Staff Attorney - Unaccompanied Children and Immigrant Youth Program

THE ORGANIZATION

Al Otro Lado is a binational legal services and immigrant rights organization serving immigrants, asylum seekers and deported persons in Southern California, Tijuana, México, and beyond. We approach cases using a multidisciplinary, client-centered, harm reduction-based lens, and engage in zealous individual representation, medical-legal partnerships, human rights monitoring and impact litigation to protect the rights of individual immigrants and challenge systemic practices that violate the human rights of immigrant communities. We leverage vital partnerships with community-based organizations and academic institutions, and engage thousands of volunteers to maximize our impact and help build a broad-based immigrant justice movement.

For more information about our organization, please visit us on our website at: alotrolado.org/ or visit us on social media: Instagram and Twitter: @alotrolado_org; Facebook: Al Otro Lado.

ATTORNEY

(UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN & IMMIGRANT YOUTH REPRESENTATION)

Al Otro Lado is seeking a bilingual Spanish-speaking Staff Attorney for the U.S. Based Advocacy team’s Unaccompanied Minor and Immigrant Youth Representation program. The US. Based Advocacy team provides holistic, full-scale representation to particularly vulnerable immigrants, including unaccompanied children, members of the LGBTQA+ community, Indigenous migrants, Black migrants, torture survivors, survivors of human trafficking, clients with disabiltiies/medical vulnerabilities, and clients whose cases present family unity concerns. Our holistic representation strategy includes identifying a client’s needs, goals, and challenges, and seeking to achieve their best immigration outcomes, not only through legal services but also by connecting individuals with support to overcome the non-legal obstacles they face in their cases.

The Attorney will work under the supervision of the Managing Attorney, and work within a team of staff attorneys and legal assistants working with unaccompanied minors seeking forms of relief including Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (“SIJS”), asylum, and other humanitarian protections as relevant.

The Attorney will be based out of Al Otro Lado’s Los Angeles office and will have the opportunity to work a hybrid in-person/remote model with in-person duties as needed to serve our client population. In-person duties may include attending court hearings, ICE check-in’s, USCIS interviews, and in-person client meetings. Court hearings and other in-person tasks may require travel throughout the Southern California region, and potentially other locations as assigned.

JOB DUTIES

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide direct representation to unaccompanied children and immigrant youth located in Southern California.
• Represent clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), the Executive Office for Immigration Review (“EOIR”), and California state courts (Family and Probate).
• Peer Review: Review and provide feedback for applications for relief prepared by team members.
• Provide support for the legal team in a dynamic immigration environment.
• Assist in developing and implementing policies, templates, and procedures that increase effectiveness and efficiency within our representation work
• Keep abreast of changes in case, statutory, or regulatory law in relation to SIJ and immigration law in general
• Ensure compliance with Al Otro Lado’s data management policies including record-keeping for grants and funders, case management documentation, and internal systems for fiscal and personnel oversight
• Assist the managing attorney in the data compilation for and preparation of reports, grant and government contract applications, and program budgets
• Other duties as assigned to support the mission of the organization

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

• J.D. degree from an accredited university, with active California State Bar license
• Preferred: 1+ years of practical experience in immigration law, preferably working with unaccompanied children / immigrant youth
• Fluency in Spanish and English, including the ability to communicate professionally and in writing in both languages
• Excellent legal skills and broad knowledge of immigration law and removal defense
• Self-direction and self-reliance, with exceptional attention to detail and ability to balance multiple cases, tasks, and deadlines
• Strong organizational, written and oral communication skills
• Flexible, innovative, and able to quickly adapt to changing program needs as immigration policies change
• Able to work in a fast-paced setting with limited resources
• Adept at learning to use new technology platforms, as well as experience and proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Zoom, and Google Workspace tools
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission and values of Al Otro Lado
• Commitment to working in a diverse professional environment, with a kind and respectful attitude towards clients, colleagues, and relevant stakeholders

Please note, this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. The ideal candidate will be flexible, adaptive, and enthusiastic about responding to needs as they arise.

All Al Otro Lado staff working directly with clients must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including with recommended boosters, and must follow strict COVID protocol while providing services, including by using a high-quality mask in shared spaces and by testing for COVID if experiencing any symptoms.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

This is a full-time, exempt position with a starting annual salary of $68,000 to $83,000, depending on experience. Al Otro Lado is piloting a 36-hour work week, with a half-day (4 hours) on Fridays. Payroll adjustments are made to ensure that all staff receive the same wages as in a 40-hour work week.

Al Otro Lado’s comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Health benefits: Al Otro Lado contributes up to 99% of employee medical & 70% of employee dental and vision premiums. Insurance coverage is effective on the 1st of the month following the employee’s date of hire.
• Employer Sponsored Insurances: Employer-sponsored Group Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, and Life/AD&D coverage.
• Optional Coverages: Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Insurance.
• Paid Time Off: Up to three weeks of accrued paid time off per year.
• Paid Holidays: 10 paid holidays observed and 2 paid weeks off for Winter Break in December/January.
• Paid Parental Leave: Supplemental wage integration following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care.
• 403(B): Retirement plan investment opportunities to include Pre-tax or ROTH options.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Employer sponsored plan offering mental health support, and legal and financial services.
• Full-time employees who have completed at least 5 years of continuous full-time service with the organization will be eligible to apply for up to eight consecutive weeks of Sabbatical Leave, during which the employee will receive full compensation and continue to receive their accrued benefits.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please submit a letter of interest, resume, and three professional references to jobs@alotrolado.org, with Staff Attorney: Unaccompanied Minor and Immigrant Youth Representation in the subject line. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please. Al Otro Lado values diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages applications from people of color, LGBTQ individuals, formerly incarcerated individuals, individuals with disabilities, and members of underrepresented communities.

For permanent full-time position

Al Otro Lado’s comprehensive benefit package includes:

• Health benefits: Al Otro Lado contributes up to 90% of employee medical & up to 70% of employee dental and vision premiums. Insurance coverage is effective on the 1st of the month following the employee's date of hire.
• Employer Sponsored Insurances: Employer-sponsored Group Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability and Life/ AD&D coverage.
• Optional Coverages: Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Insurance
• Paid Time Off: Up to three weeks of accrued paid time off per year.
• Paid Holidays: 10 paid holidays observed, plus 2 week off for Winter Break
• Sabbatical Leave: Employees are eligible for paid Sabbatical Leave after 5 years of full-time employment.
• Paid Parental Leave: Supplemental wage integration following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care.
• 403(B): Retirement plan investment opportunities to include Pre-tax or ROTH options
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Employer sponsored plan offering mental health support, legal and financial services