Melanie Santos
Petaluma,CA
Summary
Dedicated bilingual English-Spanish person with professional experience providing legal and administrative support to the community and immigrant families. Seeking to contribute strong client service, case management, document preparation, and organizational skills to the team.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Paralegal, Senior Paralegal/ DOJ Accredited Repres
Canal Alliance
San Rafael, CA
05.2022 - Current
- Client intake interviews and screening for immigration benefits [ General Consults]
- Managing a caseload under the supervision of an attorney
- Preparing and filling immigration applications, declarations, affidavits and supporting documents
- Assisting with cases involving DACA, Adjustment of Status, work permits, U Visas, TPS, Naturalization, green cards, FOIAs
- Drafting legal correspondence, cover letters, and USCIS filling
- Fingerprint Roller Certified
- Adjustment of Status screening and making sure they are eligible
- Translating documents between Spanish and English
- Interpreting for clients during interviews with USCIS
- Maintaining accurate case notes and updating client database or case management system.
- Reviewing deadlines, tracking case progress, and following up with clients
- Submit FOIAs, FBI, livescans and review results in legal strategy
- Organizing physical and electronic case files and handling incoming mail and notices from immigration agencies
- Training or assisting newer paralegal/attorneys
- Attending staff meetings, legal trainings
- Managing complex cases, conducting high-level research, analysis , legal strategies
Legal Assistant
Canal Alliance
San Rafael, CA
02.2020 - 05.2022
- Schedule appointments for immigration attorneys and Paralegals
- Answering phones, checking voicemails, transferring calls, and returning client calls.
- Calling clients to remind them about upcoming appointments
- Greeting clients and providing front desk reception support
- Assisting with mail pickup and distribution
- Process client payments before and after consultations with legal staff
- Organizing, scanning, and maintaining immigration case files
- Entering client information and case updates into a database or case management system
- Attend Immigration meeting and staff meeting
- Receive work permits and green cards for clients
- Receive Approval notice, rejected applications etc... and distribute to attorneys
- Translate documents from English to Spanish and Spanish to English
- Customer Service
Legal Assistant / Receptionist
Kaspar & Lugay, LLP
Corte Madera, CA
08.2017 - 02.2020
- Scanning court documents, client information
- Emails, checking emails, forwarded to specific attorney’s if needed
- Printing and faxing documents
- Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook
- Scheduling appointments and Consultations for Attorney’s
- Billing clients and collecting payments before and after consults and invoices
- Answering phones, Returning clients calls, checking voicemails
- Call clients to remind them about their Appointments/ payment for the next day
- Paper files
- Organization
- Uploading conformed copies
- Mailing documents to Clients
- Calendar hearings
- Call the Courts for updates or follow up
- Scheduling Consultations & appointments
- Summons, Pleadings, Declaration, Income and Expense etc...
- Clio system
- Customer service in person and over the phone
- Ordering supplies
- Dealing with Mail distribution
Floor Supervisor and Assistant Manager
BCBG Maxazria
Corte Madera, CA
12.2014 - 05.2016
- Leadership
- Typing Skills
- Organization and Shipment
- Conference Calls
- Attend meetings
- Money Counting
- Recruiting, Hiring and training
- Customer Service/ Cashier
Sales Associate
BCBG Maxazria
Corte Madera, CA
07.2014 - 12.2014
- Customer Service
- Typing Skills
- Cashier Shipment
- Floor Sets
- Sales Goals
- Answering phone calls
Sales Associate
Macy’s
Corte Madera, CA
05.2012 - 02.2014
- Cleaning Back stock
- Customer Service
- Organization
Sales Associate / Impactor
Abercrombie & Fitch
Corte Madera, CA
09.2011 - 10.2012
- Shipment
- Teamwork
- Customer Service
- Daily Task coordinator
- Cashier
- Computer Skills
- Researching information
Education
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
California State University, Sacramento
05-2018
A.A. - Spanish, Humanities, Social and Behavior Science, Criminal Justice
Santa Rosa Junior College
Santa Rosa01-2016
High School - undefined
San Rafael High School
01-2011
Skills
- Bilingual: English and Spanish Fluent Speaking, Writing and Reading
- Computer Proficiency: Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Excel
- Organizational
- Strong communication skills
- Leadership
- Creativity
- Collaboration
- Typing WPM: 55-63
Awards
San Rafael Police Academy 2022, Collegiate Citizen Academy FBI, Class 2017, Most improved soccer player of the year, 2008
Timeline
Paralegal, Senior Paralegal/ DOJ Accredited Repres
Canal Alliance
05.2022 - Current
Legal Assistant
Canal Alliance
02.2020 - 05.2022
Legal Assistant / Receptionist
Kaspar & Lugay, LLP
08.2017 - 02.2020
Floor Supervisor and Assistant Manager
BCBG Maxazria
12.2014 - 05.2016
Sales Associate
BCBG Maxazria
07.2014 - 12.2014
Sales Associate
Macy’s
05.2012 - 02.2014
Sales Associate / Impactor
Abercrombie & Fitch
09.2011 - 10.2012
A.A. - Spanish, Humanities, Social and Behavior Science, Criminal Justice
Santa Rosa Junior College
High School - undefined
San Rafael High School
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
California State University, Sacramento