STAFF ATTORNEY ALBANY COUNTY REGIONAL IMMIGRATION ASSISTANCE CENTER (RIAC)

The RIAC Staff Attorney will provide advice to defense attorneys regarding the immigration consequences of their clients’ criminal and family court proceedings. The attorney will also conduct CLE trainings on the intersection of Immigration Law, Criminal Law and Family Law, and perform other tasks as needed.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: The Staff Attorney is in the office of the Regional Immigration Assistance Center. The RIAC Staff Attorney provides legal support, training and resources to Region 3 indigent legal service attorneys and mandated representation providers regarding the immigration consequences arising from criminal and family court proceedings. Does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

Provides legal support, trainings, and technical assistance to attorneys within Region 3 who are charged with providing mandated representation to noncitizens in criminal and family court proceedings;

Provides expert consults to mandated representation providers on potential immigration consequences as they relate to criminal charges/convictions/pleas, appellate and post-conviction relief options, and family court dispositions;

Arranges and present CLE trainings on topics that ensure Padilla v. Kentucky, 130 S.Ct. 1473 (2010) compliance targeting indigent legal service providers and 18-B attorneys assigned in criminal and family court matters;

Conducts outreach, and works closely with 18-B attorneys and mandated representation providers, bar associations, nonprofit organizations, and other immigration-minded entities in Region 3 to develop and coordinate trainings and resource materials that address the intersections among criminal, family and immigration law;

Assists with collecting intake and case data for reporting and policy reform purposes;

Develops and/or maintains referral pipelines of relevant immigration services;

Maintains and build institutional knowledge resources, banks, and other support materials for the Immigration Center;

Trains/supervises/mentors administrative staff and interns working under the RIAC contract;

Travels as required;

Does related work as required.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Excellent written and verbal communication skills;

Excellent problem solving, organizational and time management skills required to manage a high volume of cases;

Good legal research software proficiency;

Ability to perform nuanced legal research and writing;

Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team as necessary;

Ability to make presentations to different audiences (e.g. attorneys, judges, immigration service providers);

Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate, collaborate and connect with people from various backgrounds, identities, experiences and positions;

Ability to exercise excellent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality around sensitive issues;

Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

At least three (3) years of experience in the practice of immigration law.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Possession of a license to practice law in New York State.

Vacancies are filled by certified list provided by Albany County Civil Service. Should no certified list be available, candidates appointed to this position will be serving in a provisional appointment in accordance with New York State Civil Service Law. The candidate must successfully complete a competitive examination and be eligible for appointment in accordance with Civil Service Law and the Civil Service Rules for Albany County to obtain a permanent appointment.

Albany County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Up to $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person