Lead Paralegal

Green Evans-Schroeder is a fast-growing, nationally recognized immigration law firm seeking an experienced remote Lead Paralegal with 7 years of experience to serve as both a senior practice expert and team leader. This demanding role involves managing 100 case files, supervising direct reports, and serving as the primary point of contact for clients and senior staff.

The successful candidate will be recognized for their expertise in specific practice areas, with demonstrated experience running practice groups and the ability to independently handle complex cases while mentoring others and establishing best practices. This full-time position is ideal for a seasoned professional ready to take on significant leadership responsibility in a fast-paced legal environment.

MAJOR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Case Management

You will manage a substantial caseload from inception to resolution, with responsibilities including:

• Maintaining effective and respectful client communications, as well as communications with court staff and other government agencies, throughout the life of each case
• Proactively collaborating with attorneys at the outset of each case to ensure effective and efficient case progress
• Preparing all required applications and pleadings for attorney review and approval
• Identifying required evidence and obtaining it from clients
• Developing detailed client declarations and sworn statements for legal review
• Assembling comprehensive applications and evidentiary packets for submission with immigration agencies and courts after incorporating attorney feedback
• Managing calendars and monitoring all case-related deadlines, court dates, and government interviews and hearings
• Coordinating attorney/client meetings when necessary or requested
• Analyze client trust account balances and coordinate with attorneys to ensure adequate funding; communicate billing needs and clarifications to clients as needed
• Preparing complete files for attorneys to attend interviews and court hearings
• Maintaining organized electronic and paper files to safeguard client property and ensure compliance with ethical standards
• Documenting consistent case notes and accurate hourly timekeeping in the firm's cloud-based case management system
• Upholding the firm's ethical standards, professional conduct, and standard of excellence in all aspects of practice

Team Management

Beyond individual case responsibilities, this role requires leadership of your practice group, including:

• Team Leadership & Development: Monitor productivity and conduct regular check-ins with direct reports; provide mentoring, training, and orientation for team members; review work prior to attorney submission.
• Communication & Task Management: Serve as the main point of contact between team members and senior staff; establish clear directions and assign tasks in an organized manner; provide guidance on proprietary systems and case processing procedures.
• Process & Workflow Management: Develop and maintain process guides and case flow documentation; coordinate case flow within the practice group; identify inefficiencies and contribute improvement ideas to enhance team operations.
• Client & Case Oversight: Meet regularly with paralegals to discuss caseloads, case age, and client concerns; provide weekly case reports to attorneys with efficiency recommendations and follow-up actions.
• Professional Development: Continuously build knowledge and develop expertise in new practice areas while ensuring consistent application of procedures across the team.

EXPERIENCE

For a remote Lead Paralegal role, ideal candidates should have 7 years of progressive paralegal experience in immigration law, with 3 years in supervisory roles managing junior staff and high-volume caseloads of 100-150 cases.

The best fit would have demonstrated expertise as a lead paralegal on complex cases, experience training and onboarding team members, and a track record of developing process improvements within law firms.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Language: Proficiency in spoken and written Spanish is required.
• Computer Skills: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook). Legal research, case management software, document maintenance, and preparation. Experience with immigration-related online forms.
• Communication Skills: Good speaking, writing, and people skills are needed to speak with clients and outside parties, draft pleadings and declarations, and work cooperatively with attorneys and direct reports.
• Research Skills: Paralegal will need to research aspects of immigration law and procedure relevant to their cases to problem-solve and troubleshoot.
• Organizational Skills: Paralegals manage a high volume of diverse cases and must develop effective systems to ensure their professional and ethical obligations are met in each case.
• Hourly Billing Experience: Hourly billing is critical to law firm profitability and client transparency.

PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Strong work ethic and commitment to providing high-quality legal services to a diverse clientele.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and oversee sensitive information.
• Excellent people skills, with the ability to interact professionally with clients, attorneys, and government agencies.
• A commitment to prioritizing the team’s success, showing respect for all members, and having the courage to make tough decisions and take responsibility for mistakes.