QIJP Staff Attorney

UnLocal is a community-centered non-profit organization that provides direct immigration legal representation and community education to New York City’s immigrant communities.

The Queer Immigrant Justice Project within UnLocal provides LGBTQ+ affirming legal representation, as well as community engagement, education, and referrals to social service organizations, for LGBTQ+ immigrants.

SUMMARY

UnLocal, Inc. is hiring a Staff Attorney for a full-time, exempt position within UnLocal’s Legal Department. Applicants with significant experience will be considered for a Senior Staff Attorney title. The staff member will primarily support UnLocal’s Queer Immigrant Justice Project, which provides high-quality representation in a wide variety of humanitarian immigration matters to LGBTQ+ immigrants. The existing docket is predominantly affirmative asylum, but is trending toward more removal defense. Historically QIJP has also assisted with legal name and gender marker changes.

The role may also touch other parts of UnLocal’s work, including the General Practice, Pro Se Plus Project, the Post-Order Defense Team (which is part of the Rapid Response Legal Collaborative). The role demands an innovative approach to problem-solving, a deep commitment to clients, and a collaborative work style.

The Staff Attorney/Senior Staff Attorney will provide legal representation before USCIS, the Immigration Courts, Board of Immigration Appeals, and occasionally in District and Circuit Courts, as well as advocacy with ICE. This full-time, exempt position reports to a Supervising Attorney.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Client Representation & Legal Advocacy:
   • Develop and share expertise in working with LGBTQ+ clients.
   • Conduct client intake interviews, assess eligibility for immigration relief, and provide comprehensive legal consultations.
   • Represent clients in removal proceedings before Immigration Courts, including the preparation and filing of all necessary motions, applications, and appeals.
   • Handle a diverse caseload of complex immigration matters, including asylum, withholding of removal, Convention Against Torture (CAT) claims, cancellation of removal, and other forms of relief.
   • Prepare and submit affirmative immigration filings, such as asylum applications, adjustment of status, DACA, U Status, T Status, and other forms of relief.
   • Assist with legal name and gender marker changes.
   • Conduct legal research, draft legal memoranda, briefs, and other legal documents to support client cases.
2. Community Education & Outreach
   • Workshops: Collaborate with UnLocal’s Education and Outreach team to develop and present KYR and other information tailored to immigrant communities. Deliver legal information in accessible formats during community events.
   • Legal Clinics: Participate in on-site and virtual legal clinics, providing direct support including screenings, legal consultations, application assistance (I-589, I-765), pro se trial preparation, etc.
   • Materials Development: Assist in creating educational content and handouts for community distribution to promote legal literacy on immigration processes and defenses.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• J.D. degree and admission to the bar of New York State.
• At least 3 years of relevant immigration law experience, including removal defense.
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively, communicate effectively, multitask, and solve problems.
• Experience working with LGBTQ+ community members, people of color, and youth.

PREFERRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED, QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proficiency in a second language, particularly Spanish and/or French, to effectively communicate with diverse client populations is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with pro se legal representation and resources, enhancing support for clients navigating their own legal processes.
• Experience in community education and outreach, particularly in immigrant communities, to promote understanding of legal rights and resources.
• Knowledge of federal litigation processes and experience handling cases in federal courts, particularly in immigration law contexts.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

• Salary range is $80-82K, dependent on experience.
• Full premium coverage for health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Contributions to commuter benefits and access to 401k.
• Professional Development and Wellness Funds.
• UnLocal staff work in a hybrid in-person/virtual setting.
• 40 days of paid time off (PTO), which is available to be used for any reason the staff member sees fit.
• Office closure between Christmas and New Year’s (not counted towards PTO).
• After three years of employment with UnLocal, staff are eligible for a four-week paid sabbatical.
• Promoting work-life balance through Flexible Fridays.

To Apply:

If you are passionate about making a difference and possess the required skills, please submit your resume and cover letter to Adrian Espana at Adrian@unlocal.org. We look forward to welcoming a dedicated Staff Attorney to add to our team.

This position primarily involves sedentary work, including extended periods of sitting, use of a computer, and communication via phone and video conferencing. Travel will be required for funder outreach or partner meetings. Position frequently moves items of up to 10 pounds across the office or into off-site locations. Occasional weekend availability is required. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, UnLocal, Inc. 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

UnLocal, Inc. 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 dismantle bias in all forms.