Legal Assistant
Summary
Position Summary
At Catholic Charities of Central Colorado, we offer more than a job. We view our work as contributing to the health of our community and since 2009, our Family Immigration Services team has been committed to providing high-quality, low-cost immigration legal services to immigrants and refugees. When you join us, you are embarking on a meaningful journey that brings pride, fulfillment, and purpose.
We're looking for a Bilingual Legal Assistant! Are you a bilingual professional fluent in English and Spanish? Do you have a knack for organization and a passion for helping others? If so, we want you on our team! As a Legal Assistant, you'll manage our busy front desk and provide essential support to our director and immigration counselors.
Key Qualifications:
- Fully bilingual in English and Spanish
- Strong organizational skills
- Proficiency with technology (spreadsheets, typing, phones, databases, videoconferencing)
- Excellent customer service skills
- Committed to serving our immigrant community
What We Offer:
- A supportive and collaborative work environment
- On-the-job training
- A comprehensive benefit package including health and wellness, retirement, and generous paid time-off. If you're an organized, bilingual, tech-proficient, professional with a heart for serving the immigrant community, we encourage you to apply.
Essential Duties
- Provide excellent and timely customer service, responding to inquiries from clients, potential clients, courts, agencies, and members of the public. Maintain a log of contacts and responses.
- Applying basic concepts in immigration law (with training), screen potential clients to determine who may benefit from a consultation with one of the legal representatives. Where appropriate, schedule and assist the legal representative with preparation for the consultation.
- Where FIS cannot serve a potential client or contact's needs, provide targeted referral information.
- Schedule appointments for legal representatives according to parameters set forth by the legal representative.
- Collect fees (for client services and/or fees to be paid on clients' behalf to agencies or courts). Work with the finance department to manage incoming cash and non-cash payments. Maintain accurate records and receipts in accordance with standard operating procedures.
- Process incoming mail and other documents according to standard operating procedures. Update and maintain calendar and docketing information.
- With direction from the assigned legal representative, gather and organize evidence and client documents, and communicate with courts, agencies, witnesses, and clients.
- Provide updates to clients regarding case status, new appointments and interviews, and other developments under the direction of the legal representative.
- Support legal representatives as requested by working on immigration forms, locating and collecting information and evidence from clients and others, making copies, processing mailings, making phone calls, or otherwise.
- Open and close client files following standard operating procedures.
- Organize, update and maintain client paper, database, and electronic files in accordance with standard operating procedures and direction from the legal representatives.
- Assist with creating, organizing and maintaining records sufficient for statistical reports required by our funding sources, our accrediting agency (the U.S. Department of Justice), and Catholic Charities.
- Provide English-Spanish oral interpretation and written translation services for clients and staff as needed.
- Arrange oral interpretation and written translation services for clients who speak languages other than English or Spanish.
- Assist clients with technical competencies necessary to receive legal services, such as signing onto videoconferencing platforms, submitting documents, and signing up for necessary services or memberships.
- Draft cover letters, immigration forms, and other documents under direction from the legal representative.
- Delegate tasks to and provide mentorship and oversight to volunteers as appropriate.
- Work with the director and staff to improve standard operating procedures and FIS systems.
- Represent Catholic Charities within agency guidelines.
- Serve as a notary public for Catholic Charities.
- Support the director and staff as requested.
Education & Experience
- High School diploma/equivalent required.
- Associate's degree or at least two years towards a bachelor's degree preferred.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, detail-oriented office setting required. More extensive experience in such an office preferred.
Requirements & Competencies
- Fully bilingual in English and Spanish (verbal and written) required.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word; ability to learn other computer systems.
- Demonstrated self-starter. Ability to work independently with little supervision and collaboratively within a team.
- Detailed and strong time management and organizational skills, with ability to prioritize multiple important tasks, meet deadlines, and work under pressure.
Work Environment
- A majority of the assigned duties are performed in an office environment.
- The employee is subject to both inside and outside environmental conditions.
- Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of this position.
This description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the principal job elements essential for making compensation decisions.
Compensation
- The salary range for this position is $18.00-$19.00 per hour. Salary is determined based on the applicant's incoming skills and experience, and the budget at time of hiring.
Position Classification & Schedule
- Nonexempt
- Full Time: 40 hours per week
- Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Occasional evenings and weekends are required to accommodate family schedules, meetings, and special events.
Benefits Offered
- Paid Leave
17 holidays (approximate) annually
- 15 days of Discretionary Time Off (DTO) during your first year, increasing with seniority
- Spiritual Enrichment (2 hours monthly)
- Your Birthday! (Take a paid day off during your birthday month)
- Health & Wellness Benefits
Employee Assistance Program
- Dental Insurance
- Medical Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- $2,000 Dependent Life Insurance for spouse and each eligible child
- Income Protection
Short-term Disability Insurance after 30 days of employment
- Long-term Disability Insurance after 6 months of employment
- Workers' Compensation Insurance
- Life Insurance
- $50,000 Term Life/AD&D Insurance
- Retirement Benefits
Pension Plan (6% of wages plus interest) with 20% vesting after each year of service
- 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuities
- Other: Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Equal Employment Opportunity
Catholic Charities is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of age 40 and over, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and length, protective hairstyles), color, national origin or ancestry, gender expression, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, creed, national origin, pregnancy, childbirth or any related conditions, disability, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This prohibition includes unlawful harassment based on any of these protected classes. Unlawful harassment includes verbal or physical conduct which has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
Applicants and employees need not be Catholic. However, all employees are governed by Canon Law or the teachings of the Catholic Church. This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your I-9 Form information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.
Compensation details: 18-19 Hourly Wage
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