Immigration Attorney

Mission: The Worker Justice Center of New York pursues justice for those denied human rights, with a focus on agricultural workers and other workers in low-wage industries, through legal representation, community empowerment and advocacy for institutional change.

Opportunity: WJCNY is currently seeking to hire a full-time immigration staff attorney to join its legal team. The staff attorney will develop and maintain an active affirmative immigration docket focused on immigration relief connected to workplace abuses, with a primary focus on T and U visa applications for trafficked and exploited workers, as well as immigration legal services for clients pursuing labor and employment matters. Please note that this is not a removal defense position. While WJCNY provides occasional deportation defense and habeas representation where necessary for existing clients, the Immigration Staff Attorney position focuses on affirmative relief. WJCNY is committed to the best interests and needs of its clients and also respects and promotes sustainable work-life practices and fair caseloads.

The WJCNY legal team provides services to workers throughout New York State and represents workers in a range of employment matters, including wage and hour violations, discrimination, and labor trafficking. We also assist individuals with employment-related immigration matters related to trafficking or workplace violence. The legal team currently consists of six attorneys, including one immigration attorney, and three paralegals, including one partial DOJ-accredited rep. The posted position is a new position that represents an expansion of the legal team. We operate in close collaboration with the WJCNY anti-trafficking, outreach and education, and legislative advocacy teams. We are seeking an attorney who is committed to our mission, using legal advocacy to effect meaningful change at both an individual and systemic level.

Job Title: Immigration Staff Attorney

Supervisor: Legal Director

Working Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Can be based out of Rochester, Kingston, or Hawthorne offices. Occasional travel for client work required.

Compensation: Salary is based upon a union-negotiated scale. Base range is $80,000-$92,000. Steps 1-2: $80,000, Steps 3-4: $82,000, Steps 5-9: $87,000, Steps 10+: $92,000, plus salary enhancements such as Spanish fluency or Senior status depending on experience. Steps include each year of experience as an attorney, in addition to up to two steps for experience in prior social justice work, as a paralegal or legal assistant, or as a full-time low-wage worker.

WJCNY offers a comprehensive benefit package, including health and dental insurance, paid sick and vacation time, regular federal holidays, a winter break, an extra 1 day per month paid office closure, and 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching. This is an exempt position.

Additional Benefits: Use of a company-owned vehicle is available for work-related travel, subject to scheduling and availability. Flexible scheduling and comp time available. Hybrid remote/in office work is available according to WJCNY policies.

Job Description:

• Engage in all duties related to WJCNY’s immigration matters, which will generally be connected to WJCNY’s work on wage and hour, discrimination, labor trafficking, and agricultural and migrant worker claims.

• Review intakes on immigration matters, make determinations on available remedies and address follow-up services, including but not limited to advice and counsel, brief services, and full representation.

Manage a caseload independently, prioritize competing demands, and proactively advance client matters.

• Staff attorneys may be asked to perform off-site intakes and client work and work outside of regular business hours to accommodate clients’ schedules, with flexible scheduling and comp time available.

Collaborate closely with other members of the immigration team to develop and implement case and practice-wide strategies.

• Collaborate with other WJCNY staff, including attorneys, paralegals, volunteers, and interns, in case development as well as in efforts to build knowledge about legal rights and empowerment among workers.

• Contemporaneously report on the delivery of all legal services, in alignment with grant-specific requirements.

Assist in the development and maintenance of guidance materials, sample filings, and legal training presentations.

• Maintain contact and collaboration with relevant community organizations, government agencies, and bar associations that may be of assistance in serving clients or reaching organizational goals.

• Maintain current knowledge of changes in immigration law and policy.

• Advise staff and community members on legal, policy, or legislative matters as needed.

Qualifications:

• J.D. and admission to practice in New York, or reasonable ability to gain admission.

• At least three years of relevant post-law school immigration experience, which can include, e.g., U-visas, T-visas, deferred action, adjustment of status, and/or removal defense.

• Demonstrated commitment to workers’ rights and immigrant rights.

• Strong legal writing, research, and verbal and written communication skills.

• Spanish fluency highly preferred.

• Ability to work independently.

• Experience with immigrant and/or low-wage workers and an ability to demonstrate sensitivity to the organization’s service population.

• A valid NYS driver’s license or the ability to obtain one (car not required).

To apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to Legal Director Maureen Hussain at mhussain@wjcny.org, Deputy Legal Director Cristina Brito at cbrito@wjcny.org, and Director of Human Resources Erin Young at eyoung@wjcny.org. Please include “Immigration Staff Attorney” in the subject line of your e-mail.

WJCNY is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all applicants regardless of race, sex, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity.

WJCNY offers a comprehensive benefit package, including health and dental insurance, paid sick and vacation time, regular federal holidays, a winter break, an extra 1 day per month paid office closure, and 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching. This is an exempt position.

Additional Benefits: Use of a company-owned vehicle is available for work-related travel, subject to scheduling and availability. Flexible scheduling and comp time available. Hybrid remote/in office work is available according to WJCNY policies.

Spanish desired, but not required