Staff Attorney (Russian Speaking), Immigration Protection Unit

About NYLAG

Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combatting economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. During COVID-19, most of our services are virtual to keep our community safe. NYLAG’s staff of 300 impacted the lives of nearly 90,800 people last year.

Mission

New York Legal Assistance Group uses the power of the law to help New Yorkers experiencing poverty or in crisis combat economic, racial, and social injustice. We address emerging and urgent needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving clients, whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality.

Values that guide us

• We reduce the effects of poverty by providing high quality, effective civil legal services.
• We strive to serve individuals and communities through a race equity lens to counteract systemic racism.
• We work to create a welcoming and inclusive work environment that reflects the communities we serve.
• We achieve systemic change through class actions, impact litigation and by advocating for just laws and policies.
• We partner with our clients to help them transform their lives and strengthen their communities.
• We address our clients’ multiple legal needs by collaborating across our practice areas.
• We are at the forefront of identifying and understanding New Yorkers’ most pressing legal needs, rapidly adapting to meet these needs with innovative programs and partnerships.
• We assess need broadly, recognizing that need is not a function of income alone.
• We collaborate with community organizations and engage pro bono attorneys and volunteers to serve a greater number of people with unmet civil legal needs.
• We teach and train the next generation of legal service professionals.

Job Description 

The Staff Attorney will provide legal representation and legal advocacy to non-citizens experiencing poverty who are in removal proceedings before the Immigration Court, have previously been ordered removed by an Immigration Judge, or have affirmative matters before the US Citizenship and Immigration Service. A substantial portion of these clients will be Russian and/or Ukrainian-speaking and will not be proficient in English. The Staff Attorney will also conduct screening and consultations with potential clients, many of whom will be detained or in danger of being imminently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), are in complex removal defense postures, or have extensive immigration histories. The Staff Attorney will also supervise pro bono attorneys on removal and affirmative proceedings. 

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Represent clients in detained and non-detained removal proceedings before the Immigration Court and their appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals and Second Circuit. 
• Represent clients in Family Court as needed for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and in affirmative matters before the US Citizenship and Immigration Court. 
• Attend community clinics to provide advice and application assistance. 
• Perform intake and screening, and provide advice, consultation, advocacy, and brief services to potential clients in NYLAG’s office, at clinical programs in the community, and in detention facilities. 
• Make visits to detention centers as necessary to interview and prepare clients.
• Maintain data in case management system and assist with gathering data for grant reporting. 
• Represent NYLAG at advocate meetings and community events. 
• Work with and mentor pro bono attorneys, volunteers, and law students working with NYLAG.
• Conduct trainings for community-based organizations, local agencies, and other advocates in the related substantive matters. 
• Supervise pro bono attorneys in defensive and affirmative cases.
• Do other duties as required by the position.

Qualifications 

• Admission to New York Bar required. 
• Fluency in Russian is required. 
• Fluency in Ukrainian is preferred.
• Minimum three years experience in immigration law required.
• Minimum two year of experience in removal defense required. 
• Experience with appellate work, federal litigation, including habeas petitions, required. 
• Experience working with survivors of trauma, immigrants and/or underserved communities. 
• Excellent oral advocacy, litigation, research, and writing skills. 
• Strong organizational and administrative skills. 

Employment type: Full Time. A one-year commitment is required.   

Professional Level: Professional 

Salary Range: $73,046 - $77,294, commensurate with experience. 

Benefits: Excellent benefits. 

NYLAG’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion 

NYLAG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.