Description

Position Title: Staff Attorney – UUM-focused

Department: Immigration Legal Services

Reports to: Director of Immigration Legal Services

Supervisory Responsibility: May as needed, supervise paralegals, accredited representatives, legal assistants, law clerks, and legal interns. Participation in case rounds.

Budget Administered: n/a

Position Summary: The Staff Attorney provides direct legal representation to clients in family-based immigration, U/T/VAWA applications, DACA and naturalization cases. This position has an emphasis on representing unaccompanied minors (UUM) and families with young children, including asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status applications, as well as other available remedies. The attorney works with legal program staff to provide guidance and assistance on cases. The attorney also provides community education presentations on immigration law and immigrant rights.

Commitment to Mission and Organizational Sustainability: Model commitment to CCEB mission and planning for sustainable organizational future of service, including via work with the executive team as needed and/or as a representation of the agency.

Responsibilities:

• Provide direct legal services by meeting with clients, preparing applications for relief, drafting client declarations, and submitting cases to Executive Office for Immigration Review (“EOIR”) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”).

• Represent clients in immigration court hearings and administrative interviews before EOIR and USCIS.
• Attend trainings and courses to remain updated on immigration law and policy.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date client information in database.
• Assist with recruiting, training, and supervision of legal department volunteers.
• Participate in workshops for the public and collaborative partners on basic pathways to citizenship, benefits eligibility, understanding individual rights, and other topics.
• Collaborate with partner organizations to refer clients to legal and mental health services, as appropriate.
• Other tasks, as assigned by supervisor.

Deliverables:

• Within 90 days, the attorney will be able to prepare accurate filings for relief for qualified applicants, assist in reviewing other staff’s filings for completeness and accuracy, begin any required study in principal practice area, and provide accurate information regarding case demographics to the Program Manager.
• With six months, the attorney will complete any required study in principal practice area and be able to identify substantive inconsistencies in case reviews. The attorney will be able to write detailed cover letters containing any needed persuasive arguments for complex case filing.
• Within one year, the attorney will complete any required course of study in general affirmative immigration law, conduct a community education presentation, and draft briefs responses to complex Request for Evidence (RFE).

Qualifications

Required Credentials:

• J.D. and admission to California Bar, with membership in good standing. One year experience representing clients in immigration matters preferred.
• High analytical abilities to process large amounts of data from multiple sources. Ability to prioritize across multiple types of work.
• High level of independent judgment required.
• Professional technology skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, and database software.
• Bilingual English and Spanish preferred or other second language capabilities.

Physical Requirements:

Necessary Forms of Communication: Reading, Writing, Hearing, and Speaking in person, via email, and via phone. Bilingual candidates preferred. Spanish proficiency desirable.