Managing Paralegal- Know Your Rights, Detained Adult Program in Washington, District of Columbia at Amica Center for Immigrant Rights (Amica Center)

Who We Are

The Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition is now Amica Center for Immigrant Rights (“Amica Center” for short). Click here to learn more about our new name. Since our founding in 1999, we have grown significantly and added new services to support immigrants in detention. Recently, Amica Center has outgrown our name, expanding beyond our initial services and geographic boundaries.

“Amica” is the Latin word for “friend,” and that echoes the way we approach what we do. Just as friends stand with one another, Amica Center stands with our clients to achieve the safety, stability, and opportunity we all deserve

We are the only non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C. area that is exclusively focused on providing legal assistance to adult and child immigrants detained by the government in the Capital Region and beyond.

Our Work Environment

The Detained Adult Program (DAP) works with hundreds of adults who are detained by ICE each year, providing information, support, and legal representation. We are a highly collaborative department who focuses on providing trauma-sensitive, person-centered services, and deeply value the autonomy of the people we work with in detention as they navigate the fundamentally inhumane immigration system.

DAP staff are a source of expertise in the highly complex and ever-changing immigration system. Each team lead works directly with a focused team, but all colleagues are interconnected through, for example, case workshops or staff-run committees. They have persisted through administration changes, policy shifts, and attacks on the rights and freedoms of immigrants through project-focused cohorts that arise to address challenges or to brainstorm and implement affirmative strategies.

Position Summary

A Managing Paralegal in the Detained Adult Program’s Know Your Rights team helps manage and support the Detained Adult Program by (i) supporting the coordination and execution of monthly visits to local detention centers for the purpose of conducting Know Your Rights presentations, intakes and workshops with detained unrepresented adults, including back-end data entry and tracking; (ii) providing structure, systems, and legal support for paralegals and paralegal fellows working on the KYR team in both jail work and removal defense cases; and (iii) supervising junior staff with a focus on professional development. The Managing Paralegal will also serve as a member of Amica Center’s organizational Leadership Team and help set organization-wide policies.

General Duties and Responsibilities [1]

Programmatic Services

• Conducts detention facility visits within the DMV (currently the Farmville Detention Center and Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia), for the provision of Know Your Rights presentations, intakes and group workshops. The Managing Paralegal for KYR will normally join overnight visits approximately once every two months, but may be required to join visits more frequently to support junior staff development and ensure KYR coverage; core KYR staff are expected to join one 2-3 day overnight visit per month.
• Ensures smooth program operation by implementing, managing and providing training on systems that support direct representation and Know Your Rights work in close coordination with the Managing Attorney for the KYR team
• Ensures that KYR-related pipelines are up to date, including monitoring referrals and updating information on the organization’s Legal Server and other shared databases
• Provides leadership and structure to DAP paralegals, including overseeing systems for KYR jail visit preparation and breakdown as well as case assignments, ensuring pro se guides and materials are up to date, and holding regular and ad hoc paralegal meeting spaces
• Provides direct and matrix supervision to junior paralegals
• Supports in tracking and monitoring patterns or trends in the field
• Serves as one of DAP’s Legal Server Administrators
• Provides leadership support on DAP’s recurring paralegal fellowships and/or DOJ Accreditation Program including recruitment and onboarding of KYR paralegal fellows

Client Services:

• Demonstrates advanced understanding of basic relief eligibility and provides insightful input during case strategy meetings, case workshopping, intake review, facility team meetings, supervision check ins, pro se case workshopping and other critical junctures.
• Conducts additional case research and preparation of cases for pro bono placement or other follow up after intake review.
• Supports junior staff in their professional development and provision of KYR and direct representation services.
• Direct client work is not expected as part of this role, but if aligned with the person’s professional development goals, can independently and with minimal supervision engage in a small caseload of direct representation work.

Organizational Services:

• Conducts training and supervises other staff on administrative tasks, including database maintenance and reporting to funders.
• Work with DAP leadership, grants administrator, program associate(s), and others as necessary on data reporting to funders.
• Troubleshoots data supervision system issues.
• Assists program leadership in planning and implementation of program goals.
• Assists other program staff in high-work/low-bandwidth periods.
• Participates in stakeholder relationship activities, including in-person and telephonic meetings with community groups, governmental bodies and representatives, and other legal service providers, as needed.
• Attend and participate in biweekly organization-wide leadership group meetings.

[1] This list is illustrative and not intended to be a complete classification of all job functions or tasks.

Additional Role-Specific Details:

Position Type

Full-time, Exempt

Reports To

Program Director or Deputy Program Director

Supervisory Responsibility

Paralegals

Hiring Timeline

Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Application will close on Thursday, May 14, 2026.

Salary [2]

$61,500 - $78,000

[2] In 2018 Amica Center implemented a compensation framework to be more straightforward, transparent, and provide assurance of internal equity. The compensation model we use is based on an individual's position and years of relevant work experience to avoid salary discrepancies and to reduce the risk of racial, gender, or other forms of bias affecting a candidate's salary.

Location and/or Travel Requirements

This position will be based at the Washington, D.C. Due to business related travel expectations, it is recommended candidates live within 30-miles of their assigned primary office.

Telework

Amica Center operates a hybrid work environment where staff are required to work at least one day per week in-office, but some roles require more office/on-site attendance or travel. Know Your Rights team work often requires more office/on-site attendance due to jail visit preparation and breakdown tasks.

COVID-19 Vaccination:

All employees are required to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. To be fully vaccinated means having completed the full dosages required for the type of vaccine obtained as designated by the CDC. If boosters are subsequently recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) then employees will be required to receive the booster within thirty (30) days of their eligibility to access the boosters.

Benefits

• Amica Center’s benefits package includes:
• Free gym access located in Washington, D.C (dependent on employee’s primary office)
• Flexible working hours after successful completion of trainings and with approval of supervisor
• Pre-tax commuter benefits for those living in the DMV
• Subsidized health, dental insurance, and vision insurance (Amica Center pays a very high rate of the insurance package, for which we can provide additional information)
• Life Insurance valued at $50,000, as well as long- and short-term disability
• The option to set up a Flexible Spending Account
• High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a one-time employer contribution of $350 to the Health Savings Account (HSA)
• The option to set up a 403(b) savings account (the equivalent of a 401(k) account for non-profit organizations) which the organization has the option, for all employees on an annual basis, to match at a certain percentage after one year of continuous employment

Paid time off includes:

• 23 Personal Days per calendar year
• Up to 20 days of Sick Time per calendar year
• 7 hours of Volunteer Time Off per calendar year
• Federal holidays
• Paid winter break closure
• 12 weeks of parental leave

Competencies Required:

General Legal Proficiency

The employee demonstrates a firm understanding of relief eligibility to allow for meaningful contribution to client intakes, intake review and follow-up, and to support junior staff in casework with limited supervision. The employee demonstrates a mastery of the understanding of legal information versus advice and educates others on this distinction and is familiar with preparing court filings and can support junior staff on doing so with limited attorney input.

Client and Programmatic Proficiency

The employee satisfactorily handles all required client, jail, and managerial obligations with limited supervision. The employee manages their workload to allow for proper prioritization and thoughtful use of time and resources. The employee can effectively supervise a team of paralegals, assist them with managing workloads, completing referral and intake responsibilities, and advancing professional development.

Administrative

The employee ensures that all administrative aspects of their position and that of their direct reports are carried out without managerial intervention, including timekeeping, file management, database requirements, etc.

Qualifications Required:

• At least 2 years of strong experience or legal training in immigration law.
• Possess broad knowledge and adequate experience in immigration law and procedure.
• At least 1 year of supervision experience required; informal and non-staff supervision experience considered.
• Experience working within the detained removal defense sector preferred.
• Oral and written Spanish professional proficiency required, fluency preferred.
• Experience managing data systems and processes preferred
• It is expected that the candidate will need to travel for work-related business. As a result, the candidate must possess a valid driver's license and be comfortable operating a vehicle upon hiring. This role requires travel, but qualified individuals with disabilities may be accommodated in a reasonable manner under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

At Amica Center, we embrace the fact that talented individuals come from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. We believe that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to our success. Amica Center values your unique perspectives, skills, and potential, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities for growth and development. If you are passionate about Amica Center's mission and are excited to contribute your talents to our team, we encourage you to submit your application. Candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. If you are a candidate with a disability and require accommodations to apply for this position, please contact us at HR@amicacenter.org

EEO Statement

Amica Center for Immigrants’ Rights is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti-discrimination law, this policy's purpose is to effectuate these principles and mandates. Amica Center prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Amica Center conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

Our Anti-Racism Statement:

https://amicacenter.org/becoming-anti-racist/

How to Apply:

Submit your resume, a cover letter that explains your interest in this role, and a writing sample with your Paylocity application. Please refrain from sending application materials separately via email.

In your cover letter, please be sure to include the below:

• More details about your supervision experience, formal or informal
• Your experience with project management, whether formal or informal