Children's Legal Program Staff Attorney

The Agency:

Americans for Immigrant Justice (AI Justice – formerly FIAC), a not-for-profit law firm 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 organizations as well as with grassroots organizations and local, state and national government officials to effect positive change in immigration policies.

AI Justice is seeking a qualified, full-time Staff Attorney for its work with unaccompanied immigrant children detained in the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) facilities and living in South Florida community. Job responsibilities include:

·      Working in a team to provide Know Your Rights presentations and legal screenings for children detained in ORR facilities;

·      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 to detained and non-detained children within the Miami Immigration Court jurisdiction;

·      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:

·      Conduct legal screenings of unaccompanied minors to determine eligibility for legal relief and representation by AI Justice, and 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 handle a high-volume caseload, with multiple deadlines and other tasks simultaneously.

·      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. 

AI Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package, including excellent health, vision, and dental, and life insurance coverage; 15 paid days of vacation leave; 13 paid holidays; 10 paid health days; 1 personal day. It also includes a TriRail discount commuter benefit and $50/month cell phone stipend to off-set communication expenses. After one year of employment, staff are entitled to paid parental leave and up to 3% matching employer contribution to 403(b) retirement plan with increase eligibility thereafter. Vacation and health leave increases after two- and five-year anniversaries. Paid sabbatical available at five years.