Spanish Virtual Assistant, Interpreter & Document Translator - Immigration Law Firm

New Horizons Legal is a U.S.-based immigration law firm seeking a reliable, professional bilingual virtual assistant to support client communication, intake, interpretation, document translation, and legal administrative work. You must be fluent in BOTH Spanish and English. This is not a Spanish-only role and it is not an English-only role. Every day you will take calls in Spanish and report to the attorney in English, interpret live in both directions, and translate documents from Spanish into publication-quality written English. If either language is only conversational for you, this position is not a fit — please do not apply. Any regional variety of Spanish is welcome — Mexican, Central American, Caribbean, South American, or Peninsular. The majority of our clients are Spanish speakers; the attorney and all internal firm communication are in English. This is a remote, part-time position, approximately 10–15 hours per week, Monday through Friday. The role combines four functions: virtual receptionist, intake coordinator, interpreter/translator, and legal administrative assistant. Rate: $5–$9/hour USD, depending on experience. Schedule Approximately one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon (U.S. Central Time), Monday through Friday — about 10–15 hours per week total, with additional time as needed for scheduled consultations and translation projects. Hours are flexible and can be adjusted if a different daily schedule works better for you, as long as there is consistent, predictable coverage during U.S. business hours. Time Tracking Manual time tracking only. Please log your hours through Upwork's manual time entry — no screen monitoring or automatic tracker required. What You'll Do Reception & Client Communication Answer incoming phone calls from potential clients using the firm's phone system Return missed calls and follow up with potential clients promptly Respond to text messages, WhatsApp messages, and emails from prospective clients Serve as the professional, welcoming first point of contact for the firm Intake & Scheduling Collect basic intake information from potential clients following our scripts and procedures Send consultation booking and payment links Schedule consultations using the firm's Google Calendar Prepare short pre-consultation intake summaries for the attorney's review Send retainer agreements and payment instructions after consultations when directed by the attorney Follow up with potential clients who have not yet signed the retainer Interpretation Serve as the Spanish–English interpreter during pre-scheduled consultations between the attorney and Spanish-speaking clients Interpret accurately and completely, in the first person, without summarizing, editing, adding, or omitting Flag when a term has no clean equivalent rather than guessing Document Translation (Certified for Filing) Note: "certified translation" refers to the document, not the translator. USCIS requires that a translation be accompanied by a signed Certificate of Accuracy — it does not require the translator to hold any credential. You do not need to be an ATA-certified or court-certified translator to do this work. Translate personal and civil documents from Spanish to English for USCIS and immigration court filings — birth certificates, marriage and divorce certificates, death certificates, police and criminal records, school records, medical records, affidavits, and country-condition documents Produce complete, literal, word-for-word translations that mirror the source document's layout, including seals, stamps, signatures, and marginal notations (marked as [SEAL], [ILLEGIBLE], etc.) Prepare and sign the translator's Certificate of Accuracy required under 8 C.F.R. § 1003.33 and USCIS filing rules Translate short written client communications in both directions Maintain consistent terminology and follow the firm's translation formatting standards Legal Administrative Support Maintain the client communication log in a shared Google document — every interaction, logged in real time Organize client files and follow the firm's document naming conventions in Google Drive Build and track document-collection checklists for each client; follow up on missing items Assemble and label exhibits and supporting documentation for attorney review Calendar filing deadlines, biometrics appointments, and hearing dates as directed Provide clients with factual case status updates (e.g., "your receipt notice arrived," "your biometrics appointment is scheduled for the 14th") from information supplied by the attorney Assist with general administrative tasks as directed Required Qualifications Fluent written and spoken English — professional-level. You will write emails and intake summaries the attorney relies on, and translate into English that is ready to file. Fluent written and spoken Spanish (any regional variety acceptable) — native or near-native. You will speak with clients who may be stressed, may speak quickly, and may use regional or informal expressions. Both languages are required. Applicants strong in only one will not be considered. Prior experience translating documents submitted to USCIS or the immigration courts (EOIR) — you have done this work before and understand what a certified translation requires Willingness to sign a translator's Certificate of Accuracy for each translated document, attesting that you are competent in both languages and that the translation is true and accurate (no credential or certification required — your signed attestation is what USCIS asks for) Prior experience as a virtual assistant, intake coordinator, receptionist, legal assistant, or in a similar client-facing role Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both languages, including correct spelling, grammar, and accent marks in Spanish Professional phone presence and a calm, welcoming demeanor Strong attention to detail — names, dates, and document numbers must be transcribed exactly Reliable internet connection (minimum 25 Mbps download, 5 Mbps upload) A quiet, private workspace suitable for taking professional calls Your own smartphone (iOS 14+ or Android 9+) to install our phone system app A computer with a current operating system and browser A headset with microphone for calls Comfortable using Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs) and WhatsApp Business Availability during U.S. Central Time business hours, Monday–Friday Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have, Not Required) Previous experience working with a U.S. law firm, immigration firm, or legal services business Familiarity with U.S. immigration terminology and processes (asylum, adjustment of status, consular processing, removal defense, VAWA, U visa, TPS) Experience with intake or sales in a professional services context Previous experience as an interpreter in legal, court, or medical settings Formal translation or interpretation credential (ATA certification, court interpreter certification, or equivalent) — welcome but not required Familiarity with document formatting in Google Docs or Word for side-by-side translations Familiarity with Ooma Office or similar cloud phone systems What This Role Is NOT You will not be giving legal advice — only licensed attorneys can do that You will not be evaluating cases, predicting outcomes, or telling clients whether they qualify for any immigration benefit You will not be selecting which forms or applications a client should file You will not be drafting legal documents, signing filings, filing with government agencies, or representing the firm in any legal capacity You will not answer "what will happen in my case?" — those questions go to the attorney, every time Your role is to be the professional, welcoming first point of contact — collecting information, scheduling consultations, interpreting, translating documents accurately, and keeping the firm organized. How We Work This is a hands-off, self-directed engagement. You will be hired because of your existing experience — which means we expect you to read our onboarding packet, set up your tools, and start working. There is no extended training period, no shadowing, and no orientation call. The attorney is available on Google Chat or by email when you have a question, but the expectation is that you run the day-to-day independently and escalate only what truly needs attorney judgment. You will be provided with: A comprehensive onboarding packet with all policies, procedures, scripts, and workflow guidance A firm-assigned email address and Google Workspace account Access to the firm's phone system, calendar, Drive folders, and communication log Clear scripts for call handling, intake, and client follow-up Our certificate of accuracy template and translation formatting standards Direct access to the supervising attorney by Google Chat and email during business hours Confidentiality This role involves access to highly sensitive client information, including immigration status, family history, and personal identifying documents. The selected contractor will be required to sign a Confidentiality & Non-Disclosure Agreement in addition to an Independent Contractor Agreement before beginning work. Confidentiality obligations are strict and ongoing. How to Apply To be considered, please include the following in your proposal: A brief introduction about yourself and your relevant experience Your current location and time zone Where you learned Spanish and which country's Spanish you speak natively or most fluently Your prior experience as a virtual assistant, intake coordinator, receptionist, legal assistant, or interpreter — especially for U.S. businesses or law firms Your experience translating documents for USCIS or immigration court — roughly how many, what types, and whether you signed the certificate of accuracy yourself Any prior experience with immigration, legal, or medical interpretation Confirmation that you can work during U.S. Central Time business hours, Monday–Friday Your proposed hourly rate within the $5–$9 range A short voice or video sample (30–60 seconds) — roughly half in English and half in Spanish. Introduce yourself and describe your relevant experience. Please record it yourself; do not use a script read by someone else or AI-generated audio. Proposals without a bilingual sample will not be reviewed. So we know you actually read this post, please include the word "ONBOARDING" at the top of your proposal. Proposals that do not include this word will not be reviewed. What We're Looking For We value reliability, professionalism, accuracy, and warmth above all else. Our clients are often in stressful, uncertain situations — your tone, patience, and clarity make a real difference in their experience of our firm. On the translation side, precision matters enormously: a mistranslated name or date can delay a case by months. If you enjoy helping people, are organized by nature, and can work independently without needing constant direction, we want to hear from you. We look forward to your application.