Staff Attorney

Services, Immigrant Rights, & Education Network (SIREN) is a 501(c)3 community-based organization whose mission is to empower low-income immigrants and refugees through community education and organizing, leadership development, policy advocacy, civic engagement, and legal services. We believe that all people regardless of legal status or nationality are entitled to essential services, human dignity, basic rights and protections, and access to full participation in society.

We’re seeking a Staff Attorney passionate about immigrant and refugee rights to join our dynamic Legal Services team. This hybrid position offers flexibility to work remotely while maintaining a strong connection to the Central Valley immigrant community. Candidates should live in or near the region—including Fresno, Madera, Merced, Tulare, or neighboring areas—and be willing to travel to Fresno once or twice per month for in-person client work, team meetings, or community events.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Staff Attorney must be passionate about SIREN’s mission. The Staff Attorney will be part of SIREN’s legal department that specializes in providing direct representation to immigrants and refugees in deportation proceedings and affirmative legal assistance work. To that end, the Staff Attorney will be responsible for providing client consultations, representation of clients, research, and analysis as well as support with administrative and coordination functions listed below:

• Supervision: Recruit, train and supervise assigned legal staff including volunteers and interns.
• Advising the Director of Legal Services on policies, procedures, materials development, and ex/internal communications.
• Contract Management and Compliance: Ensures compliance with governmental grants and works with ILSP Director and legal team to ensure timely completion of promised deliverables and reporting for Central Valley specific grants
• Collaborate with SIREN’s policy and organizing teams when needed.
• External Relationships: Develops and maintains collaborative and professional relationships with funding agencies, service delivery partners, public agencies and community groups.

KEY DUTIES

• Collaborating and providing support to the Rapid Response in the Central Valley Region
• Litigate both affirmative and defensive cases before USCIS, EOIR, the BIA and detained cases
• Manage a diverse caseload, which includes both affirmative and defense applications, such as but not limited to: DACA renewals, asylum, adjustment of status, UVISA, VAWA, Naturalization.
• Providing client consultations for complex cases including detained cases
• Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to, interviewing potential clients and determining whether they qualify for relief, assisting them with any applications for relief, researching legal issues related to their claims, preparing all necessary filings, and representing them throughout their removal/affirmative proceedings.

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Work alongside a diverse legal team to create infrastructure and sustainability within the immigrant legal services program, including, but not limited to, managing in-house training opportunities for DOJ accredited representatives and grow volunteer base for in-house legal assistance.
• Network to obtain external organizational support, to build collaborations that support legal program activities, and/or to refer clients to partners on issues outside our expertise.
• Assist with meeting grant deliverables by tracking and reporting numbers to Central Valley specific grants that fund the immigration legal program.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY

• Support, as needed, with legal workshops, mobile workshops and trainings.
• Conduct presentations on various immigration-related topics, as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Supervisor.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

U.S. law degree (J.D.) and active bar membership and have no disciplinary actions recorded on their license. Experience in immigration law, specifically in removal defense experience, and general grant knowledge is a strong positive.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

• Fluent in Spanish and English
• Must be a fast and flexible learner and able to work in an organization with many moving parts.
• Committed to the needs of the immigrant community and passionate about immigrant and human rights.
• An individual who is bilingual and biliterate in Spanish is strongly preferred and will be given preference.
• Attention to detail and have strong legal office organizational skills.
• Adept at public speaking and teaching in large groups and comfortable with conducting media interviews.
• Ability to work independently and under pressure and exercise sound judgment.
• Excellent customer service skills and effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain a good working relationship with culturally diverse staff and clients.
• Able, upon hire, to provide own transportation; with adequate insurance and a CA driver's license.
• Willing to work flexible hours as required by program.
• Community organizing or community lawyering experience a plus.

SIREN has adopted a pay equity model to ensure that our pay scales are fair and transparent. What is posted here is a range. Any offer of compensation made will be based upon the candidate’s years of experience and whether the candidate meets the requirements to qualify for differentials that increase the compensation that is offered. Offers are not negotiable but may be revised based on our assessment of the candidate’s experience and skillset under our differential system.

SIREN provides a robust benefits package to enhance employee health, financial wellness, and work-life balance. Key benefits include medical coverage through Kaiser Permanente, dental and vision insurance via Beam, and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for healthcare and dependent care. Employees also receive pre-tax commuter benefits for transit and parking. A 403(b) retirement plan through Human Interest is automatically available, offering immediate vesting and optional Traditional or Roth contributions. Additional perks encompass paid sick and vacation leave, paid holidays, professional development opportunities, Microsoft 365 tools, and a user-friendly self-service portal for managing payroll, benefits, and reimbursements.

Fluent in Spanish and English