Job description

LEGAL PROGRAM ASSISTANT, AALOP

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 to support the Asylum Assistance and Legal Orientation (AALOP) Project at ILAP. The number of people seeking refuge in Maine in recent years has outpaced ILAP’s ability to provide individualized legal services to this population. This project seeks to expand legal services to new arrivals in Maine through increased legal orientation and education workshops, brief legal consultations, and asylum application legal clinics for pro se asylum seekers.

The position works collaboratively with ILAP’s Senior Project Attorneys to screen asylum cases and assist with the pro se completion of I-589 asylum applications, requiring casework support, consultation follow-up, and administrative duties, among other tasks. 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. The Legal Program Assistant reports to ILAP’s Senior Project Attorney and works closely with numerous members of the legal team.

This position requires some in-person time at the Portland office. In addition, this position will assist with outreach in community meeting spaces and public meeting spaces at the shelters and hotels where clients are living.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Prepare case-related documents including retainers, USCIS and EOIR forms, motions, cover letters, and more.
• Assist a limited number of asylum applicants to prepare their applications for asylum.
• Assist with any necessary applicant follow-up including mailing of referral lists, pro se guides, Change of Address forms, and other materials; and preparation and filing of Freedom of Information Act requests, among other duties.
• Handle administrative tasks including scheduling appointments, gathering documents from pro se applicants, coordinating with pro bono attorneys.
• Handle intake requests and enter applicant data into ILAP’s case management system.
• Participate in ILAP legal team meetings and collaborate and share expertise with other ILAP legal staff.
• Help coordinate logistics related to outreach activities, coordinate with community partners, and provide occasional interpretation as needed.
• Perform such other tasks and assume such other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Senior Staff Attorney.

COMPENSATION

Beginning salary is $45,000 or more depending on years of experience. ILAP also recognizes the value of having staff who speak common client languages and offers a base salary increase for applicants with spoken proficiency in these languages.

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 and resume by e-mail to hr@ilapmaine.orgwith the subject line “Legal Program Assistant.” Review of applications will begin on May 8, 2023, andwill continue until the position is filled.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• Weekend availability

Work Location: In person

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