Requisition ID: req43579

Job Title: Managing Attorney

Sector: Legal

Employment Category: Regular

Employment Type: Full-Time

Compensation: USD 90,000.00 - 95,000.00 Annually

Location: Charlottesville, VA USA

Work Arrangement: In-person
Job Description

IRC Background: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC is at work today in more than 40 countries and 28 U.S. cities. The IRC’s Resettlement, Asylum and Integration (RAI) department creates opportunities for refugees and other vulnerable migrants to survive and thrive in the US. RAI serves nearly 50,000 individuals each year in the U.S. through a diverse portfolio of programs aimed at achieving outcomes in five impact areas: Health, Safety, Economic Wellbeing, Education, and Power.

Job Overview: The Managing Attorney oversees IRC’s immigration legal services programs in Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia, which provide low-cost immigration legal services to refugees, immigrants, and other community members in their applications before USCIS, such as family reunification, adjustment of status, and naturalization. The Managing Attorney will bring not only legal expertise and a passion for this area of work, but also the ability to motivate and mentor a team of legal professionals, including Department of Justice accredited representatives and legal assistants, in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. The position will work in close collaboration with a range of community partners and the Legal Services Technical Unit (TU) at IRC’s headquarters, which oversees IRC’s robust legal service programs across the U.S. The Managing Attorney is expected to be admitted to any state bar and in good standing to practice law.

Major Responsibilities:

Program Development & Leadership

• Oversee legal strategy through daily direct supervision of a team of Department of Justice-accredited representatives and legal assistants. Create and maintain a viable outreach strategy to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with community-based organizations, the private bar, and nonprofit legal providers to enhance collaboration and outreach for legal and civic engagement services. Pursue program initiatives with partners that further goals and address unmet demand.
• Represent IRC at immigration-related meetings and events in the community, with partners and funders, and with government agencies, including by giving presentations.
• Develop and implement media opportunities in conjunction with the Executive Director and Community Engagement Manager for publicizing immigration work.
• Develop strategic plan for immigration and civics education, incorporating client and partner feedback, to increase responsiveness of services, sustainability, and improve service delivery.
• Actively co-facilitate and support grant opening, grant review, and grant closing meetings, and lead all aspects of grant cycle, including developing/implementing monitoring & evaluation plans.
• Develop and monitor intake procedures, case acceptance policies, and caseload targets and limits.
• Establish, maintain, and periodically refresh legal services program policies and procedures in collaboration with IRC’s Legal Services Technical Unit; oversee and/or conduct regular case file reviews to ensure compliance with legal case management procedures.
• Provide direct legal representation to a limited caseload of individuals before USCIS where applicable.
• Collaborate with other IRC program areas as appropriate to ensure client-centered service.
• Serve as an in-house expert on US immigration law by updating internal IRC colleagues on changes in immigration law affecting IRC’s clients as needed.
• Serve on the Virginia Senior Management Team and work effectively across programs to further IRC’s mission.

Direct Client Services

• Maintain a limited caseload of cases before US Citizenship & Immigration Services, including family reunification, adjustment of status, and naturalization cases.
• Stay apprised of relevant immigration law and policy and maintain admission to the bar by attending and keeping records of continuing legal education training and credits.
• Maintain strict client confidentiality and observe all ethical practices/obligations as outlined in IRC’s Immigration Program Policies Manual.

Program and Staff Supervision

• Provide daily direct supervision to immigration staff employing adaptive management techniques; mentor staff, set clear performance expectations and goals, give regular performance feedback, help prioritize workloads and troubleshoot challenges, and maintain appropriate professional development plans.
• Ensure all staff, interns, and volunteers have a clear understanding of what activities constitute the unauthorized practice of law and how these boundaries should be applied in IRC’s legal service model.
• Ensure all cases have high-quality legal review and that clients are counseled appropriately on their immigration options and potential risks and consequences of applying for certain immigration benefits.
• Ensure immigration staff adhere to the IRC Immigration Program Policies Manual, including through regular mentorship, direct observations of key client service activities (e.g., client intakes), and by ensuring staff receive frequent, ongoing relevant (internal and external) legal training, including on legal ethics, and have the most up-to-date guidance regarding immigration adjudication trends and policies.
• Work with the HQ Legal Services Technical Unit to ensure legal assistants have adequate support and training to pursue DOJ accreditation in a timely manner as appropriate to their legal skills and knowledge.
• Promote and develop a highly functioning, collaborative team and ensure effective integration of internships and volunteers within programs; collaborate with other IRC program areas as appropriate to ensure client-centered service.
• Oversee and/or conduct regular internal case file reviews (paper files and electronic case files) to ensure compliance with IRC Immigration Program Policies as well as any donor requirements.
• Ensure program data is collected consistently, managed appropriately, and reported timely, using IRC’s legal case management database and other relevant case management systems.
• Track budget spending for immigration, including grants, as well as progress of revenue against goals.

Job Requirements:

• Law Degree (JD) from an ABA-accredited U.S. institution and member in good standing of any state bar. Admission to Virginia state bar preferred.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience providing direct representation to immigrants before USCIS to asylum applicants and other immigrants seeking relief from removal.
• Experience with affirmative applications before USCIS (e.g., adjustment of status, naturalization, I-130s)
• Strong legal supervision skills and superb legal judgment.
• Experience organizing and facilitating immigration workshops and immigration information sessions.
• Excellent English written and oral communication skills, including presentation skills.
• Proficiency in a language spoken by refugee or immigrant populations a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and cultivate partnerships in furtherance of program development goals.
• Demonstrated understanding of fiscal management and reporting required. Proven track record in business development, including proposal writing and development, grant management, and budgeting, highly desired.
• Proven ability to work effectively as a member of a team and to exercise independent judgment responsibly.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Trauma-informed client communication skills and experience working with vulnerable populations.
• Ability to be flexible and work well under pressure in a fast-paced team environment.
• Previous multi-cultural experience and proven ability to communicate well with people from diverse backgrounds strongly preferred.
• Must have ability to travel frequently in and around the service area to engage with clients and community partners.

Working Environment:

• Standard office environment with occasional participation in community outreach and legal assistance events. 
• May require occasional weekend and/or evening work. 

Compensation: Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirement.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal. 

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles. 

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