Legal Assistant

JOB POSTING – Legal Assistant

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1986. CHIRLA is a California leader with national impact made of diverse immigrant families and individuals who act as agents of social change to achieve a world with freedom of mobility, full human rights, and true participatory democracy. CHIRLA organizes and serves individuals, institutions and coalitions to build power, transform public opinions, and change policies to achieve full human, civil and labor rights.

Guided by power, love and vision of our community, CHIRLA embraces and drives progressive social change.

CHIRLA is seeking a Legal Assistant to assist the Legal Team. A Legal Assistant is a member of the legal department who may be assigned to work primarily with one or more of the legal teams as needed. This position requires travel and the use of personal transportation. The Legal Assistant will be responsible for performing a variety of administrative functions for their assigned legal department.

Responsibilities include scheduling appointments, collecting information and documents from people seeking legal services, updating calendars for their legal department, creating, maintaining and updating client files, processing incoming email, data entry, and other duties as assigned. The Legal Assistant will participate in immigration clinics as needed, including on weekends and evenings. Legal Assistant will assist in monthly Triage events (in person consultation intake system) which requires work on selected Saturday mornings per month from 7 AM- 2 PM.

This position requires a high level of energy, integrity and confidentiality.

• Support in identifying individuals that need legal services and schedule appointments for consultation.
• Make follow-up calls to schedule legal appointments.
• Assist the legal department with making copies, organizing files and helping clients on site as needed.
• Assist with mail and its proper distribution.
• Assist in preparing for clinics and Triage as needed.
• Provide regular updates and reporting on progress made to meet goals.
• Submit reports on a timely manner.
• Submit time and attendance and other administrative materials according to deadlines.
• Attend legal context training to become familiar with legal services the organization provides.
• Facilitate effective communication between the Administration & HR department and each branch office to ensure uniformity across all CHIRLA branches.
• Responsible for attending liaison quarterly meetings, order general office and kitchen supplies, confirm receipt of deliveries and organize them.
• Provide support with the posting of mandatory HR communications in designated areas.
• Provide support to Property and Facilities department by identifying and communicating facility related matters.
• Provide support in the implementation of the organization’s workplace violence prevention plan as a safety officer. Ensure branch staff have accessibility to the plan, communicate any plan updates, and attend all mandatory training.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as necessary to address urgent issues or priorities either within their assigned team(s), other legal department teams, or for the legal department as a whole.

• At least two years’ community education or related field experience.
• At least two years’ experience in administrative support.
• Spanish fluency is required as the job requires extensive legal counseling and representation in the Spanish language.
• Excellent organizational skills – good attention to detail and well organized.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills – verbal and written.
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds of force occasionally, and/or amount of force constantly to move objects.
• Must have own transportation, a valid Driver’s License, and be able to travel independent of public transportation between branch offices.
• Flexibility required based on the needs of the organization. The position will involve some evening and weekend work.
• Proficient with Word, Excel, and Power Point and other Microsoft Suite or…