Staff Attorney

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. NYLAG’s staff of over 400 impacted the lives of nearly 129,000 people last year.

Job description

NYLAG is seeking a highly motivated attorney within NYLAG’s Immigrant Protection Unit to provide legal representation to immigrant survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, intimate partnerviolence, and other trauma. The job requires substantive knowledge and experience working with trauma survivors in seeking DV-related immigration relief, removal defense, and asylum. The staff attorney must be able to manage urgent matters efficiently and independently while maintaining a trauma-informed and client-centered approach. The staff attorney will represent immigrants in administrative and removal proceedings before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Immigration Courts.

Duties and Responsibilities

The staff attorney’s responsibilities will include:

• Provide legal screenings, advice, and representation in a broad range of immigration matters, including VAWA self-petitions; petitions for U Nonimmigrant Status (U Visas) and T Visas; battered spouse waivers; adjustment of status; removal defense - including asylum and VAWA cancellation of removal; petitions for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and related matters;[SA1]
• Represent immigrants in applications and petitions before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;
• Represent immigrants in Immigration Court proceedings;
• Conduct internal and external trainings for attorneys, paralegals, and community advocates on DV-based immigration matters;
• Work closely with the Family Justice Center’s (FJC) attorneys and paralegals, as well as FJC’s on-site community agency partners and advocates;
• Conduct outreach, engagement, and education with communities and community based organizations;
• Attend internal NYLAG meetings including with the Immigrant Protection

Unit as a whole, and the FJC and RISE project team as a whole;

• Participate in external coalitions and task forces addressing DV/SA issues;
• Train, mentor, and engage with interns, volunteers, and pro bonos to expand access to legal representation and advocacy to survivors;
• Administrative duties, updating case management system, managing files, and assisting with grant reporting as needed;
• Other duties as needed.

Qualifications

• Admission[SA2] to Bar, New York State Bar required;[SA3]
• 2-[SA4] 4 years of immigration law experience in matters, including VAWA self-petitions; petitions for U and T Visas; battered spouse waivers; adjustment of status; removal defense - including asylum and VAWA cancellation of removal; and petitions for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status;
• At least 2 years of experience working with survivors of sexual and gender based violence and providing trauma-informed services;
• Fluency in Spanish preferred;
• A strong commitment to advancing survivor justice through client-centered legal advocacy;
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest work;
• Excellent written, oral and analytical skills;
• Excellent organizational skills; and
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently.

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.

Employment type:

☒ Full-time

Professional Level:

☒ Professional

Salary Range:

NYLAG is a unionized workplace, and salaries are set pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. The current salary range for this position is between $88,265 and $97,132.

Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401k, life insurance, long term disability, commuter benefits, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for Medical and Dependent care.

Application Instructions: Please save resume and cover letter on one pdf.

Covid Vaccination Policy: Please note, to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and clients, NYLAG requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption is approved.

NYLAG is committed to a hybrid work policy for staff whose work does not require their full-time presence in the office. NYLAG’s current policy is that most staff are required to work in NYLAG’s offices or do other in-person work at least two days each week. This policy is subject to change.