Are you extremely passionate about immigrants’ rights and being part of a thriving team that shares your passion?

Do you love making sure people feel they are heard and well cared for? Does it feel fulfilling to you to know you can make a difference in the lives of not only clients but your coworkers?

Are you excited to use your excellent communication, problem-solving, and organization skills to do a stellar job and ensure we’re always improving?

Are you someone who loves providing support to others? Do you enjoy being the go-to person who supports a legal team, so that everyone can focus on what they do best?

If you answered yes to the above, could you be our new administrative legal assistant?

We are determined to find the right fit for our exceptional team. Please read through our description, and if it calls to you and you feel excited to meet us and find out more, you may be our perfect candidate!

We believe each team member should trust one another and hold themselves and their teammates accountable. Each person here respects what others do on the team and values every role as integral and unique. While there are positions that are more supervisory, and certain team members will ultimately be calling the shots on various matters, we value open channels of communication and welcome each team member’s input. While there are tasks specifically attached to each role, our team members do not hesitate to jump in and lend a hand when necessary. Integrity and mutual respect (for fellow team members and clients) are high on our list of values.

We strive to create a work environment where each team member can be productive, refine their skills, and continue learning, growing, and improving. Our team members are problem solvers who use creativity and passion to bring new ideas and find ways to constantly improve our systems and procedures, ensuring we are giving our best to clients. Please only apply if you are excited about honing your skills and constantly learning.

Our office was founded based on a passion for immigrants’ rights, providing impeccable representation to clients and making sure at each step clients know how much we care. Each team member is here because they share this vision. Working with clients who have endured trauma and are facing overwhelming challenges takes an emotional toll and is something to be especially aware of in the administrative legal assistant role, given this person is often a primary point of contact for clients. We often let off steam by, when appropriate, being goofy and interjecting a lot of humor! We also promote identifying ways to not only take good care of ourselves, but one another. To this end, we hold periodic group trauma trainings with licensed mental health professionals.

We believe in creating and following proven systems, and we are goal-oriented. When we work, we work hard. But we also value time away from work and promote a healthy work-life balance so that we can recharge and be at our best for clients and one another.

How do you feel reading this so far? If you’re feeling excited, please read on! If you feel hesitant, we might not be the right fit. We are determined to find the best of the best who loves what they do and feels excited about being an integral part of our tight-knit team!

Summary of who we are looking for:

Our administrative legal assistant is fluent in both written and spoken Spanish and has strong oral and written communication skills in both languages. Our administrative legal assistant is empathetic and loves interacting with people from all backgrounds. Our administrative legal assistant is a fast-learning, highly organized go-getter.

Our administrative legal assistant will do critical work supporting our paralegals and attorneys, including keeping clients informed throughout their cases, drafting applications for the Immigration Court and USCIS, compiling application packets, translating documents, and managing deadlines and case tasks in CLIO Manage.

Because our team has been working primarily remotely since 2020, this partially in-person position is critical for our team and clients. Our administrative legal assistant is the key in-person administrative support for our legal team, besides our Head of Operations, so the team relies heavily on this person’s availability to be in person.

This is a hybrid position. During the first week, onboarding will most likely be done over Zoom. After that, training will take place in person at our Downtown Berkeley location almost every day. Once you are settled in, the position will gradually transition to a hybrid schedule with at least three days a week in person. Please only apply if you are able to commit to this hybrid schedule. This particular position will not become fully remote at any time.

Client and Team-Focused Tasks:

• Communicate effectively with clients throughout the duration of each case to ensure they are well-informed about the progress

• Collaborate with the Legal Team to talk about the plan for certain cases and make sure it works for both the client and the team

• Translate documents as needed for case filings or internal use

• Help vet interpreters in different languages when needed for client meetings, and coordinate appointments

• Attend internal meetings and client meetings on time and come prepared

Case Preparation and Filing Support:

• Assist Paralegal and Attorney with drafting and preparing motions and applications for the Immigration Court, such as motions to withdraw, substitute counsel, advance, terminate, continue, and accept late filing, and applications for Asylum, EOIR-42B, Adjustment of Status, etc.

• Assist Paralegal and Attorney with drafting and preparing USCIS filings, including initial filings, supplemental filings, responses to Requests for Evidence (RFEs), attorney withdrawal, notice of entry of appearance, case inquiries, and change of address

• Assist Paralegal and Attorney with compiling and organizing application packets electronically for the Immigration Court and USCIS, including cover letters, forms, and supporting documents

• Assist the Legal Team with preparing physical mailing packets to immigration agencies, as the in-person support for a team that is mostly remote

• Open and process mail that comes into the physical office, save it electronically, and log it in client files

Administrative and Legal Team Management Tasks:

• Assist the Admin Team with administrative and team management tasks

• Assist with ordering supplies and managing inventory

• Assist with filing, photocopying, scanning, organizing physical and digital files

• Perform other administrative duties as requested by other team members

• Draft cover letters, forms, indices, and compile legal filings under the direction of the paralegals and attorneys

• Create efficiencies through developing and refining the office’s systems, including the policies and procedures, examples, templates, scripts, diagrams, workflows, and videos

• Create and maintain equipment, software, and computer technology inventories to ensure all licensed software and systems are operating at full capacity

Case Management and Reporting Activities:

• Maintain detailed notes and pinned notes in CLIO Manage so team members can easily understand past actions and next steps

• Manage calendars and deadlines for assigned tasks

• Manage case-related tasks in CLIO Manage and non-case-related tasks in Asana within firm expectations

• Keep files up-to-date and organized, both physically (if applicable) and electronically

• Write clear time entries that explain the work done and keep clients informed about their case progress

• Meet billable casework targets and other measures of success

• Contribute to the office’s efficiency by following and improving our systems and procedures

Key Skills, Traits, and Requirements - You Have/Are:

• Bilingual in English and Spanish - Fluency in spoken and written Spanish and English is a mandatory requirement for this role

• Excellent Communication Skills - Spoken and Written

• Ability to Communicate with Warmth and Empathy

• Extremely Organized

• Adaptability and Multitasking Skills

• Ability to Work Collaboratively in a Team

• Resilient Problem-Solving Skills

• Fast Learner

• Strong Attention to Detail - Including Grammar and Spelling

• Ability to Multi-Task and Adhere to Deadlines

• Excellent Knowledge of Basic Office Programs: Email, Calendaring, Case Management, Computer Software, and Online Applications

• Strong Typing and Computer Efficiency Skills

• High School Diploma or Equivalent (College Degree and/or Certificates in Business or Relevant Field(s) a Strong Advantage)

Bonus Skills/Experience:

• Experience in Customer Relations 5+ years

• Experience within Immigration Law

• Understanding of Business Principles

• Experience with CLIO Manage and Asana

• Fluency in Additional Languages

Instructions to Apply:

Please provide the following with your application:

• Your resume

• Cover letter explaining:

  • What motivated you to apply for this position

  • Why you want to work at Stouffer Law specifically (not just any firm)

  • The experience and results you have achieved make you confident that you will perform well in this role

Candidates must be prepared to provide the following references upon request:

• A list of your social media handles

• A total of 4 references, including:

  • At least one professional reference from a direct supervisor who directly supervised your work

  • Personal references (non-family members only), which may include a friend or colleague who has personally worked with you

About Stouffer Law

We are a Berkeley-based immigration law office with a small, supportive team specializing in family-based immigration, consular processing, removal defense, asylum, U visas, waivers, naturalization, and federal district court litigation. Our physical office is in Berkeley, California;