Senior Staff Attorney

Project Citizenship | Senior Staff Attorney Job Description

Are you passionate about positively impacting the lives of immigrants in Boston and beyond? Project Citizenship is seeking a dedicated Senior Staff Attorney to join our dynamic team! This role provides the opportunity to combine legal expertise with team leadership and help shape our legal services program.

Project Citizenship is a nonprofit organization that seeks to increase the naturalization rate in New England, with a focus on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. We do that by offering eligibility screening, application assistance, legal referrals, free workshops, and all materials needed to apply for U.S. citizenship, leveraging our impact with the support of hundreds of volunteers and community partners. Project Citizenship envisions a society where all immigrants have the opportunity to participate in American democracy and thrive in their communities fully.

Are you ready to take on a challenging and rewarding role that allows you to make a difference in the lives of others and contribute to the success of Project Citizenship? If so, we invite you to apply for this position today!

Principal Purpose of Job: Reporting to the Associate Director, the Senior Staff Attorney will lead the work of the Legal Department, including supervising legal staff and providing direct legal representation to clients. Working collaboratively as a member of the Client Services team, the Senior Staff Attorney will play a key role in supporting Project Citizenship’s mission by providing high-quality legal services to clients, advising on complex legal issues, coordinating legal aspects of our work, and supporting staff and volunteer training.

Essential Job Functions:

• Legal Oversight & Client Representation (60%)

o Assist with the legal aspects of organizing, implementing, and managing group processing naturalization workshops, including supporting the oversight and engagement of volunteer attorneys.

o Lead direct client representation work, including overseeing completion and filing of USCIS applications (e.g., forms N-400, N-600, N-648, I-912, N-336, G-28, and FOIA requests), representing clients with disabilities during naturalization interviews, and assisting clients in responding to Notices of Continuance and Notices of Intent to Deny.

o Manage legal aspects of the client intake process, including eligibility assessment and identification of potential legal issues for naturalization and certificate of citizenship applicants.

o Review criminal, immigration, biographical, and tax records, and conduct legal research when necessary to determine eligibility for naturalization, derivation/acquisition of citizenship, and fee waivers.

o Supervise the N-648 program, which includes reviewing forms prepared by doctors, suggesting revisions to be returned for doctor review, approving final Forms

N-648 before submission, and overseeing the pro-bono representation interview representation program.

• Staff Supervision (30%)

o Provide guidance to the Legal Team, notably regarding complex legal matters.

o Delegate tasks to the Legal Team, follow-up on deliverables, and provide performance feedback.

o Work collaboratively with the Legal team and other key stakeholders to recruit, interview, and supervise legal interns.

o Hold regular check-ins with direct reports, providing regular feedback, goal setting, year-end reviews, and mentorship.

o Facilitate cross-functional collaboration across the client services team.

• Departmental Leadership (10%)

o Maintain DOJ recognition for Project Citizenship and assist staff to apply for/renew DOJ accreditation.

o Create standards of practice and/or procedures for the Legal Team.

o Represent the organization to various legal groups, local bar and law school pro bono fairs, and community events to enhance partnerships and recruit volunteers and interns.

o Identify potential areas for impact litigation and coordinate with pro bono partner(s) to represent Project Citizenship and/or its clients in pursuing litigation.

o Remain current in best practices in immigration legal services, participating in professional development opportunities as appropriate.

o Lead the preparation of public comments or statements representing Project Citizenship’s legal position.

Desired Qualifications:

1. Admission to a U.S. State Bar.
2. Three to five years of experience as a practicing attorney within the field of immigration law.
3. One to two years of management experience fostering effective and efficient team performance.
4. Expert attention to detail and organizational skills.
5. Ability to work effectively as part of a team and with people from all levels of the organization.
6. Commitment to providing high-quality services to clients with a respectful, culturally competent, non-judgmental approach.
7. Demonstrated independence, self-direction, ability to take initiative, and effectiveness in balancing conflicting priorities.
8. Excellent writing and communication skills.
9. Knowledge of Salesforce and Microsoft Office Suite highly preferred.
10. Proficiency in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Cape Verdean Creole, or Arabic, a plus.

We know that many people (especially people of color, women, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities) are less likely to apply if they do not check off all the boxes. If you think you’re a good fit for this role, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all our desired expectations.

Details

• This is a full-time, hybrid position.

o At least 3 days in the office per week will be required after fully in-person onboarding.

o Periodic evening and weekend work (with advance notice) is required.

• Salary Range: $82,000-$90,000, commensurate with experience.
• Benefits include 4 weeks of paid vacation, 11 paid holidays, 5 days of wellness leave; health and dental insurance (w/ 20% employee contribution); and 401K retirement plan access (with employer match of up to 2% of the contribution) after 6 months of employment.

How to apply:

To apply, please fill out this Google Form (https://bit.ly/4y7Dx7L). In lieu of a cover letter, this form will ask you a few screening and short-answer questions and will request your resume.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early. Start date is as soon as possible.

If you have any trouble viewing or accessing the Google forms, or have any accessibility needs, please email careers@projectcitizenship.org for support.

Benefits include 4 weeks of paid vacation, 11 paid holidays, 5 days of wellness leave; health and dental insurance (w/ 20% employee contribution); and 401K retirement plan access (with employer match of up to 2% of the contribution) after 6 months of employment.

Proficiency in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Cape Verdean Creole, or Arabic, a plus.