Immigration Advocacy Staff Attorney

About NYLAG:

Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combatting economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. NYLAG’s staff of 350 impacted the lives of nearly 113,000 people last year.

The Special Litigation Unit collaborates with NYLAG attorneys across practice areas to develop and litigate complex impact litigations that advance social, racial, and economic justice, addressing the full range of legal areas in which NYLAG serves clients. Alone, or in partnership with other not-for-profit organizations and private firms working pro-bono, SLU initiates class actions and other impact lawsuits to bring about systemic change for thousands of people in need.

Job Description:

The Special Litigation Unit of the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) is seeking a highly motivated Immigration Advocacy Staff Attorney for a full-time position with at least 3 and up to 7 years of legal experience. This position will be part of the Special Litigation Unit team, but work closely with the Immigrant Protection Unit, which provides legal services to immigrants in a wide variety of contexts, including removal defense, applications for asylum and other humanitarian relief, green cards through family-based petitions, and naturalization applications.

The attorney will focus on litigation and advocacy affecting immigrants in New York City, including complex habeas petitions on behalf of detained noncitizens, federal appeals from immigration decisions, and class action and other impact litigation on a wide range of issues that affect immigrants, including public benefits, housing, and homelessness services. Examples of current and recent SLU lawsuits include: Lopez Contreras v. Oddo, habeas corpus litigation on behalf of high school student detained by ICE, Dawson v. Student Loan Solutions, which challenges a nationwide scheme to collect on defaulted student loans after their statute of limitations have expired; Pino Porras v. Attorney General, an appeal of a denial of withholding of removal to a noncitizen, in which the Third Circuit for the first time recognized a right to counsel in reasonable fear proceedings; NYLAG v. SSA, which challenges the Social Security Administration’s practice of keeping key policies secret from the public and wrongfully charging fees to public interest FOIA requestors; Colaj v. Roberts, a class action challenging New York’s failure to provide necessary public benefits to asylum seekers; J.S.M. v. New York City Department of Education, which challenges New York City’s delays in scheduling hearings and issuing decisions regarding special education services for children with disabilities; and Josefina S. v. City of New York, which challenged the Administration of Children’s Services’ discriminatory practices against parents with known or suspected intellectual disabilities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Immigration Advocacy Staff Attorney’s responsibilities will include:

• Litigating federal habeas cases and petitions for review to the Courts of Appeals;
• Developing and litigating new impact litigation cases, including identifying and interviewing potential plaintiffs, drafting complaints, engaging in motion practice, and drafting briefs and other court documents;
• Engaging in discovery, appearing in court, engaging with opposing counsel, and conferring on litigation strategy;
• Negotiating, drafting, and monitoring compliance with settlements;
• Interviewing, advising, and advocating on behalf of individual class members;
• Engaging in advocacy on behalf of immigrant groups with City, State, and U.S. government bodies;
• Acting as a point of contact within the Special Litigation Unit on immigration issues, and providing consultation and support to NYLAG staff on federal litigation affecting immigrants;
• Acting as a liaison to external partners working within similar communities;
• Developing resources and templates related to federal litigation affecting immigrants.

Qualifications:

NYLAG seeks a highly motivated attorney with the following qualifications:

• At least 3 and up to 7 years’ legal experience, including civil litigation experience;
• Excellent legal research, analysis, writing, and communication skills;
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest law and racial justice;
• Admission to the New York Bar is required;
• Experience with federal litigation and/or immigration litigation, including habeas corpus litigation;
• Experience working with the communities of clients that NYLAG serves;
• Applicants are encouraged to describe both professional experience and any relevant personal experience.

NYLAG’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

NYLAG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.

Employment type:

☒ Full-time

Professional Level:

☒ Professional

Salary:

NYLAG is a unionized workplace, and salaries are set pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. The current salary range for this position is between $90,111 and $103,515.

Benefits:

Medical, dental, vision, 401k, life insurance, long term disability, commuter benefits, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for Medical and Dependent care.

Application Instructions: Please save resume and cover letter on one pdf.

Covid Vaccination Policy: Please note, to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and clients, NYLAG requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption is approved.

NYLAG is committed to a hybrid work policy for staff whose work does not require their full-time presence in the office. NYLAG’s current policy is that most staff are required to work in NYLAG’s offices or do other in-person work at least two days each week. This policy is subject to change.