Don English

Immigration Appeals Assistant

Legal Aid BC

Vancouver, British Columbia

03.2003 - Current

Interviewed clients in person and by phone to answer inquiries, obtain necessary documents, analyze, and clearly identify the client’s legal issue(s) and the urgency of the issue, and provided legal information/verified legal advice.
Answered incoming calls, responded to emails, faxes, and other inquiries from clients, lawyers, court registries, and detention centers.
Selected and appointed lawyers for cases when clients did not indicate a specific lawyer choice, and maintained relationships with the immigration bar to be able to find lawyers and issue those contracts as quickly as possible.
Assisted in the development of new policies and procedures to reflect fluctuations in the immigration tariff budget.
Liaised and consulted with staff from the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and other government agencies and community organizations regarding ongoing case files and general procedures.
Liaised and consulted with the Legal Aid BC Duty Counsel Coordinators to assist in appointing additional immigration duty counsel for daily hearings.
Handled incoming calls and directed callers to appropriate department or employee.
Assigned, tracked, and obtained additional information required for immigration law authorizations referred to the Appeals Department for assessment.
Provided guidance and assisted intake staff in client interviews in order to help identify clients' legal issues.
Conducted information sessions with new intake staff to provide a detailed overview of immigration legal issues covered by Legal Aid BC.

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