Position Announcement
BILINGUAL LEGAL ADVOCATE/PARALEGAL
Seattle, Washington

Summary
NWIRP is currently seeking to fill a full time bilingual legal advocate/paralegal position in its Seattle office to work in its Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) unit. The applicant must be fluent in English and Spanish. The VAWA unit currently provides direct services, outreach and education throughout the state of Washington to immigrant survivors of domestic violence and other crimes. The unit processes the following case types: Self-petitions under VAWA, U visas, SIJS, T visas, VAWA applications for adjustment of status, and removal defense for survivors of violence. The legal advocate will also work with other staff members on different types of immigration cases as needed.

Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of attorneys, prepare immigration forms, applications, and supporting documents.
• Conduct intakes, by phone and in person, and interview clients to gather or clarify information.
• Provide support to VAWA unit staff attorneys.
• Provide support to other staff members as needed.
• Participate in and coordinate outreach and educational workshops.
• Translate documents.
• Establish, organize and/or maintain files.
• Maintain document control, tracking and tracing; review case files.
• Search for and retrieve public and private records such as birth certificates or criminal histories.
• Review and edit documents for accuracy and completeness.
• Other tasks as assigned.
Professional Qualifications, Experience and Attributes
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including public speaking.
• Commitment to advancing and defending the legal rights of low-income immigrants and refugees.
• Must be bilingual (English and Spanish).
• Previous immigration law experience preferred.
• Previous work experience with survivors of domestic violence and/or people with disabilities desired.
• Commitment to working in a diverse and challenging environment.
• Ability to organize information in a clear and concise manner.
• Proficiency in use of automated software applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel.
Compensation: Salary $32K - $37K DOE and benefit package.

To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please address why you would like to work for NWIRP, and how your qualifications best suit the position.

Deadline: The Hiring Committee will begin screening resumes on January 4, 2010. Early submission is highly encouraged. Position is open until filled.

How to submit materials:
Preferred by email: hr@nwirp.org and please include "Legal Advocate" in subject line.

Or by mail: Legal Advocate/Paralegal Search
Jennifer N. Brown
NWIRP
615 Second Avenue, Suite 400
Seattle, WA 98104

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity. It is the policy of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination. NWIRP is committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. NWIRP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, political ideology, age, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical handicap.

We encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, people with disabilities, members of the LGBT community and other minority groups.