Legal Coordinator

Ascentria Care Alliance employees and volunteers take pride in the impact they have on the people they serve. It’s more than just a job, it’s an opportunity our employees have to care for and share in the lives of people who greatly need and appreciate their presence. Ascentria Care Alliance focuses on every child, elder, disabled person, refugee, endangered teen or teenage mom in order to build stronger communities one person at a time.  This is an excellent opportunity to enhance the operations of a $125m non-profit social services organization with programs throughout New England.   

The Legal Coordinator will liaise with legal providers in order to advocate for and assist in advancing youth client immigration cases. The Legal Coordinator will work with Ascentria’ s Division of Children Services (DCS), a division of the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) program, which provides foster care and case management support to unaccompanied youth in the United States who are granted asylum or special immigrant juvenile status.  The role of staff members is to support unaccompanied youth in foster care in their transition to life in the United States. The Legal Coordinator is a key member of the team and one who will provide translation services as needed.

•  Essential Responsibilities: 
• Ensure Spanish speaking youth client and clients’ biological family, sponsors, and guardians are provided guidance and resources with legal service providers
• Develop and maintain partnerships with legal service providers
• Collaborate and direct the coordination with representatives from Lutheran Immigrant and Refugee Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement, DHS Juvenile
• Coordinators, Government Consulates, State Family and Probate Courts, and US Immigration and Customs to ensure all legal information status is in order.
• Coordinate and maintain schedule of client legal meetings and hearings, and properly prepare youth clients for these legal matters and hearings
• Track each step in the legal process and keep case managers and youth clients apprised of progress in legal cases, provide assistance to youth clients as needed to ensure they understand the process.
• Communicate  biological family, sponsors, and guardians in all matters related to minors’ legal cases and permanency planning; provide assistance as needed to ensure all understand the process.
• Ensure trauma informed approach is taken in all client and family interactions.
• Assist during the intake process with youth clients in order to ensure thorough documentation, determine needs, and make referrals such as trafficking referrals, child advocacy, and other services related to legal support
• Ensure all required personal, legal, and immigration documentation is received from transfer facility and request documents from facilities, home country, and consulate as needed
• Conduct legal orientations for youth clients upon intake
• Prepare legal reports and documentation including petition paperwork, court reports, and Post 18/discharge planning
• Maintain system to document and track clients’ progress in immigration cases and legal eligibility
• Provide legal trainings around client rights, and  stages and status of juvenile immigration law and support to staff, youth clients, families, and other providers
• Participate in regular meetings with Ascentria staff, legal providers, and ORR representatives
• Transport and accompany youth to legal appointments and hearing
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree preferred Associate's degree required within the Human Services field.
• 3+ years of experience in work in child welfare or with the migrant population
• Spanish Bilingual preferred, with demonstrated good oral and written communication skills
• An understanding and acceptance of the refugee and undocumented population
• Mature and stable judgment as well as sensitivity to various cultures and the unique history of immigrant and refugees
• Ability to work independently and exercise a high level of confidentiality;
• Demonstrated computer skills sufficient to perform essential job functions, email competency, ability to learn and utilize ORR/State sponsored software
• Valid Driver's License, proof of insurance, positive driving record, and ability to use own car to travel to home visits and to transport minors is required
• Ability to work within the Mission of the agency; “We are called to strengthen communities by empowering people to respond to life's challenges.”

Trainings Required:

Ascentria Organizational Orientation
Office of Refugee Resettlement/DCS Policies and Procedures
Various trainings including but not limited to: cultural competency, trauma-informed services, youth development, strength-based behavior management, immigration and child welfare systems, mandated reporting, CPR/first aid, crisis intervention, etc