Position: Immigration Legal Advocate

Reports to: Director of Immigration Legal Services

Work location and Hours: Standard hours are 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in person.

Organization Summary:

The Mission of the Immigration Legal Services Department is to enhance opportunities for immigrants and refugees through legal representation for low-income individuals, and by providing education and advocacy for diverse communities.  To do that, we focus on the following goals: 

• Remedy legal issues by providing quality immigration legal services to immigrants 
• Prevent legal issues by providing law-related education to immigrants and organizations 
• Strengthen families by connecting immigrants to other resources in the community 

Position Summary: 
Catholic Charities North Louisiana is seeking a compassionate, energetic individual to work closely with the Immigration Attorney in providing immigration legal services to individuals and families. The Immigration Advocate is responsible for providing information, technical assistance, and outreach to income-eligible persons of all nationalities. While some legal experience is preferred, specific training in immigration law and processes are provided on the job. Upon hire, the successful candidate will provide administrative assistance and paralegal support for the Immigration Attorney. At the first opportunity, the advocate will complete  training to become an Accredited Representative with the Department of Justice. Then, this individual will provide legal services directly under the Attorney’s supervision.  

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee intake process to ensure that all client intake forms are completed and necessary documentation is obtained, and scheduling appointments.
• Assist supervising attorney in gathering and preparing documentation for immigration legal applications to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
• Draft and prepare immigration legal forms for attorney review.
• Create and maintain client files in compliance with Catholic Charities policies and procedures as well as relevant regulations and laws.
• Provide Spanish to English interpretation and document translation.
• Become proficient in client case management software for entering client profiles when necessary and entering notices and other documents into the client platform. 
• Participate in immigration law training in preparation for applying to the Department of Justice for accreditation to practice immigration law while employed by CCNLA and under attorney supervision.
• Perform clerical duties as necessary, including filing, answering phone calls and data entry.

Experience and Qualification Requirements:

Education/Experience: 
Bachelor’s degree in related field, paralegal experience, or similar education or training preferred. Experience in immigration matters preferred. 

Other Skills/Requirements:

• Fluency in Spanish and English.
• Demonstrated interest in serving the immigrant community and experience working with persons with diverse economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively work with diverse groups of coworkers, volunteers and clients and advocate with governmental and other organizations.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with a high level of attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and handle a large caseload.
• Excellent oral, listening, and written communication skills.
• PC proficiency and competency in Microsoft Office applications; database experience preferred.
• Possess good judgment, the ability to learn quickly and work independently as well as in collaboration with others.