Legal Administrative Assistant - Detention Action Response Team

The Organization:
The Florence Project was founded in 1989 to respond to a representation crisis for indigent non-citizens detained at the rural Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center in Florence, Arizona. Through our programs today, we provide services to thousands of adults, youth, and children detained in Eloy, Florence, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona on any given day. In 2001, the Florence Project implemented our Integrated Social Services Program, one of the first of its kind in this field. The Florence Project provides high quality legal and social services and supports initiatives for national changes in immigration law and policy.

Legal Administrative Assistant:

The Legal Administrative Assistant, under the direction of the Managing Attorney or/and the Managing Legal Assistant and in collaboration with a team of Staff Attorneys and Social Workers, will provide legal administrative support to the DART Team. This includes, but is not limited to, compiling filings to be submitted to court, scanning, and organizing Records of Proceedings, requesting records, calendaring important events and deadlines, sending out mail, data entry, data management, answering calls, replying to participant’s requests for assistance received through any device or system, and file management (hard copy file, electronic file, and Legal Server).  The position is also responsible for assisting Attorneys with legal cases and providing administrative support as needed.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Administrative Support:

• Coordinate with the team on large or complicated print, mailing, and filing jobs to ensure they are completed and sent out in a timely manner. Create and maintain systems for quick and timely responses to these requests.

• Prepare paper filings and copies of court documents for legal staff and clients.

• Respond to incoming telephone calls related to the DART Team. Make outgoing telephone calls and case notes as needed by the team.

• Respond to incoming requests for assistance received through the tablet program, email, or mail.

• With Managing Attorneys, Program Manager, and other leadership across the organization, support in the creation and maintenance of systems for file maintenance. This includes file maintenance through Legal Server, FIRRP’s remote server, SharePoint, and paper files.

• Develop training materials and train new staff and ongoing refresher training on these storage systems.

• Calendar - when receiving a hearing notice or information as to a deadline or briefing schedule, ensure that the date is listed in the client’s LS folder as well as on the team calendar. Send calendar invite to that event to all persons on the case.

Case opening & closing procedures:

• Effectuate routine and consistent case opening, case closing, and case transfer procedures.

• Develop practices and systems, in coordination with the Program Manager, Managing Attorneys, and Managing Legal Assistant, on case opening, case closing, and case transfer procedures.

• Complete routine and consistent case opening and/or intake assignments, such as requesting Records of Proceedings, ensuring internal databases are created and up to date, making initial and routine records requests for criminal records, drafting retainer agreements, requesting medical records and immigration-related records, and any additional documents identified that are essential to the initial stages of a case.

• Close cases no longer being represented by the Florence Project. This can include, drafting client closing letters, prepping motions to withdraw from representation, completing file organization, drafting case closing memos, and updating legal server data on outcomes of a case.

• Prepare cases for out-of-state transfer in limited circumstances.

Data Entry

• Enter required organizational and client data into Legal Server and Vera database for the NQRP contract or pursuant to the requirements of the funding source.
• Review data at regular intervals to ensure accuracy with the Managing Attorney and program manager.
• With the support of Managing Attorneys, Program Managers, and Managing Legal Assistant create training materials and ensure staff is trained in their data requirements.
• Maintain confidence and protect operations by keeping information confidential.

Other Duties & Responsibilities

• Translate written documents from English to Spanish and vice versa.
• Provide interpretation from Spanish to English and English to Spanish as needed.
• Participate in developing and implementing special projects or presentations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

• High School diploma, GED or equivalent experience can be considered.

• Fluency or advanced proficiency in Spanish required.

• Demonstrated commitment to advocating for indigent immigrant clients in a respectful and empowering way, zealous support of the Florence Project’s mission, and displays a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

• Must be comfortable working with people with criminal convictions.

• Strong legal research.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

• Highly organized, able to be an innovative thinker and work in high-volume settings with limited resources.

• Accuracy and attention to detail are a must.

• Ability to do repetitive tasks for long periods of time.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

• Excellent problem-solving, research, and analytical skills, is able to effectively manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.

• Demonstrate to be a hardworking, flexible, respectful team player that can work effectively in a collaborative, innovative, and client-centered work environment.

• Ability to work independently, be adaptable, and reliable in the face of conflict, pressure, crisis, or changing priorities.

• Exhibits high ethical standards and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

• Must be able to pass federal and state background checks.

• Travel is required for this position.

• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

• Proven computer skills.  Advanced understanding of basic office applications

Preferred Requirements:

• 6 months to 1-year relevant office experience preferred.
• Prior work or internship experience in immigration rights, human rights, criminal justice, or in a nonprofit legal services setting is a plus.
• Prior advocacy work in immigrant rights, human rights, LGBTQ rights, criminal justice, or experience working with trauma survivors is a plus.
• Experience with databases and data tracking (i.e., Legal Server).

Working Conditions/Physical Demands:

• Operate in a professional office environment and requires the ability to sit for long periods of time with intermittent walking, standing, bending, squatting, pulling, and pushing.

• Ability to use standard office equipment such as scanners, computers, keyboards, phones, shredders, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. Requires the ability to lift up to ten pounds - accommodations may be available.

• This position requires coming. to the office 5 times per week

• Required to travel and frequent time in detention facilities and immigration courts located in Florence Eloy and Phoenix.

• Effective September 1, 2021, FIRRP has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy. To comply with this policy, active employees must be fully vaccinated by October 15, 2021. Employees seeking an exemption due to a medical condition or sincerely  sincerely held religious belief should contact our Human Resources Department at humanresources@firrp.org.

Salary & Benefits

• This is a full-time position. Salary is competitive for our field and geographical area and is commensurate with experience: $41,000-$52,000 DOE. We strive to create and uphold a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for all staff. We offer excellent benefits, including:

• Medical plans including health, dental, vision coverage, subject to plan terms

• Short Term Disability

• Eligibility for group benefits such as voluntary life insurance, subject to applicable waiting periods

• Retirement plan, subject to plan terms

• Paid Time Off earned on a biweekly accrual basis- Twenty-five (25) Days of Vacation Time, annually

• Five (5) Days of Medical/Sick Time, annually

• One (1) Day of Personal Time, monthly

• Eight (8) Week Paid Sabbatical, after three years of employment

• Bereavement leave.

• Company-paid federal holidays, all observed

• Eligible for Parental Leave which includes Twelve (12) paid weeks

• Mileage reimbursement for travel between offices and places of work.

• Relocation Assistance for out of state new hires available for some positions.

Application Process

This is an immediate opening. Salary is commensurate with experience. The position will remain open until we receive enough qualified applicants. To apply, please submit a cover letter detailing your interest in the position as well as your resume, three professional references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and candidates are encouraged to apply early. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The Florence Project values diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages applications from people of color, LGBTQ individuals, persons with disabilities, and members of underrepresented communities.

At FIRRP, we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the requirements of a job.  If your experience is close to what you see listed in our current job opportunities, please still consider applying.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence, which is very much valued at FIRRP.  Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.  Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.

This job announcement is for informational purposes only and is subject to change and modification without notice. This job announcement includes a non-exhaustive list of responsibilities, qualifications and requirements of the position, but does not necessarily include all the job functions of the position.  This position is eligible for membership in the union Proyecto Solidaridad-FIRRP affiliated with OPEIU Local 251.