Legal Program Assistant
Based in Portland, Maine, with a satellite office in Lewiston, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) is Maine’s only state-wide immigration legal aid organization. ILAP’s mission is to help low-income immigrants improve their legal status and to work for more just and humane laws and policies affecting immigrants. ILAP’s work includes direct legal services for over 3,000 clients each year; education and outreach to immigrant communities and service providers; and systemic advocacy on local, state, and federal immigration law issues.
ILAP is committed to having a respectful, collaborative, and equitable work environment, with equal opportunity for all employees. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We believe in building an organization that is reflective of the communities that we serve and is diverse in work background, experience, education, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental, and physical abilities. We believe that having a diverse and equitable organization strengthens our programming and services and advances our organizational values.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
ILAP is seeking a full-time Legal Program Assistant responsible for general receptionist duties, client intake, coordination of interpretation and translation, and administrative support for the smooth operation of ILAP’s direct legal services program. This position involves a high degree of client contact, working with a diverse pool of clients, many of whom have experienced high levels of trauma, and speak languages other than English. Our work is challenging and fast-paced as well as enormously rewarding. The Legal Program Assistant will report to the Intake Supervisor and work closely with numerous members of the legal team.
As of August 2022, ILAP staff are working in a hybrid model due to the pandemic. This position will be based in our Portland office. ILAP is still working to finalize our hybrid work policy. This position will require at least some of their time to be in-person in the Portland office, however we are unsure of the exact percentage of in-person work at this time. ILAP requires all staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19, as recommended by the CDC.
RESPONSIBILITIES
· General receptionist duties, including greeting clients; answering phones; and, managing ILAP’s general email inbox.
· Provide intake support to legal staff, including fielding intake requests; inputting client data into our case management software; assessing client eligibility for ILAP services; obtaining documents from clients to help understand their legal needs; and scheduling client appointments.
· Arrange for interpreters and translators to assist legal staff. Maintain and update our list of language volunteers and recruit and orient new language volunteers as needed
· Provide administrative support to legal staff including filing; pulling client files for appointments as needed; rescheduling client appointments as needed; keeping the ILAP common areas neat and organized; replenishing legal team materials and supplies in consultation with the Operations Coordination; and other office and administrative assistance as needed.
COMPENSATION
Beginning salary is $41,500 or more depending on experience and language skills.
ILAP offers a generous benefits package. Current benefits include:
· Fully paid individual health and dental insurance coverage and significant coverage for dependents’ health insurance;
· Generous annual paid leave, holidays, sick days, and personal days;
· Paid parental leave and a paid family and medical leave policy;
· Paid sabbatical after each 5 years of employment;
· Employer retirement contributions;
· Health savings plan;
· Long term disability and life insurance; and,
· Individual and staff-wide professional development opportunities.
TO APPLY Send cover letter, resume, and writing sample by e-mail to [email protected] with the subject line “Legal Program Assistant.” Review of applications will begin on September 9th, 2022 and will continue until the position is filled. We hope to schedule initial interviews in the first half of September 2022.
For the foreseeable future, all interviews will be conducted remotely via video.
QUALIFICATIONS
· Bachelor’s Degree, equivalent, or relevant experience.
· Fluent in English, and proficient in Spanish and/or Portuguese.
· Ability to multi-task effectively, including having strong planning and organizing skills and an ability to work well under pressure.
· Strong computer skills including proficiency with Office 365.
· Passion for advancing immigrants’ rights and an ability to work well with individuals from different cultures and with varying levels of English proficiency.
· Gracious and understanding team member who works collaboratively and builds relationships across lines of difference.
· Personal and professional commitment to racial justice and equity.
· Knowledge and understanding of the immigration system built through lived experience is an asset.
TO APPLY Send cover letter, resume, and writing sample by e-mail to [email protected] with the subject line “Legal Program Assistant.” Review of applications will begin on September 9th, 2022 and will continue until the position is filled. We hope to schedule initial interviews in the first half of September 2022.
For the foreseeable future, all interviews will be conducted remotely via video.
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