Rapid Response Paralegal
About the job
- A bachelor's degree is required.
- Fluency in Spanish is required.
- Experience working with immigrant communities of color, including LGBTQIA+ people, youth, and survivors of violence.
- Ability to work collaboratively, communicate effectively, manage multiple tasks, and solve problems creatively.
- Excellent written, oral, and analytical skills.
- Excellent time and project management skills.
- Commitment to social justice and anti-racism.
- Conduct pre-screening of clients for basic eligibility requirements, track contacts made, and collect documents.
- Screen clients for eligibility for immigration relief and relay advice from attorneys.
- Assist clients in obtaining documents necessary to apply for relief, filling out appropriate forms, and following up with clients by phone, mail, and email.
- Support legal research and draft legal documents under attorney supervision.
- Interview clients and witnesses, as appropriate, and assist in preparing forms, affidavits, and other supporting documents for submission to USCIS or the Immigration Court.
- Manage data entry in internal and external data management systems and assist with generating reports.
- Assist unit attorneys and case handlers with document translation and verbal interpretation.
- Assist unit attorneys in evidence preparation.
- Provide internal referrals for financial counseling and other wraparound services, and external referrals to partner organizations.
- Maintain regular contact with Rapid Response Legal Collaborative partners.
- Perform other job duties as required.
- One to two years of immigration experience is strongly preferred, but not required.
About the company
NYLAG provides free civil legal services, financial counseling, and advocacy to New Yorkers in poverty or crisis. It delivers help through a staff of over 400 advocates, pro bono attorneys, and volunteers at more than 150 sites, including courts, hospitals, and a Mobile Legal Help Center, to reach people who cannot afford private attorneys. Its programs cover housing, immigration, domestic violence, public benefits, consumer protection, and special education, with initiatives like the Immigration Protection Unit, the Domestic Violence Clinical Center, and LegalHealth, a large medical-legal partnership combining legal care with medical services. Funded by private donations, foundations, and partner law firms, NYLAG serves both the deep poor and working poor who earn above the federal poverty line, and its goal is to expand access to legal representation and protections while promoting social, economic, and racial justice for New Yorkers.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$250K
Headquarters
Mount Vernon, New York
Founded
1990
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- August 11, 2026 brought a $23.7 million LegalHealth contract through 2033.
- May 14, 2026 gala raised nearly $1.2 million, signaling strong donor support.
- July 28, 2026 Bronx tenant lawsuit shows continued high-visibility impact litigation and client demand.
What critics are saying
- NYLAG depends on grants and city contracts; delayed payments can choke service delivery quickly.
- Immigration bond FOIA litigation against EOIR intensifies retaliation risk as federal detention policy hardens.
- If public funding weakens, NYLAG loses scale, undermining LegalHealth and core access-to-justice operations.
What makes NYLAG unique
- LegalHealth links NYLAG lawyers to 13 hospitals, embedding civil legal aid into care.
- NYLAG spans housing, immigration, benefits, consumer, and special education across 150+ sites.
- Reclamo AI, launched 2026, extends multilingual worker-rights screening through WhatsApp and text.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Commuter Benefits
- Hybrid Work Options