Supervisory Attorney - Immigrants & Workers' Rights (Farmworker)

For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our office, located in downtown Chicago at 200 N. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways.

Overview:

Legal Aid Chicago’s Immigrants & Workers’ Rights Practice Group (IWR) includes the areas of employment, immigration, migrant farmworker, and human trafficking law. IWR’s four teams work both independently and in an interdisciplinary manner when these areas of law overlap. IWR’s primary work is to provide direct services to clients in Cook County and can provide services statewide legal assistance as well.

Position:

Legal Aid Chicago seeks a full-time Supervisory Attorney to supervise our farmworker legal services team. The position will supervise a team of paralegals who conduct statewide outreach to farmworkers, both domestic, migrant, and those working in the U.S. on special visas. This position may require travel to court or other outreach events. The successful applicant will be highly collegial and demonstrate a commitment to and experience with our client communities and an understanding of the vulnerabilities of agricultural workers.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain a caseload of individual cases representing clients in the following areas: wage and hour violations, housing conditions, employment contract law, health and safety violations, pesticide law, immigration-related remedies, and other related legal issues
• Supervise paralegals on cases and conducting statewide outreach to farmworkers, including editing written work, providing guidance on case strategy, conducting regular case reviews, providing training in substantive areas of law as well as litigation skills, completing performance evaluations, and overseeing professional development
• Maintain case files and accurate timekeeping in electronic case management system and ensure supervised staff do as well
• Maintain knowledge in other areas of law handled by Legal Aid Chicago to ensure that clients’ legal needs are identified and met in those areas
• Participate in complex litigation or advocacy to address systemic issues for farmworkers
• Work collaboratively with Legal Aid Chicago supervisors, staff, students, and volunteers
• Develop strategies for outreach to farmworkers
• Engage in outreach and engage with stakeholders in the farmworker community, and represent Legal Aid Chicago on relevant community task forces, committees, or other government or non-profit bodies connected with our work.
• Participate in training to agencies, advocates, clients, or community groups about legal services and rights impacting low income persons
• Participate in other activities related to poverty law including publication, permissible legislative and administrative advocacy, media relations, and fundraising
• Manage grant reports and grant compliance, as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Salary and Benefits:

The budgeted salary range for this position is $89,704 - $99,704, which reflects an applicant with a law school graduation date between 2020 and 2010.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bilingual Supervisory Attorneys are eligible for an additional stipend
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 21 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 401(a) retirement plan with an employer contribution after 3 months of employment
• $100,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
• Chicago Bar Association Membership, at no cost
• Reimbursement of annual ARDC registration fees
• Monthly internet reimbursement
• Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program

Requirements

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applications from individuals with relevant experience, particularly those who have direct experience with communities we serve or perspectives that help us understand and serve our clients better.

• Illinois law license or able to waive into Illinois bar
• At least four years of experience in a farmworker program or relevant experience is preferred
• Knowledge of employment, immigration, or migrant farmworker law
• Strong oral and written communication skills, highly developed organizational and interpersonal skills, and great client counseling skills
• Spanish fluency required