Paralegal, Immigrants' Rights Project

Title: Paralegal

Office: National Offices

Location: New York, New York, United States

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks a full-time position of Paralegal in the Immigrants’ Rights Project of the ACLU's National Office in New York, NY.

The Immigrants’ Rights Project is a national project of the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation with offices in New York and California. Using targeted impact litigation, advocacy and public outreach, the Project carries on the ACLU’s historic commitment to protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of immigrants. In state and federal trial and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court, the Project conducts the nation’s largest impact litigation program dedicated to defending and expanding the rights of immigrants, enforcing the guarantees of the Constitution, and achieving equal justice under the law. It works with the English and non-English language media, immigrant advocacy organizations, and ACLU affiliates around the country to empower immigrant communities through presentations about their rights and about current and proposed immigration laws.

Reporting to the Director or Deputy Director, the Paralegal will be responsible for a providing litigation and administrative support to the Immigrants' Rights Project. This includes, but is not limited to, preparing litigation documents for filing, responding to legal assistance inquires, and maintaining files and records.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Research and analyze court rules, relevant litigation, and factual issues where appropriate
• Occasionally, draft materials for dissemination to the public or IRP supporters
• Produce and file pleadings in federal courts (from district court through Supreme Court level), and occasionally state courts around the United States
• Serve as liaison with co-counsel and clients
• Handle general administrative duties including processing invoices, tracking expenses and case costs, preparing expense reports, assisting with travel arrangements, and ordering supplies
• Manage and coordinate databases, case files, correspondence files, etc.
• Respond to intake calls, emails and letters from individuals seeking assistance

In addition to:

• Commitment to the mission of the ACLU
• Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned by IRP leadership and attorneys
• Commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Must take initiative, be highly organized and detail-oriented, and possess strong interpersonal and time-management skills
• Ability to work independently as well as within a team while maintaining a high level of efficiency and professionalism
• Excellent research, writing, and verbal communication skills

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience providing administrative support and/or project management preferred
• Bachelor’s degree or a year of related administrative experience preferred
• Fluency in Spanish and other relevant foreign languages (written and spoken) is preferred, but not required

COMPENSATION

ABOUT THE ACLU

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply.

The ACLU makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment provide all qualified persons, including persons with disabilities, with full opportunities for employment in all positions.

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.