Intake Paralegal

Intake Paralegal

Job Title:        Paralegal

Supervisor:   Intake Managing Attorney

Program:        Legal Intake Department

Status:            Full-time, Exempt (35 hours a week)

Location:       Philadelphia, PA (HYBRID)

Salary:          $48,000 - $50,0000 (commensurate with experience)

HIAS Pennsylvania’s Mission: Driven by the Jewish value of welcoming the stranger, HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) Pennsylvania provides legal, resettlement and supportive services to immigrants and refugees from all backgrounds to assure their fair treatment and full integration into American society.

HIAS Pennsylvania is one of the largest non-profit immigration legal service providers in Pennsylvania. The organization assists low-income immigrants with adjustment of status, removal defense, family unification, citizenship, and other forms of humanitarian immigration relief. HIAS Pennsylvania prioritizes providing services to vulnerable populations including survivors of interpersonal violence and unaccompanied youth.

HIAS Pennsylvania’s Intake Department: HIAS Pennsylvania’s Legal Intake Department acts as the central point of contact for all new individuals seeking legal services from HIAS Pennsylvania. Team members screen potential clients for immigration relief and eligibility for our services. The team is composed of a Managing Attorney, Staff Attorney, and part-time administrative staff. The work of the team is supported by interns. The Intake Department is also tasked with providing presentations, written materials, and updated attorney referral resources to both the immigrant community as well as to partnering agencies.

The Intake Paralegal will serve as part of the Intake Department, assisting with conducting intakes, outreach to eligible populations and stakeholders, and administrative work. Alongside Intake Interns, the Intake Staff Attorney, and the Managing Intake Attorney, the Intake Paralegal will be responsible for interviewing prospective clients seeking our services. Under the direction of the Intake Managing Attorney, the Intake Paralegal will be responsible for scheduling cases for agency staff, collecting client documentation, or making appropriate referrals for each caller. The Intake Paralegal will also conduct regular intakes with survivors of domestic violence to assess their cases. In addition, the Intake Paralegal will be responsible for conducting in-person intakes at clinics organized together with community organizations and partner agencies.

Primary Responsibilities

The Intake Paralegal will support and report to the Managing Intake Attorney. Responsibilities will include (but are not limited to) the following tasks:

• Assist the Intake Interns and volunteers in conducting their work;
• Complete all initial assessments to determine appropriateness of case for the agency, language needs and, financial eligibility for service;
• Ensure that a preliminary conflicts check is performed and that intake information in the agency’s case management system is input efficiently and accurately;
• Ensure that all relevant documents needed for a complete assessment are collected and that comprehensive case summaries are prepared;
• Coordinate scheduling of cases for comprehensive service with immigration specialists and attorneys;
• Ensure that callers who require other human services are referred either internally or to appropriate agencies;
• Assist the Managing Intake Attorney in ensuring that a central database of referral sources and information is maintained with up to date and accurate information;
• Assist the Managing Intake Attorney in establishing and maintaining relationships with project stakeholders including community-based organizations, social service organizations, immigration professionals, and legal service providers. This includes attendance at professional or provider meetings;
• Conduct intakes in-person at community organization sites on a regular basis;
• Assist the Intake Team in maintaining and improving the system for interviewing all prospective clients by phone or in person, using Language Line when needed, to review their eligibility for service that ensures reasonable access to our services throughout the year;

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate for the Intake Paralegal position is someone who works well with a culturally diverse and limited English Proficient clientele. Prior experience working in legal services or with immigrants is preferred. The position reports to the Intake Managing Attorney, but works closely with each of the legal program supervisors. The Intake Paralegal candidates should be passionate about HIAS PA’s mission and roots and have a demonstrated ability to work with diverse collaborators and stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A college degree or equivalent experience; 
• Experience working at a legal services agency (preferred);
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills in English;
• Oral and written proficiency in a language other than English (Spanish preferred);
• Proficiency using Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets;
• Prior experience with online reporting systems/databases systems;
• Strong organizational and time management skills;
• Ability to work independently/collaboratively in a team and work with diverse professionals and human service workers;
• Passion for working in a diverse community;
• Sensitivity to working with diverse populations;

Other Information:

HIAS PA is currently working on a hybrid model. HIAS Pennsylvania requires all staff be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with the exception of those who have medical or religious beliefs exemptions.