Humanitarian Legal Assistant
The legal assistant will provide support to the humanitarian legal team including screening callers and scheduling consultations, assisting in gathering information and documents, assisting in performing legal research, assisting in completing immigration applications, creating and maintaining legal files, updating the client management system, processing legal mail, updating clients on cases, translating documents, and providing interpretation as needed. The position will also support community partners in the representation of clients, with a particular focus on the legal needs of Afghan parolees.
In addition to the responsibilities of the legal assistant, we are seeking an individual with interest and ability to train on all immigration legal cases with long term growth opportunities including but not limited to the possibility to become a partially accredited DOJ Accredited Representative.
Principal Responsibilities and Duties:
- Answer agency phone lines and provide information and referrals.
- Screen callers and walk-in clients to schedule consultations.
- Assist in community intake sessions, providing administrative, interpretation and translation support.
- Provide interpretation and translation services for staff and community partners.
- Create and maintain legal files.
- Process mail including immigration notices.
- Update the legal client management system and assist legal staff with contacting clients to keep clients informed of the status of their case.
- Assist in the completion of immigration forms under supervision of legal representatives.
- Responsible for documentation and record keeping of agency reporting requirements.
- Represent YWCA Tulsa at community events including group intake sessions and resource fairs.
- Attend weekly legal team meetings.
- Travel to Oklahoma City and possibly Houston, TX for client interviews.
- Ability to work outside normal business hours to support community partners in providing legal services including pro bono trainings, group intake sessions, and legal representation.
- Attend trainings/agency meetings related to job responsibilities as approved by supervisor.
Required Qualifications:
- Must be able to work with minimal supervision and multitask.
- Intermediate to advanced computer skills in Microsoft Office and various databases.
- Ability to speak, read, and write English as well as a second language. Dari and/or Pashto preferred.
- Excellent customer service skills.
- Must be an advocate for the mission, values and goals of the YWCA Tulsa.
- Work effectively with all employees and members of all races, religions, sexes, national origins, ages, sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions; and without regard to disability status, genetic information, marital status, status as a covered veteran, and socio-economic background cultures.
- Work on skills that can help communicate his/her point to an audience belonging to a completely different identity and/or background. These differences can be identity-based, geographical, ethical, political, or historical.
- Willing to engage in a constructive, positive and proactive manner with the goals of finding solutions, producing change, and bringing together opposing parties.
- Strong commitment to learning, growth, and continuous improvement.
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Education/Experience:
- High school degree or high school equivalency required. Associates Degree or higher preferred. Education outside the United States will be recognized.
- Preferred experience as a legal assistant or paralegal.
- Two years of customer service experience.
- Fluency in Dari and/or Pashto. Other priority languages include Spanish, Burmese and/or Zomi.
- Social service experiences a plus.
Email the completed application, cover letter and resume with “Humanitarian Legal Assistant” in the subject line to: humanresources@ywcatulsa.org. Applications that do not submit the required documents will not be reviewed.