Staff Attorney - Immigrant Rights and Advocacy Project

Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) fights poverty and seeks racial, social and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. For over 50 years, we have challenged systemic injustices that trap people in poverty and provided legal services that help our clients meet basic needs for housing, income and economic security, family and immigration stability, education, and health care. LSNYC is the largest civil legal services provider in the country; our staff of more than 600 people in neighborhood-based offices and outreach sites across all five boroughs helps hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers annually. We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations, elected officials, public agencies, pro bono lawyers, and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equity for all low-income New Yorkers.

LSNYC employees have numerous opportunities for growth and professional development, including access to our internal Justice Learning Center, which provides opportunities to earn free CLEs and gain experience as a trainer. Further, LSNYC prides itself on its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) efforts and aims to create a work environment where everyone can bring their full selves to the work.

Program Description:      

Bronx Legal Services seeks a full-time staff attorney in the Immigrant Rights and Advocacy Project. Bronx Legal Services, the Bronx office of Legal Services NYC, fights poverty and seeks racial, social, and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. Bronx Legal Services advises and represents Bronx residents through its family, immigration, LGBTQ advocacy, housing, foreclosure, education, public benefits, disability, unemployment, consumer law, and tax units. As a social justice organization, all employees are expected to participate in DEIB activities.

The Immigrant Rights and Advocacy Project(“IRAP”)  of Bronx Legal Services is an interdisciplinary unit comprised of attorneys, social workers, BIA accredited representatives and paralegals, The unit represents people on applications for U and T nonimmigrant status, VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, asylum, petitions for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (“SIJS”), lawful permanent residency, citizenship, family-based petitions, waivers of inadmissibility, consular processing, and family court matters in connection with SIJS petitions. The unit also conducts trainings in immigration law for community members and advocates throughout the Bronx and facilitates the Bronx Immigration Partnership.

Opportunity Description:

The staff attorney will have a significant part of their docket dedicated to representing people who have experienced domestic violence. They will represent and advise people on their immigration matters. The staff attorney will provide a wide range of comprehensive legal services on a variety of affirmative and defensive immigration matters and will represent clients on Family Court matters in connection with SIJS petitions. The staff attorney will be supervised by the Supervising Attorney of the Immigrant Rights and Advocacy Project. The attorney will also work closely with our staff social worker to provide trauma-informed, holistic representation and advocacy on behalf of clients and their families.

Responsibilities:

The Staff Attorney’s responsibilities will include:

• Advising and representing immigrants in cases filed with federal administrative bodies and federal district and appellate courts;
• Advising and representing clients in custody and guardianship petitions filed with Family Court in New York City in relation to SIJS petitions;
• Collaborating with staff attorneys and paralegals on litigation matters and strategies;
• Preparing data reports, as necessary;
• Representing Bronx Legal Services at community events; and
• Collaborating with the city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, other city, state, and federal government agencies and community-based organizations; and
• Promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging goals within LSNYC.

Requirements:

• At least 2-3 years’ experience practicing immigration law
• Commitment to working with low-income immigrants
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Experience working with clients and communities who have experienced trauma and/or have been impacted by violence
• Outstanding organizational, planning and time management skills
• Experience working as part of a collaborative team with non-legal professionals
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Outstanding communication, analytical, research, and writing skills
• Excellent computer skills
• Ability and willingness to supervise law interns
• Admission to New York State Bar or pending admission to New York State Bar

Preferences:

• Experience working on removal defense cases strongly preferred
• Experience working with those who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or trafficking strongly preferred
• Proficiency in Spanish, French, Garifuna or another language commonly spoken by the communities we serve preferred, but not required
  • Proficiency in a language would allow you to conduct community education events without the aid of an interpreter or conduct case work with a monolingual client without the aid of an interpreter.

The salary for the position is competitive and commensurate with experience (determined by Collective Bargaining Agreement). Excellent medical, pre-tax flexible benefits, parental leave, and retirement plans along with generous annual (23-28 days) and sick leave (18 days). Staff are able to work remotely for up to 50% of their time. Our unit aims to encourage sustainable and responsible advocacy through use of allotted paid time off as well as regular participation in professional development.

The salary range for this position is $74,882 - $135,638, dependent on years of experience.

To apply for the position, please send your resume, cover letter, recent writing sample, and names of three (3) references. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. 

Bronx Legal Services is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people over the age of 40 are all welcome and encouraged to apply.

Bar Associations and other Organizations: Bronx Legal Services seeks and welcomes your recommendations for candidates who meet the foregoing qualifications and, in addition, request that you or your organization encourage such candidates to apply.

All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.

Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are strongly encouraged to apply.