Overview
Who we are : BAL is a team of brilliant people who change lives through elite immigration work and collaborative innovation. We pursue the exceptional in all that we do, but never at the expense of our values. BAL is a demanding environment in terms of volume and pace, but we're up for the challenge. We value growth, service to others and our communities, and aim to set you up for success here at BAL and beyond.
Who you are : You are looking for work with purpose. You aren't afraid to roll up your sleeves and get things done. You learn quickly, move fast, and embrace challenges and detail as well as creative thinking. You believe you have something unique to contribute and you aren't afraid to raise your hand. You understand that powering human achievement is about impacting real people. You seek a place to grow and an environment where everyone has a spot and is genuinely welcome.
We're better together : A bright, driven person like you and an industry-leading powerhouse like BAL create a perfect combination. We want to see you succeed here and become an integral part of our mission to provide an experience that makes a positive difference in people's lives. Be part of something special, where you can have an impact and be valued for who you are.
In addition to competitive pay, a discretionary annual bonus, and a supportive, team-oriented culture, BAL offers an outstanding benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, sick time, unlimited vacation, and 401(k) with company match.
Overview
Role summary : The Senior Paralegal is responsible for working with attorneys in the preparation, filing, and monitoring of various immigration and nationality law matters. The Senior Paralegal is recognized for expertise in a particular area of practice, or several areas, and serves as a team and practice group resource. This role offers excellent career-pathing opportunities, including potential growth into a Practice Support Leader or other paths.
Primary Responsibilities
- Frequently communicates with assignees and HR contacts, often serving as main point of contact
- Provides guidance to assignees and HR contacts regarding proprietary systems and case processing
- Thorough understanding of multiple communication procedures and requirements for assignees and HR contacts; reviews work of Immigration Assistants / Paralegals
- Inputs client services rendered and sends to Accounting for processing
- Demonstrates mastery of multiple case types, continually builds knowledge and develops expertise in new areas; independently handles cases; teaches and mentors others; coordinates flow of cases and oversees project
- Recognized for expertise in a particular area of practice; serves as a team and practice group resource
- Processes a high volume of cases and works on cases of increasing complexity and variation; coordinates work for a major client and / or multiple clients; responsible for a larger scope of work
- Evaluates problematic cases and proactively provides strategies and / or solutions to issues, partnering with Attorney as needed
- Prepares forms, letters, documents and correspondence for attorney review; adapts tools and resources for casework which deviates from templates; applies knowledge of BAL practices and contributes new best practices
- Leverages BAL expertise to partner with Knowledge Management in developing new materials
- Manages status of all filed applications and petitions and finalizes documents after attorney review
- Utilizes document and data management systems to prepare, monitor, and record all aspects of client casework as per BAL policy; reviews work of Immigration Assistants / Paralegals
- Prepares internal caseload reports for management; begins to generate reports for internal and external use to aid in quality assurance and client management
- Shares process flow with assignees; identifies problematic cases and discusses strategies and / or solutions with Attorney
- Performs research to obtain information such as background on a company or industry, current wages, processing procedures, standard processing times, etc.; reviews research performed by others
- Initiates contact with government agencies to obtain necessary information; alerts attorney regarding potential process delays / problems and ensures these are addressed and resolved
- Provides information people need to do their jobs and feel part of the team; ensures timely information to support accurate decisions
- Establishes clear directions; distributes workload appropriately; assigns work in a well-planned and organized manner; communicates effectively
- Acts as a mentor to team members; provides developmental feedback related to work in the area of practice
- Involves team members in achieving project goals and timelines to learn and contribute
- Provides orientation to new employees
- Evaluates content and delivery methods for training programs
Qualifications
Typically at least 3+ years U.S. corporate immigration experienceBachelor's degree + 1-year law-related experience under licensed attorney; or, PL certificate from ABA approved programDemonstrate mastery of Paralegal skillsProven ability to handle a high volume of casesProven ability to become thoroughly proficient in handling complex, challenging, and VIP casesProven ability to manage corporate clients as it relates to area of specializationComprehensive knowledge of team practiceAbility to quickly absorb, learn and become skilled at a variety of legal workAble and willing to share knowledge with others and effectively communicate policies / procedures / protocols to allCapable of highly independent workWorking Conditions
Able to sit and work at a computer keyboard for extended periodsAble to stoop, kneel, bend at the waist and reach on a daily basisAble to perform general office administrative activities : copying, filing, delivering and using the telephoneAble to lift and move up to 25 pounds occasionallyRegular and on-time attendanceMust be able to prioritize, schedule and complete testing required for multiple applications with overlapping schedulesA certain degree of creativity and flexibility is requiredHours may exceed 40 hours per weekOccasional travel by conventional means including aircraft, motor vehicle and the like within the region and to other locations as requiredNote : To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities or qualifications associated with this job.
Berry Appleman & Leiden is an Equal Opportunity Employer . It is the policy of BAL to ensure an equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, alienage or citizenship status, marital status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by law. BAL prohibits and will not tolerate any such discrimination or harassment.
BAL does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies . BAL is under no obligation to pay any referral compensation or recruiter fee in the absence of a current executed Recruitment Services Agreement . In the event a recruiter or agency submits an unsolicited resume or candidate without an agreement, BAL reserves the right to pursue and hire said candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers, shall be deemed the property of BAL. If your agency would like to be considered as a potential recruiting partner, please forward your contact information to Recruitment@BAL.com.
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