Staff Attorney, Detained Adult Program

Who We Are:

The Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition is the only non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C. area focused exclusively on providing free legal assistance to child and adult immigrants detained by the government in the Capital Region.

Position Summary:

A staff attorney in the Detained Adult Program focuses on: (i) screening individuals for program eligibility and immigration relief, (ii) managing a caseload of direct legal services to immigrant adults held in facilities in Virginia, Maryland and outside the DMV region, (iii) maintaining client and stakeholder information up to date in the organization’s database, (iv) advocating with stakeholders and community representatives for program and clients, and (v) the mentoring of pro bono attorneys.

General Duties and Responsibilities [1]:

Representation:

• Manage a caseload of in-house direct legal representation of detained clients in removal proceedings before the Arlington and/or Baltimore Immigration Courts and out-of-state courts via remote appearance as needed. This includes representation in cases such as Asylum, Withholding of Removal, Protection under the Convention against Torture, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Board of Immigration Appeals, U-Visas, T- Visas, and Cancellation of Removal. An average staff attorney’s docket consists of four trial level cases going to individual hearing and other removal defense cases.
• Provide expert mentoring to outside pro bono attorneys representing detained immigrants on a pro bono basis.
• Prepare Post Release Plans and social service plans, in coordination with social services staff.
• Research, engage, and prepare experts on health, behavioral health, and country conditions.

Detention Facility Services:

• Conduct government detention center visits as needed to prepare clients for their immigration hearings.
• Conduct individual intakes with immigrants at the detention facilities or remotely. Provide necessary follow-up after intakes to evaluate program eligibility and eligibility for relief, including performing research, securing criminal/juvenile delinquency records and obtaining additional information from family and community members.

Organizational Services:

• Ensure the inputting and accuracy of data and case information into shared databases in a timely fashion.
• Assist other program staff in completion of their workload during high-work/low- bandwidth periods.
• Take part in stakeholder relationship activities, including in-person and telephonic meetings with community groups, governmental bodies and representatives, and other legal service providers.
• Conduct trainings and stakeholder meetings with detention center staff.
• Engage with internal CAIR Coalition committees and working groups to lend a voice to the growth and strategy of the organization.
• Undertake own administrative functions, including for casework (e.g., preparation of all aspects of filings). CAIR Coalition attorneys do not have dedicated paralegals for assistance on cases and non-attorney staff time is dedicated to client-facing tasks (e.g, jail visits).

Program-Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Members of the Detained Adult program, in addition to the responsibilities above, also:

• Coordinate with all internal DAP Programs (e.g., LOP, NQRP, Safe Cities) to ensure all programs are kept abreast of developments and clients.

Our Work Environment

CAIR Coalition’s Detained Adult Program is a highly collaborative work environment. Each team lead works directly with a focused team, but all colleagues are interconnected through, for example, case workshopping or staff-run committees such as Equity and Inclusion Committee.   

DAP staff has been a source of expertise in the highly complex and ever-changing immigration system. They have persisted through administration changes, policy shifts, and attacks on the rights and freedoms of immigrants through project-focused cohorts that arise to address challenges or to brainstorm and implement affirmative strategies.   

We center impacted people in our advocacy and media. We embrace the movement in our work while also staying focused on the practicalities we trained for, as well as where we are most useful in this movement. We grow our reach and skill set when resources permit and there is passion. We do not limit our push or dreams for this world based on the limits we know but try to imagine how to navigate around them.   

We value our brain trust and are constantly finding ways to ensure that we maintain and grow, in ways that acknowledge those with expertise but also sets up new advocates for success.   

Competencies Required:

Legal Proficiency

The Staff Attorney demonstrates a developing understanding of legal concepts at a level that allows them to provide services to clients with moderate supervision. The Staff Attorney clearly and skillfully employs the law in written and oral presentations with limited supervision and input from supervisors. The Staff Attorney contributes substantively to case assessment discussions. The Staff Attorney is working towards self-sufficiency in client hearings, interviews, and legal research and writing.

Client and Programmatic Proficiency

The Staff Attorney satisfactorily handles all required in-jail and in-office programmatic obligations (intake, follow-up, case summaries, case development, etc.) with limited supervision. The Staff Attorney manages their in-house and pro bono mentoring caseload to allow for proper prioritization and thoughtful use of time and resources.

Administrative

The Staff Attorney ensures that all administrative aspects of their position, attendant to the provision of services to clients, are carried out without managerial intervention, including timekeeping, file upkeep, database upkeep, etc.

Qualifications Required:

• JD and 1 -3 years of relevant experience with at least one year of immigration law preferred.
• Certification: Licensed to practice law or expecting attorney bar exam results in the fall of 2022. 
• Written and oral Spanish fluency strongly preferred.
• Ability to manage a docket of detained removal defense cases.
• Strong trial advocacy skills preferred.
• Driver’s license required.

What Else You Should Know:

Position Type:

Full-time, exempt

Supervisory Responsibility:

This position does not include primary supervision of other staff. However, may involve the supervision of legal assistants or interns depending on case specific needs.

Reports To:

DAP Managing Attorney

Timeline:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Deadline to apply is July 1st. The start date for this role will be on August 18th.  

Salary:

$61,500 - $75,800

Salary is commensurate with experience per CAIR Coalition salary scale. 

Location

This position will primarily be based in the Baltimore, Maryland office, though the Washington, D.C. office may be available as a less preferred second option. Due to business related travel expectations, it is recommended candidates live within 30-miles of their assigned primary office. 

Telework

All CAIR Coalition staff, interns, and volunteers are working remotely. However, due to the duties and responsibilities of Staff Attorney certain staff members will be required to live within 30 miles of their assigned primary office. Staff are expected to work from the office once per week following a hybrid model, as long as they are in compliance with CAIR Coalition's COVID-19 policies.

COVID-19 Vaccination:

All employees are required to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. To be fully vaccinated means having completed the full dosages required for the type of vaccine obtained as designated by the CDC. If boosters are subsequently recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) then employees will be required to receive the booster within thirty (30) days of their eligibility to access the boosters.

How to Apply:

Submit your resume, a cover letter that explains your interest in this role, and a writing sample with your Paylocity application.

https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1159989/Capital-Area-Immigrants-Rights-Coalition/Staff-Attorney-Detained-Adult-Program

EEO Statement

Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti-discrimination law, it is the purpose of this policy to effectuate these principles and mandates. CAIR Coalition prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. CAIR Coalition conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

Anti-Racism Statement:

https://www.caircoalition.org/cair-coalitions-statement-becoming-anti-racist-organization