Community Paralegal Intern

Community Paralegal Internship Description Skagit Legal Aid (SLA) expands access to the civil justice system for historically underrepresented and underserved people in the greater Skagit Valley and islands of the Salish Sea andseeksto identify and eliminatebarriersthat perpetuateinjustice, poverty,and racism. We are seeking 1-2 interns per quarter who are seeking school credit and pay through the Work Study program. Students will assist with our Housing Justice Project and Community Legal Clinics. ● Housing Justice Project - Serving tenants facing housing instability and eviction through directrepresentationand legalclinicsheld asfollows:

• Skagit HJP- 1stWednesday atthe BurlingtonLibrary from5pm- 7pm
• Whatcom HJP- 2ndWednesdayatthe Lynden Libraryfrom5pm- 7pm
• San Juan HJP - 3rd Wednesday at the Friday Harbor Family Resource Center

from 2:30pm -5:30pm ● Debt Clinics - Serving low income people facing debt collection lawsuits at the Skagit District Courtin Mount Vernon every2ndand4thMonday from1pm- 3pm ● Farmworker Clinics - Serving farmworkers and otherSpanishor Mixtecospeakingand indigenous immigrants at the CCS Farmworker Center in Mount Vernon every Tuesday from 12pmto approximately6pm. ● Concrete Clinics - Serving the geographical and technological isolated population of eastern Skagit County at the Community Blessing Building inConcreteevery3rdFriday from 1:00pm - 3:00pm. ● Swinomish Clinics - Serving Swinomish community members at the Social Services Building on the Swinomish Reservation every third Friday from 10am - 3pm. This is an ongoing partnership with the Native American Law Student Association at Seattle UniversitySchool ofLaw andthe SwinomishTribal Community. GeneralDuties

• Respondto clientphone callsandcomplete initialintakeinterviews withclients;
• Createfilesfor clientsinour casemanagement system;
• Collect courtdocumentsfromOdyssey andotherrelevant documentsfromclients;
• Attendlegalclinicsandcourtproceedings in-person;
• Assistclientscompleteinitial intakeforms;
• Provide administrative supportandlegalresearchfor staff andvolunteer attorneys;
• Interact withcivillegal aidstaff, probonoattorneys, andjudicial staff;

Qualifications

• Strong organizational andtimemanagement skills
• Ability to work with clients fromdiverse cultural, social,andeconomicbackgrounds and

those withmental healthissues

• Ability tospeak Spanish,Mixteco, oranyotherlanguageis aplus
• Resume and interview by phone, Zoom, or in-person meeting and completion of

relevanton-demandtraining required Benefits

• Payavailable for approved Work-Study studentsthrough WhatcomCommunity College;
• Mentorship andsupportfromcivillegalaid staffand experiencedprobonoattorneys;
• Networkwith professionals fromthegreaterNorthwestWashington legalcommunity;
• Buildclient interaction skills;
• Gain confidenceworking withinthe courtsystems;
• Obtain experience with case management systems, Google Workplace, and other

scheduling systems;

• Attendfreeor discounted training;
• Earn necessaryhoursfor school credit, ifapproved.
• Whatcom Community Collegestudents maybeeligible for workstudy.*

Time Commitment ● Variesdepending onthe number ofcredit hours SLA has adopted the Washington Race Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI) and is organizationally committed to fight racism and to incorporate equity and inclusion in our advocacy work and our internal systems and work environment. SLA expects all staff and volunteers to uphold the REJI commitments and approach their role with a desire to learn and grow in this area. More information about Skagit Legal Aid can be found on its website