Staff Attorney, Immigration Law Unit – Immigrant Youth Project

The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice is seeking a Staff Attorney to join the citywide Immigration Law Unit’s Youth Project team.

The Immigration Law Unit (ILU) in The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice is a recognized leader in providing high-quality representation to non-citizens in all five boroughs of New York City and surrounding counties. Our staff of almost 100 attorneys, social workers, and paralegals across seven different projects and initiatives work collaboratively to provide client-centered, interdisciplinary, and comprehensive legal services. ILU provides low-income New Yorkers with free comprehensive immigration services ranging from deportation defense to adjustment of status to legal permanent residence and citizenship applications. We specialize in the intersection between immigration and criminal law and works collaboratively with all practice areas to serve the society’s diverse immigrant clients through a comprehensive service model. ILU staff represent immigrants before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), immigration judges in removal proceedings, and the Board of Immigration Appeals, as well as in federal court on habeas corpus petitions, petitions for review, administrative and judicial appeals, and other matters.

The Staff Attorney will provide legal services to undocumented youth and unaccompanied immigrant children at the New York Immigration Courts, before USCIS and before Family Courts in New York City and surrounding counties. The attorney will work on cases such as special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS), asylum, U/T visas and other forms of relief. The Staff Attorney will also work collaboratively with staff in the ILU’s Youth Project, LAS’ Juvenile Rights Practice, the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), and foster care agency personnel to provide immigration advice and guidance. The Staff Attorney may work with and mentor law students, pro bono attorneys, and volunteers in cases related to the Youth Project.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Lawyering Duties

Screen and provide direct representation to immigrant youth in removal proceedings in Immigration Court. Attorney will also handle some affirmative cases

Appear in Asylum Offices to represent clients in asylum or credible fear interviews

Appear in Family court in all five boroughs of the City of New York and in surrounding counties, including but not limited to Suffolk and Nassau counties, to obtain predicate orders for special immigrant juvenile status.

Build on existing relationships with the Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice staff attorneys and others to meet the needs of undocumented youth in foster care

Conduct forums and workshops in immigrant communities and public schools on immigration issues

Other duties as assigned

Professional Development and other duties as assigned

Participate in continuous professional development

Attend and provide trainings to advocates throughout the city and in Family and Immigration Courts

Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

Required qualifications:

Admission to the New York State Bar Demonstrated commitment to representing low-income, disadvantaged clients

At least two years of Immigration law and trial experience required

Excellent writing, analytical, oral advocacy, and organizational skills

Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively on an interdisciplinary team and manage a high volume of cases

Ability to work with pro bono attorneys, law student interns, and volunteers

Preferred qualifications:

Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required

Experience working with children and youth highly desirable

Demonstrated commitment to representing or working with individuals from marginalized communities

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range represents a good faith estimate of the range we expect to pay for this role. The actual salary offered may vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range: $86,520 - $157,075

The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Click here to read more about benefits.

Higher Education and Loan Forgiveness

The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.

studentaid.gov

hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs

WORK AUTHORIZATION

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must be completed online via the career portal. We do not accept emailed applications. Submit the following documents as a combined PDF:

Cover Letter

Resume

For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting , please email TalentAcquisition@legal-aid.org .

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients (people), to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us and our ability to build strong relationships with our colleagues. Every member of our community is expected to continuously learn about the dynamic, evolving, and emerging field of knowledge of identity, bias, and systemic forms of oppression and participate in productive efforts to dismantling bias in all forms.