Children's Program Staff Attorney

The Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) is a nonprofit organization that provides free immigration legal services to individuals in immigration detention and to children and their families throughout Colorado. RMIAN believes that justice for immigrants means justice for all.

Position Description:

RMIAN has an opening for a Children’s Program Staff Attorney to provide direct legal representation to unaccompanied immigrant children and families before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Denver Immigration Court.

The ideal candidate:

• Is an attorney with experience in immigration law, particularly in working with unaccompanied youth seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and families seeking humanitarian relief including U and T visas.
• Has a demonstrated commitment to antiracism, and promotes diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion at the organization both internally and externally.
• Is skilled at explaining complex legal issues to recent-arrival children and families unfamiliar with the complexities of immigration laws, processes and procedures.
• Demonstrates empathy, is an active listener, exhibits excellent problem-solving abilities, understands the importance of constructive feedback, and easily builds trust with colleagues.
• Is dedicated to client-centered legal representation and knows how to empower clients so they can make educated decisions about how to best navigate their immigration cases.
• Understands how to prioritize. The ideal candidate has a keen eye for detail while keeping an eye on the big picture. This person enjoys handling multiple tasks running in parallel and can triage to meet time-sensitive deadlines while working toward larger goals.
• Is team-oriented and works in collaboration with RMIAN staff members, clients, and community partners while also being able to manage casework and deadlines independently.
• Is willing and able to perform administrative and clerical tasks necessary to develop and maintain client files and records in an organized manner.
• Has a strong commitment to serve low-income and underserved communities, with an ability to relate to and communicate with a broad range of clients and colleagues.
• Acts with courtesy, patience, and poise and is excited to share RMIAN’s mission with others.

Responsibilities:

Direct Representation

• Provide high-quality legal representation to unaccompanied children and families in their immigration legal matters.
• Manage a large caseload independently. Track and meet all case deadlines.
• Demonstrate strong legal skills and analysis, client interviewing skills and high-quality written work.
• Assume responsibilities of adherence to grant requirements and reporting.

Outreach, Community Education, Communication, Policy & Development Efforts

• Engage in RMIAN’s outreach, community education, communication, and development efforts and assist with other tasks as needed.
• Actively participate in RMIAN’s community work and external engagements; serve on RMIAN internal committees; work to advance RMIAN’s mission, values and organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Required skills and experience:

• Admission to any state bar—Colorado preferred.
• Experience in immigration law preferred.
• Experience working in non-profit sector preferred.
• Deep dedication to immigration legal services, racial justice, and immigrant justice required.
• Professional proficiency in Spanish or willingness to work towards Spanish proficiency with support from RMIAN required.
• Proof of vaccination against COVID-19, or proof of eligibility for exception required.

Location:

• This position is based out of RMIAN’s office located in Westminster, Colorado but requires appearances before the Denver Immigration Court, Colorado state courts and Denver Field Office of USCIS. RMIAN’s operations are currently on a hybrid remote/in-person model, requiring at least two days a week of work in RMIAN’s office, or other work-related locations.