Staff Attorney, Removal Defense Programs

The Staff Attorney represents individuals facing deportation before the immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), while delivering critical Know Your Rights (KYR) services to detained immigrants, ensuring access to legal information and advancing due process at every stage.

Job Purpose & Activities

• Represents non-citizen adults facing deportation and detained at the Moshannon

Valley Processing Center (MVPC) and non-detained immigrants residing in

Pennsylvania. Cases include a wide scope of removal defense before immigration

courts, the BIA, and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Cases selected fall under

both a particular vulnerabilities model and a universal representation model.

• Represents unaccompanied children in south central Pennsylvania, in long-term

foster care or released from the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s custody.

• Conducts legal intakes and screenings of prospective clients for representation.

• Provides non-representational legal orientation services under Know Your Rights

(KYR) to detained adults seeking to self-represent.

• Works with program coordinators to ensure all client data is properly recorded and

entered into appropriate case management programs and databases.

• Works with Managing Attorney to maintain and navigate relationships with

governmental agencies, nonprofit legal service providers, community-based

organizations, and other stakeholders.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Law degree and licensed to practice law or pending application before the bar of any

state in the U.S. required.

• Excellent research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.

• Effective communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to communicate with people of different racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

• Ethic of serving clients with compassion.

• Sense of personal initiative and ability to work independently with appropriate

guidance and supervision.

• Ability to balance competing priorities and communicate as priorities shift. Ability to meet deadlines.

• Must be flexible and adaptable.

• Commitment to PIRC’s mission, immigration advocacy, and legal services.

• 1 – 2 years of relevant immigration removal defense experience.

Preferred:

• Fluency (reading/writing/speaking) in Spanish and/or other language.

Other:

• Must successfully pass NCIC, FBI, and State Criminal and Child Abuse Clearance background checks.

• Regional travel is required to provide legal orientation services, including overnight.

• Performs in accordance with PIRC’s Core Values of integrity, adaptability,

innovation, empowerment, collaboration and diversity.

• Abides by all policies and procedures established by PIRC.

• Other tasks as assigned

Location & Work Arrangement:

This position will require some travel to visit regional detention centers. Travel may also include occasional meetings and events across Pennsylvania to meet with partner organizations and stakeholders. PIRC's main office is located in York, Pennsylvania. This is a hybrid position, with office-wide in-person meetings required quarterly. PIRC staff reside across Pennsylvania.

Salary Range:

Pay from $65,920

Benefits:

Benefits include health, vision and dental insurance, short term disability insurance,

life insurance, professional liability insurance, retirement with employer contribution, and

generous paid time off.

To Apply: Please send a cover letter, résumé and 2-3 professional references to Andrew

Baranoski, Executive Director, at employment@pirclaw.org. Applications will be accepted on a

rolling basis until the position is filled. The Hiring Committee will begin screening résumés upon

receipt. Note: Applicants will be notified prior to contacting references.

PIRC is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace. PIRC

encourages applications from all qualified individuals, without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, citizenship or any other consideration prohibited by law.

Commitment to Inclusion: The Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center provides support and

services to communities across PA and is committed to a workplace that reflects the diversity of

those we serve. All applicants and employees of different backgrounds and perspectives,

regardless of race, religion, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic

disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other quality that makes them

exceptional, are valued and treated as equals.