Legal Assistant/Paralegal

Location

In-office in San Francisco, California, with some hybrid flexibility.

Overview

AROC seeks to hire a full- or part-time legal assistant/paralegal to join our dynamic and dedicated legal program, San Francisco's first free immigration service program for the Arab community. The legal assistant/paralegal is expected to focus on providing high quality legal services to Arab and Muslim community members of the Bay Area. The legal assistant/paralegal will primarily support AROC's legal team, engage with Project Immigration Justice for Palestinians (IJP) and engage in resource mobilization efforts as well as community education and organizing efforts. The position will be supervised by the Legal Director and may be eligible for DOJ accreditation.

Who We Are

The Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC), a fiscally sponsored project of the Tides Center, is a social justice organization serving poor and working class Arabs and Muslims across the San Francisco Bay Area, while organizing to overturn racism, forced migration, and militarism. Recognizing the diversity of experiences within our community, AROC utilizes a multi-pronged strategy providing a centralized space for social services meeting material needs, developing analysis, creating strategy, and leading grassroots campaigns for systemic changes that make tangible impacts in the lives of working class SWANA (South West Asia and and North African) communities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a legal resource to clients and community members by supporting and educating immigrant community members regarding their rights and immigration process
• Support a high-volume caseload and maintain organized, accurate, complete, and confidential case files
• Support attorneys with immigration consultation, processing and representation services, including maintaining communication with clients, providing translating and/or interpretation services, collecting documentation, and drafting applications for a variety of family-based, naturalization and asylum cases
• Draft declarations and affidavits, prepare advocacy support letters, and occasionally, support with preparing legal briefs, motions, court pleadings and appellate briefs
• Assist attorneys with legal research, including cite-checking, internet searches, using off-site libraries, copying abstracts and cases, etc
• Provide administrative duties such as copying, scanning, uploading and filing legal documents, storing documents electronically and in the office, and mailing and filing documents with USCIS and Immigration Court
• Collaborate with attorneys, paralegals, and administrative coordinator to ensure efficient workflow and effective communication
• Represent AROC in collaborative relationships, networks and other legal and organizing spaces with other nonprofits to strengthen coalitions and organizational alliances
• Participate in organization-wide, network, and collaborative events, forums, clinics etc
• Implement program goals and strategies in collaboration with the legal teams
• Participate in weekly check-in meetings with the organization, supervisor and specific teams; attend organization-wide retreats and annual fundraising events

The above statements are intended to provide a general framework of the requirements of the position and may not encompass all functions of the position. Consistent with our commitment to our community, AROC expects all staff to approach their positions with an understanding that our community's needs may demand adjustments to our work plans and responsibilities. To facilitate a healthy and robust work environment, AROC's leadership maintains open lines of communication to discuss changing community circumstances.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and serving marginalized communities, people of color, and/or immigrant communities
• Excellent writing, communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; a high level of attention to detail; familiarity with relevant software applications, like Microsoft Office, Google Suite etc
• One (1) or more years of relevant paralegal or legal assistant experience (preferred)
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team and manage multiple tasks in a timely manner
• Trustworthy colleague who works effectively within a nonprofit team toward organizational goals and objectives
• Exceptional level of discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive and confidential information
• Proficiency in conversational Arabic (preferred)

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit:

• a letter/email of interest
• resume
• writing sample/excerpt of no more than five (5) pages
• two (2) professional references

to jobs@araborganizing.org with a subject line of "Immigration Attorney Application"

Due Date

Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, and applications will beconsidered on a rolling basis

Start Date

As soon as possible

Type

Regular, Full-Time or Part-Time and Non-Exempt

Compensation

The annual compensation depends on relevant experience and ranges from 65,000-72,000. Part-time is prorated at .5 FTE.

Benefits

Benefits include generous vacation and paid holidays, as well as optional medical, dental and disability, with other coverage programs