Position Summary

The Family Immigration Services (FIS) Department seeks a fully bilingual (English/Spanish) legal assistant to manage our busy front desk and provide legal support to the director and DOJ-accredited immigration counselors (legal representatives). Since 2009, Family Immigration Services has provided high-quality, low-cost immigration legal services to immigrants and refugees in our community. Our staff is passionate, mission-driven, and team-oriented.

Our legal assistant is a vital member of our team and critical to the success of our program. We offer a supportive and collaborative work environment, on-the-job training, and the opportunity to do work that matters in service to the community.

This is a temporary position with a duration of approximately 12 to 16 weeks.

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. * Provide English-Spanish oral interpretation and written translation services for clients and staff as needed. * 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. * With appropriate training and oversight, apply basic concepts in immigration law to 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. * Collect fees (for client services and/or fees to be paid on clients' behalf to agencies or courts). 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. * 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 other services with oversight and direction from the director or other legal representative.

Competencies * Excellent attention to detail. * 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. * The employee is subject to both inside and outside environmental conditions. * Reasonable accommodation can be provided to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of this position. * Occasional evenings and weekends are required to accommodate meetings and special events. 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 deci

Requirements * Fully bilingual in English and Spanish required. * High School diploma/equivalency required. Associate's degree or at least two years towards a bachelor's degree preferr d. * Ability to work in a fast-paced, detail-oriented office setting required. More extensive experience in such an office preferred. * Ability to learn legal concepts and terminology required. Basic understanding of and experience using legal terminology preferred.

Compensation & Position Classification * $18.54/hour * Non-Exempt * Full Time: Up to 40 hours per week * Schedule: Monday - Friday * This is a temporary position with a duration of approximately 12 to 16 weeks. Because this is a short-term assignment, it does not include benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Catholic Charities is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of age 40 and over, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and length, protective hairstyles), color, national origin or ancestry, gender expression, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, creed, national origin, pregnancy, childbirth