Based in Portland, Maine, with a satellite office in Lewiston, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) is Maine’s only state-wide immigration legal aid organization. ILAP’s mission is to help low-income immigrants improve their legal status and to work for more just and humane laws and policies affecting immigrants. ILAP’s work includes direct legal services for over 3,000 clients each year; education and outreach to immigrant communities and service providers; and systemic advocacy on local, state, and federal immigration law issues. 

ILAP is committed to having a respectful, collaborative, and equitable work environment, with equal opportunity for all employees. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We believe in building an organization that is reflective of the communities that we serve and is diverse in work background, experience, education, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental, and physical abilities. We believe that having a diverse and equitable organization strengthens our programming and services and advances our organizational values.  

POSITION DESCRIPTION

ILAP is seeking a full-time Legal Program Assistant at our Portland Office who is responsible for general receptionist duties, a portion of client intake, coordination of language volunteers, and administrative support for the smooth operation of ILAP’s direct legal services program. 

This is a full-time, in-person position at the Portland office.  

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Perform general receptionist duties including greeting clients, answering phones, and managing ILAP’s general email inbox.  

• Respond to intake requests. by phone, e-mail, and online form. Interview potential clients and assess eligibility for ILAP services. Obtain documents from clients as needed and schedule appointments for brief assistance, forms assistance screenings, and initial consultations for eligible individuals. Provide referral lists and/or other appropriate resources to those we cannot assist. 
• Coordinate interpretation and translation support to assist legal staff. Maintain and update ILAP’s list of language volunteers. Recruit and orient new language volunteers as needed. 
• Provide general administrative support for ILAP’s direct legal services program including filing, rescheduling appointments as needed, keeping the ILAP common areas neat and organized, and replenishing legal team materials and supplies.  
• Participate in ILAP team meetings; collaborate and share expertise with other ILAP attorneys and legal staff.  
• Maintain client data in accordance with ILAP protocols, grant requirements, and ethical obligations. 

• Participate in outreach activities and collaborations as needed. 
• Perform such other tasks and assume such other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Senior Staff Attorney & Intake Supervisor, Managing Attorney, or Executive Director.  

COMPENSATION 

Beginning salary is $45,000 or more depending on years of experience. ILAP also recognizes the value of having staff who speak common client languages and offers a base salary increase for applicants with spoken proficiency in these languages. 

ILAP offers a generous benefits package. Current benefits include: 

• Fully paid individual health and dental insurance coverage and significant coverage for dependents’ health insurance; 
• Generous annual paid leave, holidays, sick days, and personal days;  
• Paid parental leave and a paid family and medical leave policy;?  
• Paid sabbatical after each 5 years of employment;  
• Employer retirement contributions;  

• Health savings plan; 
• Long-term disability and life insurance; and, 
• Individual and staff-wide professional development opportunities. 

TO APPLY 

Send a cover letter and resume by e-mail to hr@ilapmaine.org with the subject line “Legal Program Assistant - Portland.” Review of applications will begin on May 22, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled.  

QUALIFICATIONS  

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. 

• Prior experience with immigration matters an asset.  
• Prior experience working with immigrants or vulnerable populations preferred.  
• Ability to multi-task effectively, including having strong detail-orientation, planning, prioritizing, and organizing skills; and the ability to work well under pressure. 
• Strong computer skills including proficiency with Office 365. 
• Demonstrated passion for advancing immigrants’ rights, and an ability to work well with individuals from different cultures and with varying levels of English proficiency.  

• Gracious and understanding team member who works collaboratively and builds relationships across lines of difference.  
• Personal and professional commitment to racial justice and equity. 
• Knowledge and understanding of the immigration system built through lived experience is an asset.  
• Fluency in written and spoken English. 
• Proficiency in a relevant community language is required, especially French, Haitian-Creole, Lingala, Portuguese, or Spanish.