Legal Assistant with Immigrant Law Center of MN (Service-year stipend position through LVC)
This is one of the many great positions available through the Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC):
Lutheran Volunteer Corps Service-Year
Spend a year serving at a social justice non-profit, while exploring living in community, living simply & sustainably, and exploring spirituality. We are seeking people who wish to bridge social justice in practice with social justice theory; build leadership and employable skills in social justice; and explore the LVC values of living in community, simply and sustainably, to build communication across differences.
The Lutheran Volunteer Corps is a community of faith uniting people to work for peace with justice. We pursue our mission by placing adults 21+ (“volunteers”) in full-time service positions at social-justice organizations for one or two years. All LVC Volunteers are encouraged to live into LVC’s core spiritual practices of living simply and sustainably in intentional community while serving the cause of peace with justice. LVC places Volunteers in nonprofits (placements) across the United States in Baltimore, MD; Minneapolis, MN; St. Paul, MN; Omaha, NE; Washington, DC; and Wilmington, DE.
LVC Volunteers must be at least 21 years of age. LVC Volunteers come from a wide variety of faith backgrounds, and do not need to be Lutheran. As a Reconciling in Christ organization, LVC welcomes and encourages the participation of people of all gender identities and sexual orientations in all aspects of LVC.
Benefits Include:
>Full-time service position at social justice non-profit organization
>Furnished housing with internet for year-Volunteers
>Modest monthly stipend
>Health insurance, if needed
>Work-related travel reimbursement
>Community and Spirituality Mentors
>Social justice learning series (monthly program days) with experts, researchers, and practitioners
>Retreats
Legal Assistant with the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota:
Job Summary
The Legal Assistant at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) will provide direct service in immigration cases for immigrants and refugees of all nationalities. Given quickly changing immigration policies, as well as uncertainties in light of COVID-19, the Legal Assistant will support some of the greatest areas of need for our immigrant communities. Examples of these programs may include ILCM’s Pro Bono Project, the Detention Project, and our work with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. The Legal Assistant will support general casework, including screening eligible clients, reviewing cases, writing case summaries, drafting immigration applications, and providing direct service to clients. This individual will also provide backup eligibility phone screening for individuals contacting ILCM seeking immigration legal services.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Work on case-related projects for legal team including client correspondence, country conditions research, drafting immigration applications, and organizing filings
- Communicate with government agencies, immigration judges, and opposing counsel when necessary
- Provide backup eligibility screening by phone for individuals contacting ILCM seeking immigration legal services
- Conduct client intakes and follow-up interviews for pro bono, detention project, and other immigration cases
- Collect evidence and related documents for pro bono, detention cases, and other immigration cases
- Draft summaries of cases to provide to pro bono attorneys
- Answer calls from detained immigrants and their family or friends
- Inform callers about detention processes and other related immigration procedures
- Support eligible clients as they apply for or renew DACA status
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
The relevant skills for this position include fluency in English and working proficiency in Spanish; a high level of attention to detail; good organizational skills; strong interpersonal skills, especially in the context of interviewing clients about sensitive topics; and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced work environment. Also, candidates should have an interest in immigration law and a strong dedication to immigrant rights and access to justice for low-income community members.