Damaris Esquivel Santana

Sole paralegal serving six immigration-criminal attorneys in criminally complex removal defense cases, special immigrant juvenile cases, post-conviction relief cases, all before the EOIR, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Ninth Circuit, various criminal and juvenile courts, and federal district courts.

• Drafted motions and briefs, as well as petitions of relief (I-589, E42B, N-400, I-601(a), I-192, I-918, I-765's, 1-360, responses to RFE's
• Provided exceptional administrative support to attorneys, drafting correspondence and maintaining organized filing systems.
• Managed a high volume of cases simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.
• Enhanced client satisfaction by managing complex immigration cases and ensuring timely completion.
• Met with clients to gather information, prepare documentation and determine necessary actions.
• Conducted thorough research on immigration policies and laws to support legal strategies for clients.
• Tracked developments in immigration policy changes, keeping colleagues informed on relevant legislation updates.
• Liaised between government agencies such Department of State, ICE facility, USCIS, CA Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, various police and jail agencies, to promote seamless communication channels.
• Navigated complex legal issues related to deportation defense, and naturalization processes for successful client outcomes.
• Provided guidance to junior paralegals and lawstudent interns on best practices related to document preparation and case management techniques.

• My employer worked remotely, I managed the office for her while handling a complex heavy caseload and all interpersonal communication
• My responsibilities included being the liaison between the clients, courts, district attorney's, police departments and the attorney.
• Most of the clients only spoke Spanish and my role was to collect all the information required to successful file petitions for our clients in most expedient and favorable way possible
• My role was dynamic but my focus was principally on drafting and preparing petitions such as (I-918, I-192, I-601, I-601A, I-864, I-821D, I-765/WS, I-360, I-129F, etc.,) along with the appropriate document attachments, translations and USCIS filing fees.

• In charge of all aspects of new hires including conducting interviews, pre-employment assessments, providing 8 hour orientations, background checks, hair follicle drug screenings, etc.,
• Responsible for creating and running weekly hiring events where over 100 new employees were added to the company weekly.
• Human Resources Consultant, role was to assess the academic needs of the workers and their children during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and create solutions to help maintain worker attendance and provide support.

• Shadowed Supreme Court Justice Steven Gonzalez
• Providing administrative assistance. Wrote memorandums for an active case on his docket.
• Participating in court hearings and providing court transcriptions.
• Enhanced intern productivity by assisting with project coordination and providing ongoing support.