Paralegal

$47,840 - $56,160/Yr

Central American Resource Center (Carecen) - Fullerton, CA

Full-time - Entry Level

Remote - Fullerton, CA

Social Assistance

About the position

The Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) is seeking a dedicated and bilingual paralegal to join our legal department. This full-time position is designed to support attorneys in providing essential legal services to individuals affiliated with California State Universities (CSU) and community colleges. The role will involve a combination of remote and in-person work, requiring the paralegal to operate from CARECEN offices, CSU campuses, community colleges, and other offsite locations throughout the greater Los Angeles and Orange County area. The pay range for this position is between $23.00 and $27.00 per hour, depending on experience. As a paralegal, you will play a crucial role in assisting staff attorneys and clients with various legal processes, including completing applications for submission to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), and other government agencies. Your responsibilities will include helping clients gather necessary supporting documents, preparing their declarations, and assisting them in preparing for hearings and interviews. Additionally, you will perform general clerical duties as needed, assist clients in accessing campus resources and services, and support attorneys in educational and outreach programs on college campuses. The position also requires translating documents between Spanish and English, assisting in data collection and reporting, and performing other administrative tasks as assigned by supervisors or managing attorneys. The ideal candidate will have experience in immigration law, possess excellent communication and writing skills, and demonstrate a commitment to the mission and goals of CARECEN. This role requires sensitivity and a desire to work with immigrant families, as well as the ability to work effectively with diverse groups of clients and volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Assist Staff Attorneys and clients in completing applications for submission to USCIS, EOIR, and other government agencies.
• Assist clients in gathering supporting documents, preparing their declarations, and preparing for hearings/interviews.
• Perform general clerical duties for the legal department on an as-needed basis.
• Assist clients in accessing campus resources and services.
• Assist Attorneys in educational and outreach programs on college campuses.
• Translate documents from Spanish-to-English (and vice versa).
• Assist in data collection, reporting, and other administrative matters.
• Assist other departments as needed.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor or managing attorney.

Requirements

• Experience in immigration law (preferred)
• Verbal and written fluency in Spanish and English languages is required.
• Excellent communication, interviewing, and writing skills is required.
• Self-confidence, ability to interact with government agencies and advocate on behalf of client's interests is required.
• Sensitivity and desire to work with immigrant families.
• Attention to detail and effective time management skills is required.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of clients and volunteers.
• Demonstrated commitment to mission and goals of CARECEN.
• Demonstrated willingness to work under minimal supervision.

Benefits

• Mileage reimbursement
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Paid time off
• Employee assistance program
• Vision insurance
• 403(b)
• Life insurance