Vanessa Torres
San Antonio,Texas
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Legal Assistant, Family Detention Department
Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES)
San Antonio, Texas
10.2018 - 07.2020
- Travel to Karnes County Residential Center in Karnes City, Texas to provide pro se assistance to asylum-seeking individuals and/or families detained in Karnes City, Texas.
- Conduct thorough intakes, drafting declarations, and providing know your rights information to detained clients.
- Prepare detained clients for credible and reasonable fear interviews while also providing direction to volunteers at the detention center.
- Assume administrative responsibilities including timekeeping, case management, training new colleagues, and other tasks as needed for program compliance.
- Provide support at the RAICES office when not at the detention center, including answering client calls on Karnes hotline, monitoring correspondence from government agencies, communication with detained clients’ family members, coordinating shelter and travel arrangements for detained clients, and assisting with legal filings among other case management work.
Legal Assistant, Affirmative Department
Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES)
San Antonio, Texas
07.2020 - 02.2024
- Prepare filings for individuals before the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and others as needed.
- Meet with clients telephonically, gather supporting documents, prepare applications for review and prepare translations.
- Manage both electronic and paper case file including client case log and detailed case management.
Senior Legal Assistant, Removal Department
Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES)
San Antonio, Texas
02.2024 - 06.2025
- Meet with detained/non-detained individual’s facing deportation.
- Prepare supporting evidence, draft motions and applications such as bond applications, Asylum, and Cancellation of Removal.
- Conduct basic legal research on the related issues for the individual’s case.
- Communicate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Intern
Law offices of Aric J. Garza
San Antonio, TX
08.2017 - 12.2017
- Spoke to potential clients and gathered as much information for consultations.
- Attended court, and mediations.
- Summarized discovery and interrogatories from opposing counsel.
Cashier
Dollar General
San Antonio, TX
03.2013 - 01.2015
- Ensure excellent customer service by promptly scanning purchases and handling returns and exchanges.
- Conduct inventory each month.
- Count and record the money at the end of each shift.
- Promoted to team lead in 6 months that included responsibilities as dropping the deposit to the bank daily.
- Conduct team meetings to ensure staff task assignments.
- Open and close the store.
Credit Card Specialist
J.P Morgan Chase
San Antonio, TX
01.2015 - 08.2016
- Answered inbound calls from card members with questions and inquiries.
- Helped and educate clients on understanding their financial needs.
Collections Specialist
Southwest Business Corporation
San Antonio, TX
01.2016 - 08.2017
- Making payments on outstanding accounts.
- Empathizing and understanding the members as well as helping members plan their financial needs for the future.
Timeline
Senior Legal Assistant, Removal Department
Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES)
02.2024 - 06.2025
Legal Assistant, Affirmative Department
Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES)
07.2020 - 02.2024
Legal Assistant, Family Detention Department
Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES)
10.2018 - 07.2020
Intern
Law offices of Aric J. Garza
08.2017 - 12.2017
Collections Specialist
Southwest Business Corporation
01.2016 - 08.2017
Credit Card Specialist
J.P Morgan Chase
01.2015 - 08.2016
Cashier
Dollar General
03.2013 - 01.2015