Senior Staff Attorney, Immigrant Justice

As Senior Staff Attorney, you will provide essential support to LCCRSF’s Pro Bono Asylum Program and LCCRSF’s in-house removal defense cases. You will work in partnership with another Senior Staff Attorney and under the supervision of the Immigrant Justice Program Director. You will also work in collaboration with the Immigrant Justice Program Manager and other team members. You will provide technical assistance to pro bono law firm attorneys who are representing clients in removal proceedings, pursuing asylum affirmatively through USCIS, pursuing Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), filing asylum- and SIJS-based adjustment of status applications, securing and renewing work authorization for their clients, filing asylee family petitions, and other topics relating to immigration relief and benefits. You will work collaboratively with LCCRSF’s attorneys to provide high-quality full-scope representation to immigrants in removal proceedings. You will support our coalition-based effort to provide rapid response and Attorney-of-the-Day services in San Francisco. You may also participate in the development of training materials and resources to support pro bono representation in removal proceedings, affirmative asylum cases and other affirmative applications for immigration relief and benefits.  

 

The ideal candidate will have experience representing asylum seekers in removal proceedings and seeking immigration relief and benefits before USCIS, and a strong commitment to working with immigrants and advancing the immigrant rights movement.  

 

About LCCRSF  

As one of the most enduring civil rights institutions on the West Coast, LCCRSF works to dismantle systems of oppression and racism and to build an equitable and just society. Formed in 1968 to bridge the legal community and the Civil Rights Movement, we’re known for advancing the rights of low-income communities primarily composed of people of color, immigrants, and refugees. We also invest in legal fellows and support a network of over 1,000 active pro bono attorneys and volunteers. We are in this work for the long haul. Our goal is to make this work sustainable, to rest as needed and take care of each other and our communities, so we can be fierce in the face of power through our core issue areas of Racial Justice, Immigrant Justice, and Economic Justice. Learn more at lccrsf.org.

 

About the Asylum Program 

Since 1983, LCCRSF’s Pro Bono Asylum Program has secured free legal representation for hundreds of asylum applicants seeking refuge in California by providing direct representation as well as training and mentorship to pro bono attorneys. Through our Asylum Program, we match asylum seekers with pro bono attorneys who represent them before the San Francisco and Contra Costa Immigration Court. Our Immigrant Justice program also provides regular trainings for immigration law practitioners, pro bono attorneys, and our partners at non-profit organizations throughout the Bay Area to develop expertise in asylum and other immigration topics that directly impact the communities we serve.

 

Your Work 

• Training and mentorship - Provide training, technical assistance, and mentorship to pro bono attorneys handling removal defense, applications for asylum and other forms of humanitarian relief. Develop and/or collect and organize training materials, practice advisories, and other resources for the Pro Bono Asylum Program.

• Representation – Represent asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors with cases pending before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). Manage a docket of direct services cases in various stages of representation, including communicating with clients regarding their pending cases, responding to notices or requests from the court and USCIS, filing change of address forms, work permit applications, and affirmative applications for relief with USCIS.
  

• Supervision - Supervise law fellows who are recent law graduates by providing training, mentorship, and feedback to promote professional growth. Co-supervise the Program Manager as needed.

• Support with screening and assessment of potential clients - Conduct and review intake assessments to identify asylum cases that are good candidates for pro bono placement, review case memos prepared by law clerks and program coordinator to issue-spot for claims and to help summarize the best legal strategy for relief.

• Rapid response – Participate in coalition-based rapid response network for clients in need in San Francisco by occasionally staffing rapid response hotline. Provide Attorney-of-the-Day (AOD) services at San Francisco Immigration Court (must be eligible to serve as AOD).  Must be willing to come to LCCRSF office when staffing rapid response hotline.

• Other tasks may be assigned as needed by the Program Director, Immigrant Justice
   

Essential Qualifications

• J.D. and a member in good standing of any state bar (*California strongly preferred).

• Minimum of five years of experience working as an immigration attorney with low-income communities and/or recent survivors of trauma.

• Fluency in Spanish, including the ability to communicate in Spanish with clients about legal matters and correspond in writing with clients in Spanish.

• Experience with affirmative applications before USCIS, including work authorization applications, asylee relative petitions, and adjustment of status applications.

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.

• Excellent organizational, communication, analytical, writing, and editing skills; strong attention to detail.

• Ability to work as a member of a team and independently.  Ability to set and carry out objectives and prioritize workflow with minimal supervision.

• Ability to effectively work and communicate with diverse groups of individuals, including representatives of government, the private bar, and grassroots organizations.

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Substantial experience representing asylum seekers in removal proceedings.

• Experience representing children and families in guardianship, parentage and child custody proceedings in Northern California, as well as experience filing Special Immigration Juvenile Status petitions before USCIS.

• Experience mentoring, training, and/or working collaboratively with pro bono attorneys.

• Values working collaboratively with others, both within the organization and in the community.

Salary, Benefits, Work location

This position is full-time, exempt, with an annual salary equivalent to $100k to $115k/year DOE and reports to the Immigrant Justice Program Director. Full benefits package includes 100% paid medical + 80% for dependents, phone and internet reimbursement, vacation, sick time, paid holidays, short Fridays, and winter break (office closure during the last week of the year).

This position may need to do some in-person work for rapid response, staff events, and court hearings. Our office is located on the Embarcadero in downtown San Francisco, close to many transit options. We are currently remote with our office available for optional use, or as needed.  While remote, employees may not work outside CA for more than 30 consecutive days at a time. Employees must be fully vaccinated according to CDC COVID-19 guidelines for in-person work.

General working hours are 9am-5pm, M-F. LCCRSF is Latina- and woman-led, with approximately 30 staff. We are flexible, family-friendly, and value health, wellness and balance. We follow ADA guidelines - reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with different abilities to perform the essential functions.

 

Working Environment and Conditions

The working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. While performing the duties of this position, the employee must be able to remain in a stationary position, constantly operate a computer, and must have the ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

 

To Apply

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants should submit 1) a thoughtful cover letter; 2) a resume; and 3) three professional references. Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as early as possible as decisions are made on a rolling basis.

 

For any questions, email careers@lccrsf.org (put “IJ Senior Staff Attorney” in the subject line.) 

 

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area thrives as an inclusive/equal opportunity employer. People of all backgrounds and walks of life are encouraged to apply.  

Salary

• $100,000 - $115,000/year