POSITION: Bilingual Outreach Advocate/Paralegal in the Farmworker Legal Services Kalamazoo office.
DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM: Farmworker Legal Services, (FLS) provides free civil legal representation to immigrant, migrant, and seasonal agricultural workers throughout the state of Michigan. FLS case priorities include wage theft, discrimination, sexual harassment, workplace health and safety violations, unsafe housing conditions, civil rights abuses, and immigration. The FLS bilingual advocacy team includes four attorneys, three support staff, and numerous seasonal interns and outreach staff and works closely with the Immigrant Worker division of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. FLS is a statewide division of the Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP), which is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal aid as described at https://miadvocacy.org/.
RESPONSIBILITIES: The Outreach Advocate will have a key role in assisting FLS’s efforts to educate Michigan farmworkers about their legal rights and to enforce farmwokers’ and their dependents’ rights. Under attorney supervision, the Outreach Advocate will perform outreach and paralegal work related to migrant and seasonal agricultural law. The advocate’s responsibilities will include conducting initial legal screenings and intake triage for follow-up services, driving to migrant labor camps throughout the state and talking with workers about FLS’s services and presenting information about farmworker legal rights at community events. Office work will include organizing outreach activities, creating community education materials, participating in local task forces, assisting attorneys in case development, communicating with clients, and performing other clerical and administrative assistance. Evening and occasional weekend hours will be necessary and extensive travel is required.
QUALIFICATIONS: Written and verbal fluency in Spanish and English are required. An Associate’s Degree, certification of completion/graduation from an accredited paralegal program, or commensurate educational and professional experience is required. Candidates must be detail oriented, with strong organizational skills, and able to work flexible hours that will include evenings and weekends, especially during the harvest season. Candidates must be proficient with Microsoft Office and web-based Google applications. Experience with LexisNexis and/or Westlaw is preferred but not required. Candidates must have a valid driver’s license. Preference will be given to candidates with a demonstrated commitment to social and economic justice, especially in the areas of worker or immigrant rights.
BENEFITS: This is a full-time contract position with a salary starting at $30,000, depending on years of relevant experience. The position includes an excellent health, disability and fringe benefit package. Kalamazoo is a college town in southwestern Michigan, located 35 miles east of Lake Michigan, and two hours from Chicago and Detroit. This position is currently funded until September 30, 2020 with extension beyond that time dependent on funding.
TO APPLY: Complete the FLS Outreach Advocate Application Form and then send your current resume, a list of three professional references, and a cover letter that confirms your qualifications to [email protected] with “FLS Outreach Advocate” in the subject line.
MAP is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.