The Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project (www.firrp.org) is a nonprofit organization providing free legal services to the 3,500 men, women, and unaccompanied children detained on any given day for immigration removal proceedings in Arizona. The Florence Project was founded in 1989 and is based in Florence, Arizona. The Florence Project is nationally known for providing high quality legal services and supports initiatives for national change in immigration law and policy.
THE LEGAL ASSISTANT POSITION
The Florence Project has an opening for a legal assistant with our Florence/Eloy programs. The legal assistant will work with detained clients on a team with two staff attorneys and under the supervision of a managing attorney. S/he will conduct client intake interviews, assist with applications for relief from removal, and help prepare individuals for their final immigration court hearings both one-on-one and in group workshop settings. The legal assistant maintains his or her own caseload and is also responsible for scheduling client visits, daily case management, obtaining and preparing supporting documentation including country conditions and legal research, communicating with family members, and supporting attorneys with legal cases as needed. S/he is also responsible for data entry and preparing monthly statistics for grant reporting purposes.
The position is based in our Florence office, a rural prison town, with the opportunity to work out of Project offices in Phoenix or Tucson 1-2 days a week, depending on availability. The position involves substantial time spent in 3 detention centers in Florence, AZ and in the Eloy Detention Center, in Eloy, Arizona. Starting salary is $30,000 plus health, vision, and dental insurance, and generous vacation and leave benefits.
QUALIFICATIONS
The Florence Project is seeking individuals who have a demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights and who are comfortable working in a detained setting. We seek hard working team players who are flexible and who enjoy working in a collaborative, fast-paced and high volume nonprofit setting. Prior work or internship experience in immigration rights, human rights, criminal justice, or in a nonprofit legal services setting is a plus. The applicant must have excellent organizational, communication, and writing skills. Fluency in Spanish required.
How to apply
To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and 3 references to jobs@firrp.org. The position is available in late June/early July 2015. Applications are due May 31st. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and we encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible. The Florence Project values diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages applications from people of color, LGBTQ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and members of under-represented or disadvantaged communities.