Staff Attorney, Immigrant Justice

FLSA: Exempt, Full-time

Reports to: Program Director, Immigrant Justice

Are you a collaborative, creative and bilingual immigration attorney who is deeply committed to immigrants’ rights? Consider joining the Immigrant Justice team at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, SF Bay Area (LCCRSF)!

About You

As Staff Attorney, you will provide essential support to LCCRSF’s Pro Bono Asylum Program and LCCRSF’s in-house removal defense cases. You will work in partnership with the Senior Staff Attorney and Staff Attorney, under the supervision of the Immigrant Justice Program Director, and in collaboration with all Immigrant Justice team members.

You will provide technical assistance to pro bono law firm attorneys who are representing clients in removal proceedings, pursuing asylum affirmatively through USCIS, pursuing Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), filing asylum and SIJS-based adjustment of status applications, securing and renewing work authorization for their clients, filing asylee family petitions, and other topics relating to immigration relief and benefits. You will work collaboratively with LCCRSF’s network of pro bono attorneys to provide high-quality full-scope representation to immigrants in removal proceedings. You will support our coalition-based effort to provide rapid response support in San Francisco and San Mateo and Attorney-of-the-Day services in San Francisco. This position may also participate in the development and delivery of training materials and resources to support pro bono representation in removal proceedings, affirmative asylum cases, and other affirmative applications for immigration relief and benefits.

The ideal candidate will have experience representing asylum seekers in removal proceedings, filing state court petitions for youth who are eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, seeking immigration relief and benefits before USCIS, and a strong commitment to working with immigrants and advancing the immigrant rights movement.

About LCCRSF

As one of the West Coast’s longest-standing civil rights organizations, LCCRSF stands with historically vulnerable communities, immigrants, and refugees—advancing their rights through litigation, advocacy, and direct legal support. We work alongside legal fellows, 1,000+ pro bono attorneys, and committed volunteers. Learn more at lccrsf.org.

About the Asylum Program

Since 1983, LCCRSF’s Pro Bono Asylum Program has secured free legal representation for hundreds of asylum applicants seeking refuge in California by providing direct representation as well as training and mentorship to pro bono attorneys.

Your Work

• Training and mentorship - Provide training, technical assistance, and mentorship to pro bonoattorneys handling removal defense, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), applications for asylum and other forms of humanitarian relief. Develop and/or collect and organize training materials, practice advisories, and other resources for the Pro Bono Asylum Program. Present at Lunch and Learn trainings with law firm partners and assist with the organization and delivery of the Annual Asylum Law Seminar and other pro se clinics LCCRSF may hold for the community.

• Representation – Represent non-detained immigrants with cases pending before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). Manage a docket of direct services cases in various stages of representation, including communicating with clients regarding their pending cases, responding to notices or requests from the court and USCIS, filing change of address forms, work permit applications, and affirmative applications for relief with USCIS. Prepare and represent non-detained immigrants at Master Calendar and Merit Hearings before San Francisco and Concord Immigration Court.
• Supervision– Potentially supervise fellows, law clerks, externs, and/or volunteers by providing training, mentorship, and feedback to promote professional growth. Supervise volunteers on discrete projects as needed.

• Data Integrity and Case Management –Input data consistently into LegalServer to ensure that work is being tracked in LCCRSF’s centralized database. Participate in the auditing of LegalServer data for reporting and case management purposes. Manage and organize assigned physical files, including filing mail into the folders and ensuring that it contains an accurate snapshot of case status.

• Rapid Response, Urgent Consultations, and Attorney of the Day – Participate in coalition-based rapid response network for individuals in need by staffing the rapid response hotline, providing Attorney-of-the-Day (AOD) services at immigration court,and completing urgent consultations as needed to fulfill grant requirements. Must be willing to come to the LCCRSF office when staffing either Attorney of the Day or Rapid Response on the weekdays.

• Rapid response - Participate in coalition-based rapid response network for clients in need in San Francisco by occasionally staffing rapid response hotline. Provide Attorney-of-the-Day (AOD) services at immigration court (must be eligible to serve as AOD). Must be willing to come to LCCRSF office when staffing rapid response hotline.
• Other tasks may be assigned as needed by the Program Director, Immigrant Justice.

Essential Qualifications

• J.D. and a member in good standing of any state bar (*California strongly preferred; if not admitted to the California bar, willingness and eligibility to apply for California multijurisdictional practice as a Registered Legal Aid Attorney promptly upon hire).
• Minimum of two years of experience working as an immigration attorney with low-income communities and/or recent survivors of trauma.
• Fluency in Spanish, including the ability to communicate in Spanish with clients about legal matters and correspond in writing with clients in Spanish.
• Experience with affirmative applications before USCIS, including work authorization applications, asylee relative petitions, and adjustment of status applications.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent organizational, communication, analytical, writing, and editing skills; strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work as a member of a team and independently. Ability to set and carry out objectives and prioritize workflow with minimal supervision.
• Ability to effectively work and communicate with diverse groups of individuals, including representatives of government, the private bar, and grassroots organizations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience representing asylum seekers in removal proceedings.
• Experience representing children and families in guardianship, parentage and child custody proceedings in Northern California, as well as experience filing Special Immigration Juvenile Status petitions before USCIS.
• Experience mentoring, training, and/or working collaboratively with pro bono
• Values working collaboratively with others, both within the organization and in the community.

Benefits

Competitive benefits package including 100% paid premiums for employee and 80% dependents plus generous paid time off/holidays (total of 6 weeks off/year not including sick time) and 403b employer contribution. LCCRSF is Latina-led, with about 30 staff. We are flexible, family-friendly, and value health, wellness and balance.

Working Environment and Conditions

The working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. While performing the duties of this position, the employee must be able to remain in a stationary position, constantly operate a computer, and be able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

To Apply

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants should submit 1) a thoughtful cover letter; 2) a resume; and 3) three professional references using the following link: https://lccrsf.bamboohr.com/hiring/jobs/36 . Any questions can be sent to careers@lccrsf.org.

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area thrives as an inclusive/equal opportunity employer. People of all backgrounds and walks of life are encouraged to apply.