Senior Managing Attorney, Detention Project

ILAP

Based in Portland, Maine, with a satellite office in Lewiston, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) is Maine’s only state-wide immigration legal aid organization. ILAP’s mission is to help low-income immigrants improve their legal status and to work for more just and humane laws and policies affecting immigrants. ILAP’s work includes direct legal services for over 3,000 clients each year; education and outreach to immigrant communities and service providers; and systemic advocacy on local, state, and federal immigration law issues.

ILAP is committed to fostering a respectful, collaborative, and equitable work environment with equal opportunity for all employees. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We believe in building an organization that reflects the communities we serve and values diversity in background, experience, education, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, and sensory, mental, and physical abilities. We believe that a diverse and equitable organization strengthens our programming and services and advances our organizational values.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Senior Managing Attorney, Detention Project is responsible for programmatic, strategic, and operational leadership for ILAP’s Detention Project. The role supervises Detention Project staff and fellows and leads a growing area of work focused on expanding access to immigration legal services for Maine residents detained by U.S. immigration officials and residents of other states being detained in Maine.

The role serves as ILAP’s lead attorney for habeas corpus litigation responsible for litigating habeas petitions directly and as co-counsel. The role also manages ILAP’s work with external attorneys handling low bono and pro bono habeas petitions for clients referred by ILAP.

Additionally, the Senior Managing Attorney, Detention Project serves as a key connector across ILAP’s legal work, ensuring that detention-related services are aligned and integrated with the organization’s broader immigration practice. In a project that is still evolving, the Senior Detention Attorney will play a central role in defining priorities, strengthening coordination, and building sustainable systems that support both clients and staff.

Please head to this link for more details about the role and to apply. Thank you for considering joining ILAP!

ILAP offers a generous benefits package. Current benefits include:

• Fully paid individual health and dental insurance coverage and significant coverage for dependents’ health insurance;
• Vacation (20 days), Holidays (13.5), Sick Days (12), and Personal Days (4);
• Reduced Hours Fridays;
• Paid parental leave and a paid family and medical leave policy;
• Paid sabbatical after each 5 years of employment;
• Employer Retirement Contributions;
• Health Savings Plan;
• Law School Repayment Assistance;
• Employer paid premium for long term disability and life insurance;
• Individual and staff-wide professional development opportunities; and
• Alternative Work Arrangement (eligible after 90-day onboarding)