**Please note Spanish fluency is required for this position. Applicants who do not have Spanish fluency will not be reviewed for this position**
Through Project Rousseau’s Immigration Legal Services, we provide a pathway to hope and opportunity. We believe that every young person, regardless of their circumstances, deserves the chance to pursue their educational goals with dignity and without fear. We empower young people to navigate the complexities of the immigration system, understand their rights, and pursue pathways to legal status and stability. We aim to ensure that young people have access to high-quality legal representation and support as they seek to build their futures.
Project Rousseau is seeking a Bilingual Paralegal (Student Needs and Immigration Legal Services Associate) with exceptional organization skills who shares our passion for justice and our unwavering commitment to empowering immigrant families and young people.
This is a full-time on-site position located in Manhattan (New York).
Responsibilities include:
- Schedule legal intakes with clients, including coordinating with referral partners and conducting community outreach.
- Support attorneys with legal intakes with clients to assess their eligibility for immigration relief
- Assist clients with the accurate completion biographical forms
- Draft declarations and affidavits in support of immigration petitions
- Translate documents related to immigration legal services
- Maintain an orderly filing system
- Facilitate internal and external referrals to education, healthcare, and other essential services to ensure holistic support for clients.
- Maintain accurate documentation and reporting of service delivery to ensure compliance with funding requirements and uphold organizational standards.
- Actively participate delivering Student Needs, Academics and Broadening Horizons programs
- Proactively identify and propose additional responsibilities aligned with the organization's mission and the candidate's skills and interests to best serve underserved youth
- Some student drop-in responsibilities and other tasks at the discretion of the organization’s Executive Director
Qualifications and Requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree
- At least 1 year of demonstrated experience as a paralegal or in a community-based role (Preferred: 2+ years of experience as a paralegal in immigration law or a related field).
- Strong interest in adopting a comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of young people.
- Demonstrated creativity in problem-solving and a knack for innovative thinking.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Excellent organizational skills, including time management, record-keeping, and the ability to manage multiple assignments and deadlines independently.
- Spanish fluency
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration with young people, management, and program staff.
- Deep commitment to social justice and a passion for serving immigrant communities.
- Demonstrated ability to handle complex and sensitive matters with discretion, empathy, and sound judgment.
Work Schedule: Full time, 35 hours per week. Please note this is an in-person role in midtown Manhattan.
Salary Range: $50,000 to $58.000/year
Benefits: Employer contribution to ICHRA (Healthcare Reimbursement), funding to pursue Spanish legal language training
This is a contract-funded position with an initial term of one year. Renewal is contingent upon continued funding and organizational need, with the possibility of extension for up to two additional years.
