Staff Attorney, Non-Detained Kids Project, NIJC

About NIJC

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) advances human rights and due process for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers through direct legal services, impact litigation, advocacy, and public education . Headquartered in Chicago with offices in Washington, DC, Indiana, and San Diego, NIJC's team of 100 attorneys, paralegals, and professionals, along with 2,000 pro bono attorneys, is at the forefront of immigration reform.

Summary:  

This position is housed in the Non-Detained Kids team, and specifically focuses on representing children in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) before the immigration courts and USCIS. The attorney will provide legal representation before U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Immigration Court, and may also represent parents or guardians in family court as they petition for SIJS predicate orders for their minor children. The attorney will conduct age-appropriate, trauma-informed interviews with child clients and their family members and may also advocate for clients before other agencies including schools, law enforcement, public benefits agencies, and others. The attorney will also provide training and technical support to pro bono attorneys assigned to NIJC cases.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:  

• Conducts preliminary intake interview, gathering all relevant facts for presentation at Unit meetings.  Assess income eligibility and recommend s appropriate referrals for those individuals not eligible for Organization services.  Recommend exceptions to financial guidelines to the Supervisor.
• Develops and implements case strategy .
• Prepares the case for hearing, drafting legal papers, engaging in negotiation, presenting evidence, etc.
• Remains current on immigration law, policies and procedures. 
• Develops and maintains professional relationships with the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), government and social service organizations and community organizations. 
• Maintains complete and accurate client records.  Prepares timely statistical reports.  Conducts quarterly case audits for presentation and review of the Supervisor. 
• Participates in training on immigration procedures as assigned by the Supervisor.  May conduct training sessions as assigned by the Supervisor.
• Participates in developing and implementing special projects .
• Identifies trends and recurring legal and social concerns.  Recommends strategies for solutions and other needed advocacy.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Education & Experience: Juris Doctor (JD) required , plus at least one year of experience in legal representation and/or social services.

• Language: Fluency in spoken and written Spanish is required .

• Skills:
• Strong reading and writing skills, including the ability to interpret legal and technical materials.
• Able to draft reports, correspondence, and procedural documents.
• Comfortable presenting information and responding to questions from diverse audiences, including clients, colleagues, and the public.
• Experience working with low-income immigrants, children, or survivors of violence preferred.

Physical Abilities Statement

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of thos e an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time .
• The person in this position occasionally needs to move about the inside of the office to access filing cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Constantly operat es a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a copy machine.

It is the policy of NIJC not to discriminate against any applicant for employment, or any employee because of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status.

By submitting your application, you acknowledge and consent to undergo a comprehensive background check as part of the employment process. This background check will be conducted in compliance with applicable state and federal laws.