Immigration Paralegal

The Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts (JCSM), a subsidiary of South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc.(SCCLS), a non-profit legal services program providing free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income and elder residents, seeks to hire an immigration paralegal to work with a robust and dynamic immigration unit located in downtown Brockton, MA. The immigration unit represents clients in a wide-range of matters, including, but not limited to, asylum, U and T visas for victims of crime and trafficking, special immigrant juvenile cases, VAWA, TPS, DACA, family-based petitions, and removal defense. In addition to direct representation, the immigration unit engages in systemic advocacy, community outreach and education, and provides community clinics. 

 

The Organization: SCCLS and its subsidiary the JCSM, with a staff of nearly 80 and 4 offices in Brockton, Fall River, New Bedford and Hyannis, is the principal provider of free, civil legal aid to low-income residents of Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Southeastern MA is geographically diverse and an excellent place to live. SCCLS’ core mission is to achieve justice for eligible clients through community-based advocacy. The organization prioritizes legal services in: housing, public benefits, elder law, domestic relations, employment, education, immigration, and consumer matters.

 

Responsibilities include:

·        Conduct intakes and assist in forms preparations, client interviewing, case management, and other case work under the supervision of immigration staff attorneys;

·        Serve as a point of contact for immigration clients and community partners;

·        Participate in, organize, or conduct, community education, outreach, and clinic events;

·        Participate in team meetings; identify and participate in impact advocacy projects;

·        Together with the Supervising Attorney, develop and implement systems and policies to promote efficient and effective work with clients and client communities;

·        Engage in continuous learning in immigration law;

·        Participate in other program activities to support the immigration unit and to further organizational goals and mission.

 

Competencies/Qualifications:                                                                                                                                                       

·        Demonstrated commitment or experience with diverse communities, including experience working with individuals who may have experienced poverty, trauma or discrimination or lived experienced in these areas;

·        Strong organizational, time management and case management skills;

·        Strong oral and written communication skills; strong interpersonal skills;

·        Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team; ability to be flexible and adapt to client situations and changing program conditions;

·        Proficiency or ability to learn legal case management systems, Microsoft Office Suite;

·        Commitment to race equity, anti-racism and economic justice in the workplace and in providing legal services;

·        Paralegal Certificate/Bachelor’s degree preferred;

·        Fluency in a language reflecting our client populations preferred (e.g. Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Vietnamese, Khmer);

·        Prior immigration law experience preferred.

 

Compensation and Benefits: SCCLS salaries are based on a collective bargaining agreement scale with yearly standard increases, multi-lingual annual increment for demonstrated language skills. Benefits package: health and dental with supplemental coverage, life insurance, disability, flexible spending account, 403(b), loan forgiveness. Generous paid leave including sick, vacation, personal and holidays.

 

 Statistics show that women and historically excluded populations apply to positions only when they feel they meet 100% of the qualifications. We invite you to break that statistic.