Legal Assistant, Children's Legal Services

Job Description

IRC Background****: The mission of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC has a presence in over 40 countries and 27 offices in the United States; the IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC opened in Silver Spring in 2006 and currently resettles or provides assistance to approximately 2,500 humanitarian immigrants each year. The IRC seeks a bilingual legal assistant to support its immigration legal services program in the Silver Spring office and greater DMV area.

Job Overview****: IRC Silver Spring seeks a bilingual Legal Assistant to join a new legal services program that will provide legal representation to unaccompanied children and youth who have been released from custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and reunified with sponsors in the Silver Spring area. The Legal Assistant will support the Staff 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 Children’s Legal Services 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 judgment; - 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; - Desire to join and learn with a team working to equitably protect due process and immigrant rights; and - Strong computer literacy, research, and analysis skills.

Working Environment:

- Hybrid model including a combination of standard office environment, remote work, and ‘field’ time within the service delivery area. - May require occasional weekend and/or evening work with availability of flex- and/or overtime.

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.

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