Staff Attorney (Unaccompanied Children) - Refugee and Immigrant Program
Job title: Staff Attorney
Reports to: Refugee and Immigrant Program Director
Job Type: Full-time, hybrid, exempt
Salary: From $60,000
Submit application, letter of interest, and resume:
https://forms.office.com/r/MwszADiscw
The mission of The Advocates for Human Rights is to implement international human rights standards to promote civil society and reinforce the rule of law. By involving volunteers in research, education, and advocacy, we build broad constituencies in the United States and select global communities.
Position Summary
What is the Refugee & Immigrant Program?
The Refugee & Immigrant Program is the direct legal services program of The Advocates for Human Rights. Consistent with its mission of building the human rights movement by involving volunteers in human rights work, the Refugee & Immigrant Program team recruits, trains, and supports over 500 pro bono attorneys to provide free legal representation to low-income clients in immigration cases. Last year our team assisted over 3,000 asylum seekers, human trafficking survivors, unaccompanied children, evacuees from Afghanistan, and detained immigrants in the Upper Midwest. We provide a wide range of services from consultations to full representation. We also work with social work interns to provide wrap around support to clients who need assistance meeting their basic needs while receiving legal services through our office.
The Advocates believes that freedom of movement and seeking safety in another country are human rights, and so participates in coalitions of local and national legal service providers to ensure that refugees and immigrants in the United States have access to legal services, regardless of where they live or whether they are detained in immigration custody.
Who are we looking for?
We are driven by the hope of our clients and inspired by the generosity of our volunteers. We believe that working with a team of supportive and energetic colleagues who are passionate about our mission and excellent at the work they do is the best way to engage in this difficult work.
Consistent with that belief, The Advocates is seeking a human rights activist to join our team as a Staff Attorney for Unaccompanied Children through our partnership with the Vera Institute of Justice Universal Representation project. This position will provide legal assistance to Unaccompanied Children in the Upper Midwest by supporting volunteer attorneys and providing some direct representation in a variety of cases in front of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Executive Office for Immigration Review. We are looking for an attorney passionate about immigration and about working with children who wants to bring their skills, compassion, and creativity to our growing and vibrant team.
This position is expected to travel to clients in the tri-state area periodically throughout the year. A valid driver’s license will be required in order to meet these expectations.
What will you do?
The Advocates has an exciting partnership with the Vera Institute of Justice to represent Unaccompanied Children in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, through a Universal Representation model. As an attorney working on this project, you will work exclusively with Unaccompanied Children. You will provide direct representation and individual consultations; recruit, train, and support pro bono attorneys; conduct community outreach and education to unaccompanied children and community partners; organize limited representation clinics, as appropriate. This position will also work closely with our team that represents survivors of trafficking, given the significant overlap in these areas of work.
As a Staff Attorney, you are responsible for ensuring that The Advocates delivers legal services in
an expert and professional manner by cultivating relationships with volunteers and partnering with
clients to meet their asylum legal needs. You are committed to giving our volunteers the tools and
support they need to represent our clients effectively. You are eager to dive into research
and conversations with local and national partners to stay current on the latest policies and practices
related to the ever-changing field of representing Unaccompanied Children and humanitarian
immigration law. You are a creative problem solver and enjoy the constant challenge of improving
the delivery of our legal services through consultation and brief services clinics. You are excited
about translating what you know into accessible training and materials to engage volunteers to
provide direct legal services to those who need it. You are invested in advocating for our clients to
give them a fair chance at safety and security as in the United States. You are nimble enough to stay
on your toes in our fast-paced office atmosphere and cool-headed enough to serve our clients with
compassion and care.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Volunteer Attorney Support, Recruitment, & Training (approx. 70%)
You will be responsible for supporting volunteer attorney teams representing affirmative and defensive asylum seekers, including some clients in immigration detention.
Review intakes and work with Program Director to select cases eligible for brief services or full representation.
Timely recruit, assign, and transmit cases accepted for volunteer placement.
Meet with clients and volunteer attorneys for case orientation meetings.
Respond to inquiries from local partners with case referrals.
Participate in trainings and research to become a local expert on asylum law and procedure in both USCIS and EOIR.
Conduct attorney recruitment/training seminars, including development of materials.
Handle attorney case inquiries, monitor volunteer attorney case progress, review attorney submissions.
Maintain substantive components of our pro bono manuals and on-line legal resources.
Direct Client Representation (approx. 20%)
Maintain a small direct-representation case load, allowing you to stay current on policies and procedures and to best assist volunteer attorneys with their cases.
• Provide representation in those cases inappropriate for volunteer placement and manage cases awaiting placement with a volunteer attorney.
Appear at USCIS interviews and immigration court hearings as needed.
Supervise program staff and interns in case support.
Organization Duties (approx. 10%)
- Attend and participate in weekly staff meetings and bi-weekly team meetings.
Represent The Advocates on appropriate coalitions, bar association committees and working groups.
Support program and organization-wide events that occur throughout the year.
Engage with supporters at fundraising and awareness-raising events, and at the annual Human Rights Awards Dinner.
Participate in organization communications efforts, including the monthly newsletter, blogs, Volunteer Attorney Update, and Observer magazine.
Coordinate with the legal team on cases to ensure consistent overall strategy, direction, and messaging.
Coordinate with other programs to advance client-driven advocacy opportunities and policy priorities.
Qualifications
Required:
Admitted to practice and licensed in good standing in any state.
At least 1 years of experience in immigration law, making you comfortable to step into the courtroom or asylum office, but also embrace the constant challenge of staying current on changes in immigration law. This may include law school clinics and internships.
Experience working with or excited about the opportunity to work with low-income immigrant clients who may be non-native English speakers, have experienced torture or other trauma, and who struggle to access basic needs such as transportation and stable housing.
Experience working with or excited about the opportunity to work with children.
Willingness to learn Spanish (classes provided).
Initiative and independence to be self-sufficient in your work but also thrive on collaborative problem-solving and mutual support to serve our clients and volunteers and support your colleagues.
Flexible and able to work in-office, virtually, and at clinic sites to meet program needs.
Available for periodic travel around MN, ND, and SD, to meet with clients and partners, affected communities, and potential volunteers.
Desired:
2 years of experience in immigration law, including experience representing unaccompanied children.
• Fluent in another language, with a preference for Spanish.
• Experience with volunteer recruitment and eager to connect with attorneys who might not yet know they want to volunteer with us.
• Experience providing legal training in the form of Continuing Legal Education and/or mentoring of colleagues, support staff or law students.
Compensation
Compensation is commensurate with experience and consistent with similarly sized nonprofits in the Twin Cities area. Our generous benefits package includes vacation (employees accrue 3 weeks of vacation during their first year, and up to 6 weeks after 5 years employment), 3 personal days, and 9 paid holidays, 2 weeks of accrued sick leave annually, 6 weeks paid parenting leave); employer-paid premiums for medical, dental, and long-term disability/AD+D/life insurance; and pre-tax retirement plan.
This position is currently hybrid, with at least 2 days/week in our downtown Minneapolis office. This position is not eligible for fully remote work. This is an exempt position.
To Apply
Please use the following link to submit your application, letter of interest, and resume: https://forms.office.com/r/MwszADiscw
No phone-calls or e-mail inquiries, please.
Application Deadline: August 1, 2023
The Advocates for Human Rights is an equal opportunity employer. The Advocates is committed to cultural diversity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability or any other legally protected status.
