Paralegal Intern

Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA) is a community-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Chicagoland’s diverse immigrant and refugee communities. Established in 1981, CMAA is a cornerstone of the “Asia on Argyle” corridor of the Uptown Neighborhood of Chicago, with a satellite office in Elgin, IL, providing programs to serve our community across generations. We offer after-school, summer camp, and mentoring programs for young people. For adults, we provide case management and social services, education, including English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, job preparation and placement services, and immigration and citizenship case assistance. We connect older adults to in-home care support and community enrichment through our Golden Age Club. Finally, we support entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Job Description

Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA) is seeking a mission-driven and detail-oriented Paralegal Intern to support its Citizenship & Immigration Programs. This unpaid internship is designed to provide an educational experience in immigration law within a nonprofit setting. Interns will gain hands-on exposure to legal services provided to immigrant and refugee communities and receive supervision and mentorship from legal professionals. This role complies with federal and state labor standards for unpaid internships.

• Assist with client intake and eligibility screening for immigration legal services
• Support the preparation of USCIS forms, applications, and petitions (e.g., Legal permanent residency, temporary protected status, employment authorizations, naturalization, adjustment of Status, etc.)
• Conduct legal and policy research related to immigration law
• Maintain and organize confidential case files
• Prepare client data to enter into constituent relationship management systems (databases) and compile support documentation for grant compliance
• Observe legal consultations and immigration-related workshops (if available)
• Attend relevant training and complete a final reflection or capstone project

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in or a recent graduate of a paralegal studies, pre-law, law school, or related academic program
• Strong research, writing, clerical, and organizational skills
• Interest in immigration law and working with diverse communities
• Cultural competence and commitment to confidentiality
• Fluency in another language (e.g., Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Burmese, Lao, Thai, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu) is a plus
• Proficiency with MS Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Google for Business; Adobe PDF, and databases
• Must intern a minimum of 15 hours per week for 12 weeks
  

Work Environment

• This is a largely sedentary role; however, filing is required. This could require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets, and bend or stand on a stool as necessary. 

Physical Demands

• This is a largely sedentary role; however, filing is required. This could require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets, and bend or stand on a stool as necessary

Perks

• Academic credit (if applicable)
• Training and mentorship by legal professionals
• Exposure to immigration legal work in a nonprofit setting
• Flexible scheduling based on academic or personal needs
• Letter of recommendation upon successful completion

Chinese Mutual Aid Association provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.