APA Supervising Attorney

Program: Hogar Immigrant Services – Legal

Location: Woodbridge, VA

Full-Time Temporary position (2-3 year contract)

The Afghan Placement and Assistance Program (APA) Supervising Attorney works exclusively with Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders and parolees evacuated from Afghanistan in summer/fall 2021. S/he prepares cases for submission to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and represents clients before the USCIS Washington District Office and the Arlington Asylum Office in matters including adjustment of status, asylum, work permit applications and renewals, family petitions, and Special Immigrant Visa petitions. The Supervising Attorney coordinates all aspects of a client's case, including client communication, relevant research, drafting personal statements, preparing immigration forms, writing briefs, and advocacy with law enforcement and other agencies.

Additionally, the Supervising Attorney will:

• Assist in the supervision of staff attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives, volunteers, and student interns.
• Provide technical review (i.e., open and periodic single-blind peer review) of filings of legal staff; serve as point person for risk mitigation related to provision of legal advice and counsel.
• Provide in-service training to staff and volunteers on immigration-related skills and knowledge.
• Provide public education in the community, collaborating with other agencies.
• Advise the Program Director on legal issues pertaining to the APA Program (including recommendations for staff training opportunities).
• Participate as needed in agency and program-wide data collection, fundraising, training, and strategic planning.
• Participate in meetings with immigration legal service community-based organizations.
• Provide referrals to clients for non-legal services as needed.
• Provide data and information for grant and agency reports, as needed.

Prerequisites for the Position:

• Juris Doctor degree and admission to the Bar of any state.
• Three to five years of experience practicing immigration law, to include substantial experience representing individual clients before agencies of the Department of Homeland Security and the Immigration Court (EOIR).
• Advanced proficiency in Dari and/or Pashto (writing and speaking) desired, though not required.
• Ability to work both independently and with others to manage a substantial workload with deadline pressures.
• Competence in communicating and interacting with others of diverse cultural, geographic, and economic backgrounds in a professional and compassionate manner, including interacting with individuals experiencing substantial levels of emotional, physical, financial, or other hardship. 
• Ability to use basic Microsoft Office programs and online case management software.
• Commitment to the mission and goals of Catholic Charities Hogar Immigrant Services - Legal.
• Willingness to uphold Catholic moral and social teachings in the workplace.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.