Legal Assistant

**Must have both oral and written fluency in Spanish and English and ability to translate official government documents from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English.   

WE OFFER EXCELLENT BENEFITS:

• Safe and Sick Leave
• Discounted health memberships

Job Summary

This position provides administrative and office assistance to the immigration attorney, DOJ accredited representatives, legal interns, and volunteers in the Immigration and Refugee Legal Assistance program.  In addition to general office duties such as preparing and maintaining client legal files, photocopying documents, and drafting and reviewing documents, duties include communicating with clients and others seeking services, and providing English/Spanish verbal and written translation services. 

Job Duties/Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each of the essential duties/responsibilities listed below.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties/responsibilities of this job. 

1. Receive and return phone calls and e-mail messages to the Immigration Legal Services program from persons seeking legal immigration services. Gather information for immigration attorney, DOJ accredited representatives and other program staff.
2. May meet with clients and persons seeking services to gather information and to provide information, under attorney/staff direction. May keep clients informed by maintaining contact and communicating case progress. May assist clients, under attorney/DOJ-representative supervision, with completion of documents.
3. Collect, examine and organize evidence and other legal documents for attorney/DOJ representative review and case preparation.
4. May schedule persons seeking services for initial consultation appointments with immigration attorney and DOJ representatives.
5. Compiles and makes photocopies of documents and forms to be submitted to USCIS, the National Visa Center, EOIR, and other federal immigration entities. Prepares documents and forms to be mailed according to instructions from immigration attorney, DOJ representatives and other staff. 
6. May prepare correspondence related to the work of immigration attorney, DOJ representatives and other staff.
7. Prepares, organizes and maintains hard-copy legal files according to legal best-practice standards. Performs destruction of client files in accordance with agency policies and procedures.
8. Assist with completing, maintaining and organizing information and documents in the LawLogix, or other electronic case management/file management system.
9. Oversees inventory of office supplies, forms, flyers and other office documents and assists in ordering such supplies when needed.
10. Prepare and process billings and other documents for services. Collects service fees from clients and provides receipts.  Processes fees according to agency financial procedures.
11. Collect, collate and prepare statistical and other information for reporting to CCEW administration and other stakeholders.
12. Accurately translates phone messages and other forms of communication such as e-mails, etc.
13. Translates the Spanish language at meetings such as attorney-client appointments.
14. May draft, edit and proofread documents to assure accuracy of Spanish/English translation.
15. Uses appropriate administrative, fiscal, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of CCEW client information, including protected health information (PHI), per regulations outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
16. Participate in all trainings and presentations on immigration law and procedures as directed by chief programs officer.
17. As a mandated reporter, follows all procedures outlined in agency policies and procedures to report to the proper agency when there is suspicion and/or confirmation that a child or adult has been a victim of abuse or neglect.
18. Adheres to the tenets of Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Doctrine.
19. Performs as a team member to assure that productivity outcome measures are achieved.
20. Performs related functions necessary to support the mission and core values of Catholic Charities.

 Job Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must meet the minimum qualifications listed below.  These qualifications are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required to perform this job. 

Education/Experience: to perform this job successfully, an individual must have a high school diploma or GED.  Post-secondary coursework in office administration and/or experience in office administration preferred. Associate’s degree in paralegal studies, a paralegal certificate, or Bachelor’s degree preferred. 

Certificates/Licenses:  Must possess a valid Driver License and ability to drive for work use.  Successfully pass background check applicable to position.

Physical Abilities:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to:

• Regularly sit, stand, climb, walk, hear/listen, talk
• Frequently lift up to 30 pounds, pull/push, carry, grasp, reach
• Occasionally crawl, stoop, kneel
• Clearly see 20+ feet, with or without corrective lenses, ability to focus

Mental & Other Skills/Abilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must have the:

• Adaptability:  ability to adapt to changes, delays or unexpected events in the work environment; ability to manage competing demands and prioritize tasks; ability to change approach or method to best fit the situation.  Willingness to work occasional alternative hours, such as evenings and Saturdays, as needed. 
• Analytical Ability:  ability to maintain focus for extended periods of time; ability to complete research projects with resourcefulness and persistence; ability to synthesize complex or diverse information; ability to use intuition and experience to complement existing data.
• Attendance: ability to consistently arrive and be able to work as scheduled.
• Computer/Technical Ability: working knowledge of: Word Processing software, Spreadsheet software, Accounting software and Internet software preferred. 
• Dependability:  ability to follow instructions, both in written and verbal format; ability to respond to management direction; ability to complete tasks on time or notify the appropriate person with an alternate plan when necessary.
• Interpersonal Skills:  ability to maintain satisfactory relationships with others, excellent customer service skills and a good overall understanding of appropriate human relations.  Awareness of and sensitivity to the service population’s culture and socioeconomic characteristics. 

• Judgment: ability to make prudent and timely decisions; ability to exhibit sound and accurate judgment; ability to explain reasoning for decisions.
• Language Ability: ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations; ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals; ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.  Must have both oral and written fluency in Spanish and English and ability to translate official government documents from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English.   
• Mathematical Ability: ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume; ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
• Motor Coordination: the ability to coordinate eyes, hands, fingers, and feet accurately and handle precise movements.
• Problem Solving Ability: ability to identify and/or prevent problems before they occur; ability to formulate alternative solutions to problems when necessary; ability to transfer learning from past experiences to new experiences of similar nature.
• Quality Management: ability to complete duties, on time and with absolute precision, at least 95% of the time; ability to edit the accuracy and thoroughness of one’s work as well as the work of others;  ability to constructively apply feedback to improve performance, ability to generate ideas to improve and promote quality in work.
• Reasoning Ability: ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Supervisory Skills: this position has no supervisory responsibilities. 

Workplace Environmental Conditions

While performing the essential duties/responsibilities of this job, the employee will be:

• Noise Conditions: exposed during a shift to constant or intermittent sounds at moderate to loud levels of sound dependent upon the daily activities.
• Exposure to Trauma: Employees of Catholic Charities Eastern Washington provide direct services to vulnerable community members including those who have behavioral health challenges and those who have been exposed to trauma.
• Heat: subject to high temperatures.
• Cold: subject to low temperatures.
• Atmospheric Exposures: exposed to dusts, fumes, vapors, or mists