Immigration Paralegal (ypsilanti)

POSITION: The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) is seeking candidates for a position as a Paralegal serving low income immigrants in their immigrational legal services needs. This position will be based out of MIRC’s Ypsilanti office. This is a chance to join a talented team doing important and challenging work at a critical time. All MIRC staff must reside in Michigan or Ohio by the first date of employment.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM: MIRC is a legal resource center for immigrant communities. The three pillars of our work are: (1) direct legal services, (2) systemic advocacy, and (3) community education and engagement. MIRC is part of Michigan Statewide Advocacy Services (MSAS), a non-profit law firm providing free legal services to low income and senior persons through several statewide programs. MSAS is administered by the Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP), which provides access to the justice system for those who need it the most through civil legal aid offices and statewide advocacy programs. MAP’s mission is to advance the safety, independence, and economic stability of those most affected by poverty, racism, and other structurally oppressive systems by increasing access to justice and working for systemic solutions.

Visit michiganimmigrant.org and miadvocacy.org for more information.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The paralegal will assist attorneys with their cases, will participate in office-wide projects and client services, and will eventually handle some cases on their own as a DOJ-accredited representative. The successful candidate must pursue DOJ accreditation within six months of receiving the role and will receive MIRC’s full support in that process.

QUALIFICATIONS: This position requires the ability to read, speak, and interpret English and Spanish. An associate’s degree or commensurate professional experience is required; a bachelor’s degree is preferred. Applicants must possess excellent communication, collaboration, analytical and problem‐solving skills as well as a demonstrated commitment to protecting the rights of immigrants or other persons in poverty. Candidate must be detail-oriented with strong organizational skills. Candidate must be proficient with major software and web services including Word, Excel, G Suite, and have access to a reliable internet connection if they intend to work remotely some of the time. Applicants who have experience, especially related to immigration and poverty, will receive priority. Prior experience with immigration law preferred to seek DOJ accreditation. Applicants who have relevant lived experience are encouraged to apply.

BENEFITS: This is a full-time position with a starting salary range of $ 46,350 - $65,150 based on years of relevant experience. MAP offers a generous benefits package including life, short- and long-term disability, health, vision, dental, and flexible spending accounts. If staff do not require health benefits, they have the option to take an annual $1,500 payout in addition to the base salary paid over the course of a year. MAP also has a generous leave policy allowing staff to accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation the first year and 15 paid holidays, as well as a 401K retirement plan including employer match for eligible staff after 6 months of employment. MAP is a qualifying employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

TO APPLY: Please complete this application and submit your resume and cover letter. You can also access the application by copying and pasting the following web address into your browser: https://miadvocacy.bamboohr.com/careers/167. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

MSAS is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.