Position: Full Time Paralegal – Indiana Legal Services (ILS) Indianapolis Office; Legal Assistance for the Immigrants’ and Language Rights Center (ILRC)
Organizational information: Indiana Legal Services, Inc. (ILS) is a statewide, not-for-profit
organization that provides free legal services to eligible clients in civil cases through 8 branch offices. ILS is funded by the Legal Services Corporation, United Way, Area Agencies on Aging, and
approximately 20 other funding sources.
Position Description
ILS has a grant from the Indiana Criminal Justice Center to provide direct legal representation to
immigrant victims of a crime. This includes representation to halt the ongoing exploitation and abuse
of immigrants and to eliminate the effects of that victimization in the immigrant community. The
paralegal will work directly with immigrant victims of crime under the supervision of the ILRC’s
supervising attorney. The paralegal will also work closely with the staff at the Migrant Farmworker Law Center. The paralegal position is secure for at least the two-year grant term, but the ILRC will seek continuing funding after the grant term.
The ILRC is a statewide program of ILS consisting of three attorneys and one support staff. The ILRC provides services in humanitarian and family based immigration matters as well as language access cases. ILRC was established to ensure that limited-English proficient (LEP) clients have equal
access to services provided by Indiana Legal Services, in spite of the language barrier. To help
accomplish this, the call center conducts interviews for limited English speakers who wish to apply for legal services. This position offers a great opportunity for those who are committed to poverty law and working with immigrants and LEP clients.
This position will be located in Indianapolis but will be part of the statewide ILRC. The paralegal will work under the direct supervision ILRC’s staff attorneys, and the supervision of the ILRC Director.
ILS is a non-profit organization which provides free legal assistance throughout Indiana to low
income people in civil matters. It has eight offices throughout the state in Indianapolis,
Merrillville, South Bend, Ft. Wayne, Lafayette, Bloomington, Evansville and New Albany. In
addition to its 8 offices, ILS has several special centers and projects, including: Immigrants’ and Language Rights Center; Migrant Farmworker Center; Consumer Law Center; Housing Law
Center; Community Economic Development Project; Homeless Legal Project; Marion County ExOffender Community Reintegration Project; Low Income Taxpayer Clinic; Senior Law and
Nursing Home Ombudsman Projects and the Military Assistance Project.
Job duties:
• Conduct client intakes to help screen applicants for immigration relief options through the
ILRC centralized intake. Client intake interviews will take place mostly over the phone but sometimes in person. Most of the client interviews will be with non-English speakers. Post-intake follow up with applicants.
• Assist the ILRC staff with case management.
• Facilitate client referrals to social services for victims of crime.
• Coordinate document translation and interpretation services.
• Assist the ILRC attorneys with legal services by drafting immigration forms, cover letters,
client letters, and more. Legal services will include immigration, law enforcement
advocacy, victim of crime compensation, and other civil legal claims.
• Provide immigrant victims with referral information when full direct service is unavailable.
• Help conduct outreach and education activities, provide referrals, and leverage pro bono
resources.
• Contribute to programmatic reporting required under the federal award.
Hours and Location
The position will be located in Indianapolis. This is a non-exempt position to be filled by October 1, 2018.
Compensation
Salary is commensurate with experience. ILS offers an excellent fringe benefits package including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, Rx), disability insurance, life insurance, a 401k plan (after one year), a flex benefit plan, and generous vacation and sick leave. ILS will pay up to $2,500 in moving expenses if the successful applicant needs to move from another state.
Equal Employment Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer
Minorities, women, LGBTQ-identifying individuals, and persons with Spanish-speaking ability are urged to apply
Qualifications:
• Fluency in Spanish and English (written and spoken). Fluency in other foreign languages
is helpful but not required.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Applicants who are certified for interpretation and/or translation are preferred but not
required.
• Previous paralegal and/or immigration law experience is preferred but not required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft programs, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Dedicated to the serving the needs of vulnerable and low-income populations.
• Applicants must pass a mandatory background check.
How to Apply
Please send a resume, cover letter, and a list of three (3) references with email addresses, mailing addresses, and telephone numbers to the following addresses (email submission is strongly preferred):
Aimee Korolev
Directing Attorney
Immigrants’ and Language Rights Center Indiana Legal Services, Inc.
151 N. Delaware Street, Suite 1800
Indianapolis, IN 46204
[email protected]
Claire Ty
Staff Attorney
Immigrants’ and Language Rights Center Indiana Legal Services, Inc.
151 N. Delaware Street, Suite 1800
Indianapolis, IN 46204
[email protected]