ProBAR - Legal Director TX-CA

ProBAR’s Legal Director leads a diverse and growing team of passionate advocates who serve immigrants and asylum seekers on the Texas border and in the Houston region.  The primary area of practice is serving detained unaccompanied children and adults in the Rio Grande Valley, with a growing practice of serving the immigrant populations living in the Rio Grande Valley as well as reunified unaccompanied children in the Houston region. Whether directing the provision of legal services, analyzing changes to immigration law and policy, or developing legal advocacy strategies, the Legal Director has an opportunity to apply their expertise in service to the best interests of our clients in an evolving immigration landscape. The Legal Director also plays an invaluable role in shaping the development of the department’s attorneys and support staff and overseeing recruitment, training, and supervision activities to ensure a strong, resilient, and cohesive team.

Job Summary/ General Purpose of Job 

Directs the work of ProBAR’s Legal Department, which provides legal representation and other legal services to detained adults, detained unaccompanied children, and immigrants and refugees living in the Rio Grande Valley and Houston, Texas regions. This position will require regular involvement with individuals living in difficult circumstances who may have experienced trauma. The preferred location for this position is ProBAR’s main office in Harlingen, Texas. The position may also be based at the Houston field office with regular travel to Harlingen. The position requires local and regional travel, including visiting detention facilities and meeting with detained individuals, community groups, stakeholders and other partners. 

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities (listed in order of importance and/or time spent)

• Manages the daily legal practice of the department, including oversight of all case management procedures and compliance with professional legal obligations.
• Directs the Legal Department in providing legal services to detained and non-detained immigrants, including adults, families, and unaccompanied children.
• Participates in legal services by maintaining a limited caseload in collaboration with other legal staff.
• Develops legal strategies, including contributing to analyzing public policy issues in Texas and nationwide.
• Develops legal strategies to implement immigration legal changes, including overseeing federal litigation efforts.
• Ensures correct execution of legal programs, including legal orientation programs and direct representation. This role has a strong component of implementing grant-funded projects within the Legal Department and collaborating with ProBAR leadership to ensure grant stewardship.
• Communicates regularly with appropriate leadership regarding issues related to legal services within the department. Assists management in the provision of reports and information to funders as required.
• Ensures compliance with current funding requirements as to the provision of representation and other legal services.
• Directs the recruitment, direction, training, and work activities of the Legal Department. Seeks and develops opportunities for training on relevant legal issues and areas to further the work of the department. Maintains stakeholder relationships to facilitate and promote the Legal Department’s work.
• Supervises and mentors supervising attorneys, supervising paralegals, and legal office administrators.
• With the support of Human Resources and leadership, responsible for department personnel matters, including substantive onboarding of new staff, performance reviews, employee relations and other matters.  
• Reports to ProBAR’s Deputy Director and collaborates with other directors on program strategy to ensure high-quality services and representation for immigrant children and adults.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Required Education, Qualifications, Experience

• Possession of a Juris Doctorate or Master of Law (LLM) from an ABA accredited law school.
• Licensed to practice law and member in good standing of any State Bar.
• At least four years of proven experience practicing immigration law related to adult and child respondents in removal proceedings.
• At least two years of proven experience in managing, leading, and inspiring talented and diverse teams, including attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants.
• Demonstrated success interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and training staff, with particular attention to attorneys and supervising attorneys.
• Proven experience ensuring cross-functional team collaborations, leading diverse teams, and promoting a positive work atmosphere in a fast-paced and detailed-oriented environment.
• Strong sense of prioritization, including meeting deadlines and ensuring project implementation.
• Intermediate proficiency with online research and Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, OneDrive, Teams).
• Proven experience conducting virtual meetings, training, and observations on software such as Zoom, Teams, etc.
• High-level fluency in English, including strong oral and writing skills.
• Fluency in Spanish, including the ability to converse in Spanish with staff and clients.
• Possesses an understanding of, and experience with, leading bi-lingual and bi-cultural teams.
• Must have reliable transportation to travel between office and off-site work locations.
• This position requires the ability to travel to and enter care provider facilities funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, United States Department of Health and Human Services, which provide housing and services to unaccompanied children. This position will require the provision of legal services to unaccompanied children in such care provider facilities. In accordance with federal regulations, a background check will be required for this position.

Preferred Education, Qualifications, Experience

• Licensed to practice law in the state of Texas.
• Prior non-profit experience, particularly involving immigration detention.
• Federal litigation experience 
• Fluent English and Spanish speaking and writing skills.
• Non-profit sector experience 
• Prior work experience with children, particularly from Central America and including indigenous language-speaking populations.

Physical Requirements 

Typical office environment with frequent visits to immigration detention facilities and immigration court.

Extent of Travel Required in the Job

If based out of the Harlingen office, as a normal course of business, this job will typically require travel up to 15% of the time, including quarterly travel to the Houston field office.

If based out of the Houston field office, this job will require regular travel to the main Harlingen office up to 30% of the time.

· Medical and prescription insurance      

· Dental insurance

· Vision insurance                                   

· Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

· Voluntary life insurance                        

· Short- and long-term disability insurance

· Employee Assistance Program (EAP)  

· Prepaid Legal Plan

· 401(k)                                                   

· Paid company holidays

· Personal time off                                  

· Vacation time off

· PSLF Participant

· Sign-On Bonus offered to licensed attorneys*

· Additional bonuses offered for continuous service at 2-year, 3 year, & 4-year service anniversaries. *

· Relocation stipend offered for in state and out-of-state relocation*

*Restrictions Apply Availability is subject to grant funding and may periodically change.