About Project Rousseau - Through Project Rousseau’s Immigration Legal Services, we don't just offer legal aid; 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. Through our partnership with The Acacia Center for Justice’s Unaccompanied Children Project, Project Rousseau is expanding its efforts to serve some of the most vulnerable children: unaccompanied minors navigating the complex immigration system. This national network of legal service providers embodies the spirit of compassion and justice, ensuring that every child who enters the United States as an unaccompanied minor receives the support and guidance they deserve, regardless of the perceived strength of their case or their immigration history.

About the Role - As we embark on this journey with The Acacia Center, we are seeking a staff attorney who shares our passion for justice and our unwavering commitment to empowering young people. This attorney will play a pivotal role in expanding Project Rousseau’s Unaccompanied Children’s Program. In order to best serve Spanish-speaking children, we offer a generous professional development budget to enable the successful candidate to improve their Spanish language skills if appropriate. This is a full-time on-site position located in Manhattan (New York). The successful candidate will be expected to provide legal representation to unaccompanied children on a variety of legal matters. This includes but is not limited to the representation of immigrants in removal proceedings, SIJS applications, and affirmative applications for asylum or other protection.

Responsibilities

Intake and Orientation:
Conduct client outreach and schedule intakes for clients
Provide administrative support throughout legal screenings
Perform follow-up legal screenings as necessary to ensure thorough assessment of client needs.
Adhere to Project Rousseau and The Acacia Network’s philosophy of universal representation for unaccompanied minors.
Assist with legal orientations, including Know Your Rights trainings, to empower unaccompanied children with essential legal knowledge.

Legal Representation:
Complete intake forms and biological questionnaires with clients with accuracy and attention to detail.
Coordinate the logistics of clients appearing at immigration court
Assist clients in preparing supporting evidence and affidavits.
Coordinate the collection, translation, and scanning of foreign documents
Maintain accurate and up-to-date case files in computer databases for efficient caseload management
Assist clients in completing non-legal paperwork associated with their case, such as change of address forms.

Additional Responsibilities
Provide language interpretation and translation support for non-Spanish speaking members of the legal team.
Facilitate internal and external referrals to education, healthcare, and other essential services to ensure holistic support for clients.
Provide timely, compassionate, and professional communication with clients regarding their cases and legal filings.
Maintain accurate documentation and reporting of service delivery to ensure compliance with funding requirements and uphold organizational standards.
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

Experience:
At least 1 year of demonstrated experience in a paralegal position or related administrative position in a community-based organization/immigration field.

Preferred:
2+ years of experience as a paralegal

Required Skills

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.
Exceptional interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration with young people, management, and program staff.

Project Rousseau is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees, clients, and applicants are treated with dignity and respect. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment and to promoting equal opportunities for all individuals.

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Immigration Paralegal