employer contribution.) Paid time off: in addition to federal holidays, 3 additional observed religious holidays, and May Day, we also offer 3 weeks of paid vacation, 2 personal days, and 8 sick days.
Supervision & Evaluation: This position reports directly to the Director of Legal Services and Executive Director. In addition, the Personnel Team of the Board, in consultation with these directors, will initiate evaluations at 3 months and 6 months in which feedback can be exchanged in both directions.
Location and Requirements: This position will require the employee to work from the Proyecto Faro Offices at 17 Cricketown Rd, Stony Point, NY 10980 and at 9 North Main Street, Spring Valley, NY 10977, and includes potential remote days
How to apply: We need to fill this position quickly. Along with your resumé, please submit a cover letter sharing your interest in and specific preparedness for this position. Email these materials to info@proyectofarorockland.org by February 23.
Proyecto Faro is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, women, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.