Founded in 1965, the Chinese-American Planning Council, Inc. (CPC) aims to promote the social and economic empowerment of Chinese American, immigrant, and low-income communities. Today, CPC is the nation's largest Asian American social services agency and offers more than 50 programs at over 35 sites throughout New York City, including early childhood education, school-age care, youth services, workforce development, community services, and senior services. CPC strives to be the premier social service and leadership development organization. In 2017, CPC launched Advancing Our CommUNITY, its organization-wide strategy to expand services to address persistent needs and emerging trends and to improve leadership skills among staff and community members. In 2022, our core programs and emergency services reached 200,000 people living in all five boroughs and all 51 city council districts. In the summer of 2022, CPC was recognized as the number one Chinese American organization in New York City to recommend to a Chinese immigrant looking for in-language and culturally competent resources according to a recent survey. This accomplishment is a testament to the incredible work and dedication of our staff. (For more information, please visit: https://www.cpc-nyc.org/)

PROGRAM SUMMARY

The Policy and Public Affairs team conducts policy analysis and works on advocacy campaigns focused on promoting legislative and budget policies that improve the social and economic empowerment of AAPI, immigrant, and low-income New Yorkers. The team also does civic engagement and community mobilization work, as well as government affairs and media relations.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Program Supervisor from ONA Opportunity Center, the part-time legal assistant will support CPC's legal and advocacy work to ensure immigrant, AAPI, and low-income New Yorkers have access to trusted, community-based legal services. This role will provide direct support to CPC's senior attorney for community legal services as well as to our ONA Opportunity Center, assist with client intake, follow up with clients to collect necessary documents, maintain confidential records, help make referrals, support legal clinics and Know-Your-Rights workshops, and help create and translate community legal resources. The Legal Assistant will also partner with other members of CPC's immigrant and social services staff as needed to provide community members with holistic support.

This position is ideal for an individual interested in gaining experience in community-based legal services, immigration law, and public interest work. The candidate does not need to be in law school; strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and an interest in serving immigrant communities are essential.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Client Intake & Case Support

Schedule and coordinate client intake appointments.
Assist with intake sessions, including collecting documents, taking notes, data entry, and ensuring accurate information is captured.
Maintain confidential client records and database entries in accordance with legal, contractual, and organizational standards.
Support the staff attorney in preparing case files, legal documents, proofreading and follow-up communications, including collecting and organizing documents.
Under the direct supervision of an attorney, provide occasional legal information

Legal Clinic Coordination

Help organize, prepare for, and execute monthly legal clinics, including participant scheduling, on-site logistics, and materials organization.
Provide administrative and logistical support to ensure clinics run smoothly and effectively.
Help coordinate and prep for legal "office hours" for staff support and questions

Communication, Outreach, & Coordination

Communicate with partner organizations, referring agencies, and community groups as needed.
Liaise with courts, city agencies, and other entities to obtain information, submit documentation, or coordinate next steps.
Conduct data entry, case tracking, and administrative tasks to support legal services operations.

Community Education & Resource Development

Help run Know-Your-Rights workshops, including assisting with facilitation, materials distribution, and participant support.
Work with the staff attorney, organizing team, and program staff to create and manage systems for disseminating your rights of resources to community members and partners.
Support translation, interpretation, and proofreading for community-facing legal materials in Mandarin, Cantonese, and/or Spanish.
Assist in developing clear, accessible legal resources and informational guides.

General Support

Participate in team meetings, training, and professional development opportunities.

Support cross-team coordination and administrative tasks as needed.

Education and Experience:

High school degree preferred

Legal or community service experience is a plus but not required.

Skills and Competencies:

Understanding of issues affecting immigrant and low-income communities, and a commitment to expanding access to community-based legal support.

Ability to maintain secure, organized, and confidential records, and to exercise discretion when interacting with clients and sensitive information.

Ability to take initiative, respond to emerging needs, and work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

Receptive to coaching and committed to developing professional and technical skills.

Strong attention to detail, with the ability to manage scheduling, documents, deadlines, and multi-step processes; familiarity with organizational systems (including color-coded tracking systems) is a plus.

Fluency in one of the following languages, with the ability to translate written materials and provide interpretation in community-based and client-facing settings: Mandarin, Cantonese, Fujianese, or Spanish.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS OVERVIEW

$25.00 per hour; 28 hours per week / day and occasional weekends and evenings.

CPC offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to generous paid time off (holiday, sick and vacation time), Medical, Dental, Vision, Basic Life Insurance Coverage, Commuter Benefits, and a 403(b) Retirement Plan.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested individuals should submit their resume, along with a cover letter addressed to Carlyn Cowen, Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer, applying online via CPC's website: https://www.cpc-nyc.org/jobs or selected online job boards. All documents should be submitted as one single file. Applicants may reach out to careers@cpc-nyc.org with any questions or further inquiries.

CPC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. CPC values a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and strongly encourages women, BIPOC, immigrants, LGBTQ+, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply.

CHINESE AMERICAN PLANNING COUNCIL

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