Program Assistant, Children’s Program

Position Classification: Full Time, Program Assistant, Member of Legal Programs Team
Reports to: Managing Attorney, Children’s Program
Compensation:$21.37-29.61 Per Hour (DOE) (non-exempt)
Benefits: Fully paid medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability for employee; generous paid time off and paid sick leave; 22 paid holidays; retirement plan; parking reimbursement; professional development opportunities covered.
Start date: On or before August 1, 2024 (negotiable)

Casa Cornelia is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a positive and inclusive work environment for all employees. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds. 

The Firm:
Casa Cornelia Law Center (CCLC) is a public interest law firm providing quality pro bono legal services to victims of human and civil rights violations with a primary commitment to the indigent within the immigrant community in Southern California.  Our legal services include representation to those in removal proceedings or seeking affirmative immigration relief including asylum seekers, abused and abandoned children, and immigrant victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, and other serious crimes who are eligible under U.S. law.  CCLC provides pro bono representation through its staff and support of volunteers, such as private attorneys, law students, and interpreters/translators under the mentorship of CCLC attorneys.

The Program:
The Children’s Program is CCLC’s program dedicated to representing youth clients who lack lawful immigration status in the United States.  The program represents all unaccompanied children who are detained in the custody of the Office of Health and Human Services in San Diego and Imperial Counties.  The program also represents many unaccompanied children formerly in government custody now resident in San Diego County and other immigrant youth who have never been apprehended by immigration authorities.  Clients represented by the Children’s Program are most commonly eligible for asylum and special immigrant juvenile status but may also be eligible for citizenship, other forms of relief from removal, or voluntary departure.

The Position:
The Program Assistant, Children’s Program, is a non-attorney professional serving within the Children’s Program that provides general administrative support to the program staff and volunteer attorneys in their representation of program clients. The Children’s Program serves both detained and non-detained children, and the Program Assistant, Children’s Program, will support cases involving both detained and non-detained children.  Tasks in support of other CCLC programs may also be assigned.

Appointment and Accountability:
The Program Assistant, Children’s Program, is hired by the Executive Director and is accountable to the Managing Attorney, Children’s Program.

Primary responsibilities:
The Program Assistant, Children’s Program, will discharge the responsibilities of the position by:
a) ensuring that individual clients are treated with dignity;
b) recognizing the vulnerability of the immigrant population, especially those in proceedings or detention, and accommodating for cultural diversity;
c) providing general administrative support to the Children’s Program staff and volunteers;
d) implementing firm processes to address the needs of the client population;
e) processing client and case/file source documents by reviewing data for deficiencies and resolving discrepancies by using standard procedures;
f) entering client and case/file data;
g) maintaining data entry requirements by following legal program protocols;
h) scheduling client meetings and calls and assisting with client correspondence;
i) preparing the initial physical file; tracking and managing physical case files during the established retention period and destroying such files upon conclusion of the retention period;
j) assisting in case file and database maintenance;
k) assisting in the collection of program data;
l) assisting in covering the reception desk and mail processing when needed; and,
m) assuming responsibility for other tasks as assigned by the Managing Attorney, Children’s Program, Associate Attorneys, and the Legal Director.

Qualifications:
The following are required for appointment as the Program Assistant, Children’s Program:
a) A commitment to social justice and the mission of CCLC;
b) A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or an associate’s degree and two years of relevant professional experience;
c) Oral and written fluency in English and Spanish;
d) Proficient in MS Office;
e) Data entry experience;
f) Willingness to work in a fast-paced, collaborative, and detail-oriented environment; and,
g) A demonstrated commitment to serving indigent populations.

Candidates for the position of Program Assistant, Children’s Program, with the following additional qualifications will be given priority:
a) A paralegal certificate;
b) Prior experience working in a law firm;
c) Prior experience in the immigration law field;
d) Fluency in additional languages frequently spoken by CCLC clients; and,
e) Experience working in a not-for-profit.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. 

TO APPLY: Email your (1) Cover Letter of Interest, (2) Resume, and (3) Three references to:
[email protected].

Please see our website located at www.CasaCornelia.org to learn more about CCLC’s work. 

Casa Cornelia Law Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, age, medical condition, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, military status, caregiver status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.