Paralegal/Legal Administrative Assistant (Full-Time)
The Organization
Our vision is a world where immigrants, refugees, and all migrant populations are welcomed, supported and able to live without fear. The Immigration Law and Justice of Northern Illinois s (ILJNI) is a faith based legal services organization, welcoming immigrants into communities throughout Northern Illinois by providing free, high-quality immigration legal services, education, and advocacy and building cross-cultural community. We represent low-income immigrants throughout Northern Illinois, in Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Buffalo Grove and Crystal Lake. Please see our website for more information: www.nijfon.org.
THE POSITION
The Paralegal/Legal Administrative Assistant will work with ILJNI legal staff to perform and support client management, legal research, scheduling, outreach, general office operations, and other programmatic activities. We are seeking a Paralegal/Legal Administrative Assistant to support our mission to provide high-quality legal services to our clients and to increase our capacity to meet the growing need for our services.
This position is based in Chicago and may require some evening and weekend hours. Access to reliable transportation via car is necessary, as the position also involves support of community-based legal work.
DUTIES
- Work with the Executive Director, Legal Staff, and Board of Directors to further the strategic vision of ILJNI;
- Assist legal staff with research, form preparation, document acquisition, and client interviews and meetings;
- Maintain client files, regularly update and maintain our case management system and assist with annual case audit;
- Maintain office calendars and keep track of important dates, such as filing deadlines, interviews, and court appearances.
- Prepare client folders for and work with legal staff to coordinate intakes;
- Answer phone calls from clients, government officials, and other stakeholders;
- Review and respond to voice messages, emails, and other communication;
- Schedule new and existing client appointments as directed by the legal staff;
- Engage in general office administrative assistant duties, including, but not limited to: copying, mailing, scanning, shredding, filing, ordering office supplies etc.
- Prepare immigration-related applications and compile submissions to government agencies;
- Process incoming and outgoing mail;
- Communicate with clients regarding appointment requirements and details;
- Maintain legal and social service referral resources for Northern Illinois;
- Maintain Illinois Access to Justice and New Americans Initiative salesforce database up to date and submit timely reports monthly as required for grant reports
- Assist with preparation of legal data as needed for grant reports and proposals;
General Requirements
The administrative legal assistant should have a strong commitment to public interest legal service and to the enfranchisement and empowerment of immigrant communities. ILJNI is more than a legal service project; it is a faith-based organization involving many diverse individuals, cultures, and faith traditions who come together to welcome immigrants to our community. As such, the paralegal/legal administrative assistant should have an appreciation of the spiritual principles of this work and an ability to work sensitively with staff, volunteers, and clients who have diverse personalities, lifestyles, cultures, political orientations, and faiths.
Proficiency in written and spoken Spanish is required, and fluency is preferred. Proficiency in other languages is a plus.
Professional and Educational Requirements
- Associates degree and or Paralegal Certificate required.
- Comfort with and ability to work on computers is required for this position. We regularly utilize Microsoft Office programs, as well as Adobe Acrobat Pro, G Suite, Dropbox, and case management systems. Familiarity with most or all mentioned software is highly preferred. Use of AI tools such as Claude, Chat GPT, etc. is a plus.
- Knowledge of immigration and nationality law and experience working with immigrant populations and/or filing and preparing immigration forms and cases is highly preferred.
Paralegal/Legal Administrative Assistant Salary and Benefits
Salary is commensurate with experience, starting at $40,000-$50,000 per year. A full benefits package, including health insurance and pension, is included.
It is the policy of ILJNI to recruit, employ, compensate and promote our professional staff in a manner that does not involve segregation or discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, sex, or disability, including HIV status, or sexual orientation. ILJNI complies with all governmental non-discrimination rules for its employment locations, including those for citizenship status, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and marital status.
How to Apply
Those interested in applying should submit a cover letter, resume, and a list of three references to: jobs@nijfon.org with “ILJNI Paralegal/Legal Administrative Assistant” in the subject line.
