Immigration Attorney
Company: Legal Aid Justice Center
Location: Richmond
Posted on: October 16, 2024
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Job Description:
The Immigrant Justice Program (IJP) is seeking one attorney at
the either Senior (individual contributor) or Sr. Supervising
(manager) level. This posting is for the Sr. Supervising
Immigration Attorney. If you're interested in applying for the
Senior Immigration Attorney, please review this on the LAJC
website. About the Legal Aid Justice Center: The Legal Aid Justice
Center is a nationally recognized, non-profit organization that
partners with communities and clients to fight for racial, social,
and economic justice. We understand that the harms our clients
endure are inextricably linked to overarching systems of injustice.
Together we are dismantling those systems through a combination of
community organizing, litigation, policy advocacy, public
relations, and individual legal services. Very recently, we helped
lead the fight to reform Virginia's unemployment insurance system
including advocacy that resulted in the distribution of over $1
billion in illegally withheld payments to over 160,000 Virginians.
During the pandemic, we helped hundreds of families avoid eviction
through a combination of legal representation and help accessing
rent relief funds. Our staff are on the front lines of some of the
most important anti-poverty fights happening today. Founded in
1967, LAJC has offices in Charlottesville, Richmond, Petersburg,
and Falls Church and provides services under six key program areas:
Civil Rights & Racial Justice, Economic Justice, Youth Justice,
Health Justice, Immigrant Justice, and Worker Justice. About the
Immigration Justice Program: LAJC has a long history of serving
immigrant communities across Virginia, including individuals
without documentation and facing deportation. LAJC's Immigrant
Justice Program works to end mass detention and deportation of
immigrants in Virginia, and to break the ties between immigration
enforcement and local and state government and law enforcement. We
work to ensure that immigrant communities remain intact and
protected in Virginia, fight the separation of immigrant families
and the exclusion of immigrants from state benefits, and protect
young immigrants across the Commonwealth whether in federal custody
or in their communities. Previously, the team also supported
farmworker campaigns, but in 2022 as the result of its significant
growth, LAJC launched a new Worker Justice Program to house the
farmworker campaigns, in addition to other worker justice efforts.
LAJC's recent wins include a coordinated effort to drastically
reduce the population of a local immigration detention center down
to historically low levels through impact litigation, partnership
with long-time organizing efforts and litigating individual habeas
corpus petitions; increasing the eligible age for Special Immigrant
Juvenile Status children; ending mandatory ICE notifications for
misdemeanor arrests; and establishing in-state tuition and
state-funded financial aid for undocumented students with pending
asylum applications who graduate from Virginia high schools. In
addition to individual legal defense of immigrants facing removal
proceedings and federal litigation on behalf of detained
immigrants, our attorneys and organizers partner with local
community members and community groups as well as national advocacy
organizations to promote systemic reforms reducing the abuse and
exploitation of immigrants, and to advocate for policies that
promote integration and protection of immigrant communities. About
the Position: The Legal Aid Justice Center seeks to hire a Senior
Supervising Immigration Attorney for our Richmond office. The
attorney will at first supervise 1, and eventually up to 3-4,
attorneys or case-handling paralegals. The attorney may also assist
in directing the immigration clinic at the University of Virginia
School of Law, with six to eight students and a docket consisting
primarily of removal defenses cases. The attorney will also
maintain their own docket of individual cases, primarily removal
defense, as well as take a leadership role in various impact
campaigns (including individual and class action litigation, state
and local advocacy, and grassroots community lawyering) affecting
immigrant communities in and around Richmond and statewide. Job
Duties: Supervise at first one, but eventually up to 3-4 attorneys
or case handling paralegals. Direct the immigration clinic at the
University of Virginia School of Law. Maintain a docket of
individual cases, primarily removal defense. Take a leadership role
in various impact campaigns (including federal litigation, state
and local advocacy, and grassroot community lawyering) affecting
immigrant communities in and around Richmond and statewide. Racial
equity: Promote racial equity across all dimensions, including
within LAJC, by doing the following: Helping to recruit, retain,
and support both staff and leadership that reflect the racial
composition of our community. Cultivating respect for the work of
and expanding resources for non-attorney staff that are
disproportionately people of color. Creating spaces for staff to
discuss issues of racial, gender, and all other issues of
marginalization. Pushing for institutional and cultural changes by
management, the board, and staff to further promote racial equity.
Required Qualifications: Strong commitment to social, economic, and
racial justice. At least three years of experience practicing
immigration law, especially removal defense. Strong commitment to
immigrants' rights. Experience working directly with immigrant
community members. A sufficient level of Spanish fluency to
interview and counsel clients in Spanish without the assistance of
an interpreter. Membership in the bar of any state, and ability to
practice before the immigration court and USCIS. Reliable personal
transportation. An ability to multitask and balance a variety of
responsibilities. Experience supervising law students as clinic
students or interns/externs. Preferred Qualifications : Five years
of experience practicing immigration law, preferably including
removal defense. Supervision experience, whether in a formal or
informal capacity. Membership in the Virginia State bar, or
eligibility and willingness to become a member of the VSB promptly
- either by passing the bar exam in July 2023, or meeting
requirements to "waive" into bar membership without taking the bar
exam. (Note: this position may be eligible for the newly enacted
Virginia Supreme Court rule allowing for any attorney working
exclusively for a legal aid organization to practice without
examination as long as they are in good standing in another state).
Experience working for a public interest law firm, legal services
organization, or other nonprofit as an attorney or in a pro bono
capacity. Location: This role will be based in our Richmond office.
Occasional travel between offices will be required. Although a
regular presence in the office is required, LAJC offers a remote
work policy to support employees in co-creating schedules and
arrangements that allow us all to do our best work. A Note to
Potential Candidates : Studies have shown that women, trans,
non-binary folks, and BIPOC are less likely to apply for jobs
unless they believe they meet every single one of the
qualifications as described in a job description. We are committed
to building a diverse and inclusive organization, and strongly
encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every
one of the qualifications described. Application Deadline : We will
begin reviewing applications on August 02, 2024, but will accept
applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. We
encourage candidate to apply as soon as possible. Salary : The
salary scale for this position is $75,000 - $109,426.03 based on
the LAJC salary scale. To allow for salary growth within the
position over time, the anticipated hiring range for this position
is between $75,000 - $96,799.95. Placement on the range will be
based on factors such as years of relevant experience, budget, and
internal equity. Benefits : Our mission is compelling, and our team
members are passionate about their work, and so we recognize the
need to provide generous benefits and encourage rest and a healthy
work environment. For example, we provide: Generous paid time off
every year, including 3 to 6 weeks of vacation, 12 days of health
leave, 6 weeks parental leave, and 14 holidays (not including bonus
holidays/rest days allocated as needed) 100% employer paid health,
dental, and vision insurance, plus excellent family insurance with
annual max of $2,400 premium contribution to LAJC-sponsored health
plan 403(b) retirement plan with 4% employer contribution (no
required match) Strong commitment to professional development
Relocation package Application Instructions : Complete the online
application. This position requires a cover letter, resume, and
contact information for three references. You can direct the cover
letter to the hiring manager, Rohmah Javed. Please note, we will
not contact references without advance consent from candidates.
Vaccination Requirement: The Legal Aid Justice Center requires all
employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an
approved medical or religious exemption as a qualification of
employment. Proof of vaccination or accommodation request must be
provided within one day of employment. The Legal Aid Justice Center
is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring and
dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage
candidates of all identities, experiences, and communities to
apply. The Legal Aid Justice Center is committed to strengthening
the voices of our low-income clients, working in collaboration with
community partners, and rooting out the inequities that keep people
in poverty. We strive to take on the issues that have broad impact
on our client communities and to be responsive to client input.
Recognizing the particular impact of racism on our clients and
staff, we devote special attention to dismantling racial injustice.
All applicants must be dedicated to working in and sustaining an
environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered,
valued, respected, and safe. In reviewing applications, we look for
evidence that applicants have experience and/or thoughtfulness in
working with traditionally marginalized populations. Employment
Type: Full Time Years Experience: 3 - 5 years Salary: $75,000 -
$109,426 Annual Bonus/Commission: No
Keywords: Legal Aid Justice Center, Newport News , Immigration Attorney, Legal , Richmond, Virginia
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