Legal Assistant/ Paralegal

About the Organization

Haitian Bridge Alliance, Inc. (HBA) also known as “The BRIDGE” is a 501(c)(3) grassroots nonprofit community organization that advocates for fair and humane immigration policies and provides migrants and immigrants with humanitarian, legal, and social services, with a particular focus on Black migrants, the Haitian community, women and girls, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and survivors of torture and other human rights abuses. HBA works to elevate the issues unique to Black migrants and build solidarity and collective movement toward policy change.

About the Role

HBA is looking for a legal assistant to work in person at our office in San Diego. The legal assistant will coordinate correspondence with asylum seekers and other immigrants and provide them with preliminary legal services, either in individual or group settings.

Primary Responsibilities

• Regularly communicate with HBA staff and volunteers, including the attorneys
• Monitor and provide notice to attorneys of legal correspondence, including court notices, agency communications, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) responses
• Maintain accurate client files and case records in Docket wise and other case management systems
• Calendar hearings, filing deadlines, appointments, and other important case events
• Translate documents and client communications between French/Kreyol/Spanish and English
• Process incoming and outgoing legal correspondence, including scanning, mailing, and maintaining physical client files
• Generate legal team reports and provide administrative support for legal outreach and Know Your Rights presentations
• Collaborate with attorneys and other departments to ensure efficient case management and legal operations
• Participate in organizing and presenting know-your-rights trainings in the United States and Mexico
• Help coordinate projects and events that advocate for fair and humane immigration policies

Qualifications

• Haitian Kreyol, and/or Spanish, and/or French fluency is required
• An Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree or Paralegal certificate is preferred
• DOJ Accredited Representative is preferred, but not required
• 2-years of direct experience providing legal assistant services immigration legal experience is preferred
• Working knowledge of immigration law, policies, and procedures
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including in both legal advocacy and client communications
• Able to provide trauma sensitive information/referrals to clients with legal and humanitarian needs to partner service providers
• Applicants should be self-directed and self-reliant, highly organized, flexible, and able to juggle multiple projects at once
• Able to self-start on projects and to be proactive in anticipating the needs of the project
• Able to work in a fast-paced and often stressful environment

Pay

This is a full-time, salaried position. Salary range: $60,000 - $66,000.

Benefits

HBA is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from Black immigrants, Indigenous people, people of color (BIPOC), Latinx people, people with disabilities, LGBTQAI+ people, women, and members of underrepresented communities.