Case Manager, UNLV Immigration Clinic, Community Advocacy Office [R0147748]

The University of Nevada Las Vegas invites applications for Case Manager UNLV Immigration Clinic Community Advocacy Office R0147748.

ROLE of the POSITION

The UNLV Immigration Clinic seeks a case manager for its off-campus Community Advocacy Office in Las Vegas under the umbrella of the UNLV Immigration Clinic. The office provides free deportation defense primarily to unaccompanied children and immigrants in detention as well as legal assistance to noncitizens at UNLV. The office manager will supervise the case manager.

The Community Advocacy Office was initially funded by appropriations by the Nevada Legislature and Clark County Commission in 2021 making it the first public funding for immigrant legal defense in the state. In 2023 the Nevada State Legislature increased the funding to permit the office to hire adequate support staff. The Community Advocacy Office builds on the public service work of the UNLV Immigration Clinic which has maintained a small team of legal fellows to provide limited free legal services to the public since 2014.

The UNLV Immigration Clinic offers law students real world experience providing pro bono deportation defense and is a community leader in protecting children and families in Nevada. It focuses on deportation defense representing unaccompanied children fleeing violence and adults detained by ICE. It also houses the University Legal Services program where one attorney provides general immigration assistance to UNLV students certain family members and limited UNLV staff. The UNLV Immigration Clinic is part of the Thomas & Mack Legal Clinic at the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law which aims to offer students an integrated academic and practice-based educational experience to teach them to be reflective practitioners and community-oriented professionals to provide service to communities in need of legal assistance and to improve the quality of access to legal systems in those communities. For more information visit: University of Nevada Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law a state-supported law school is the only law school in Nevada. The Law School offers day and evening JD programs to nearly 400 students as well as an LL.M in Gaming Law and Regulation. The Law School is recognized nationally for its lawyering process program (ranked #1 in the country) the Saltman Center for Dispute Resolution and its clinical programs. The Law School is a diverse community of faculty students and staff who work together collegially and respectfully to maximize the potential of students and to fulfill the mission and aspirations of the Law School.

The UNLV Immigration Clinic has developed three main areas of legal practice:

• Deportation defense for unaccompanied children;

• Deportation defense for detained adults;

• Immigration legal assistance to students staff and their families at UNLV.

The Community Advocacy Office expanded and improved these services by adding two experienced attorneys and an office manager enabling the Clinic to help more of those in need in our community. With the establishment of the Community Advocacy Office the UNLV Immigration Clinic seeks to build a durable institution to serve Southern Nevada.

The Case Managers responsibilities will include:

• Communicating with clients and potential clients to collect sensitive personal information to provide them with frequent updates about their case by phone and/or in writing including with clients who are often in distress have complex and traumatic cases and have difficulty calling and communicating from government detention centers;

• Supervising interns who assist in intake phone calls providing immediate guidance and direction as needed.

• Under the supervision of an attorney preparing and submitting motions and evidentiary packets to immigration courts the Board of Immigration Appeals and other federals courts;

• Under the supervision of an attorney preparing and submitting drafts of applications for Asylum Withholding of Removal Deferral of Removal under the Convention Against Torture Act (CAT) Cancellation of Removal for LPR and Non LPR clients. As well as drafts of applications for affirmative applications with USCIS such as for Asylum U-Visas Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Adjustment of Status and more;

• Under the supervision of an attorney preparing and submitting pleadings to the Eighth Judicial District Court of Nevada;

• Collecting all required documentation from clients for respective forms of relief;

• Maintaining the offices case management system updated with client information and case activity;

• Maintaining hard copies clients files;

• Interpreting for any non-Spanish speaking attorney and translating documents from Spanish to English and English to Spanish when and if necessary;

• Notarizing documents and filing in person at Immigration Court when e-filing is not available;

• Training of new staff including but not limited to externs interns and/or volunteers;

• Scheduling client meetings and calendaring court appearances USCIS interviews and deadlines;

• Processing incoming mail preparing outgoing mail including letters court filings and USCIS applications;

• Taking mailings to USPS and FedEx as needed and filing documents with the Immigration Court and other local courts as needed.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Required qualifications:

KNOWLEDGE

• Must have 1 to 3 years experience working in a law office including direct interaction with clients.

• Solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite standard desktop software programs file management Google group suite of tools shared calendars online meetings and video conferencing survey tools and other technology-enabled productivity and communications tools.

SKILLS

• Experience interfacing directly with vulnerable populations/clients including children and people in detention.

• Fluency in Spanish verbal and written required.

• Strong organizational skills and ability to maintain orderly and complete records including client notes to file.

• Strong computer skills.

• Strong written and oral communication skills.

ABILITIES

• Ability to self-start and work independently while also having the ability to work in a team setting under direction.

• Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects and completing tasks and projects prioritizing issues under deadline.

• Ability to work professionally under pressure with a diverse team in a larger institutional setting.

• Ability to provide immediate guidance to students interns or volunteers professionally.

• Ability to adapt and problem-solve consistent with team goals and ethical guidelines including the need to deviate from standard procedures when unforeseen obstacles arise.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

KNOWLEDGE

• Background in immigration legal practice and/or community service related to immigration.

• Working knowledge of the immigration court system and USCIS and different forms of immigration relief.

• Working knowledge of the various Nevada courts including Eighth Judicial District Court Clark County Justice Courts local municipal courts etc.

• Experience with legal research investigating facts and drafting legal documents under an attorneys supervision

• Bachelors Degree or equivalent

SKILLS

• Experience interfacing directly with immigration clients and people in immigration detention.

• Experience working with Clio case management software.

• Experience calendaring events including court hearings and USCIS interviews filing deadlines etc.

• Experience communicating professionally in English and Spanish.

• Experience interpreting professionally including in client interviews and with USCIS.

ABILITIES

• Demonstrated commitment to community service.

Credentials must be obtained prior to the start of employment.

COMMITMENT to DIVERSITY and CAMPUS VALUES

Submit a letter of interest a detailed resume listing qualifications and experience and the names addresses and telephone numbers of at least three professional references who may be contacted.