Children's Legal Program Staff Attorney – Lake Worth Office

The Agency:

Americans for Immigrant Justice (AI Justice), a not-for-profit legal services organization founded in 1996 to protect and promote the basic human rights of immigrants, has a multicultural and a multilingual staff. AI Justice has represented clients from around the world and is recognized as a powerful advocate and national leader for immigrants' rights. AI Justice works closely with traditional civil rights groups as well as grassroots organizations and local, state and national government officials to affect positive change in immigration policies.

DUTIES:

AI Justice is seeking a qualified, full-time Staff Attorney for its work with unaccompanied immigrant children and immigrant children in foster care. Job responsibilities include: Working in a team to provide Know Your Rights presentations and legal screenings for children detained in ORR facility in Lake Worth area. Additionally, the staff attorney will provide legal representation in immigration proceedings before the Immigration Court; appellate proceedings before the Board of Immigration Appeals; proceedings before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and proceedings in state family and juvenile courts within the Miami Immigration Court jurisdiction. The Staff Attorney will represent clients seeking immigration benefits, including asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) status, and/or T or U nonimmigrant status, and state court orders necessary to support SIJ applications. The Staff Attorney also will be required to conduct legal screenings of unaccompanied minors to determine eligibility for legal relief and representation by AI Justice, provide advice and counsel to unaccompanied minors, and comply with other program reporting.

Qualifications:

·      Florida Bar membership required.

·      Preference for experience in immigration law, including experience with Special Immigrant Juvenile, asylum, VAWA, T and/or U visa cases

·      Preference for experience in family, child welfare and/or juvenile law related matters

·      Preference for experience working with domestic violence victims and/or other victims of trauma

·      Strong writing, research and analytical skills; strong communication and group leadership skills

·      Interest in policy advocacy at the national level

·      Excellent presentation skills for community outreach, education and training

·      Ability to work independently and under pressure

·      Ability to work well with people of diverse educational, cultural and professional backgrounds

·      Enthusiastic about and committed to working alongside people from diverse cultural, educational, professional, and socioeconomic backgrounds. A demonstrated belief in diversity, inclusion, and equity for all individuals. 

·      Comfortable working in a collaborative environment that values giving and receiving feedback 

·      Experience with immigration and/or child dependency legal clinics in law school would be especially helpful

·      Experience working with children is a plus

·      Fully bilingual, including reading and writing, in English and Spanish required. Speakers of Mayan languages strongly encouraged to apply.

·      Must have own transportation

·      Must be willing to submit to an extensive background check, including FBI, statewide repository, and sex offender registry checks

EDUCATION:

·      JD degree required. Florida Bar membership required.

Location: Lake Worth, FL