JOB OVERVIEW:

The Managing Attorney will bring not only legal expertise in representing asylum seekers, but also the ability to mentor and support a team of legal professionals in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. The Managing Attorney will also oversee attorneys providing removal defense to immigrants from all over the world, many who have fled persecution in their home countries. The Managing Attorney should also have extensive experience providing legal representation to clients in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

The position will work in close collaboration with the IRC Northern California regional team, other functional leaders in the region, the Legal Services Technical Unit (TU) at IRC’s headquarters, which oversees IRC’s 24 legal service programs across the US, and a range of community partners.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee legal strategy through daily direct supervision of a team of legal practitioners, including attorneys and Department of Justice-accredited representatives.
• Employ adaptive management techniques to provide regular individual supervision and support; mentor staff, set clear performance expectations and goals, give regular performance feedback, help prioritize workloads, help troubleshoot challenges, and maintain appropriate professional development plans.
• In partnership with Legal Services Director, develop and monitor intake procedures, case acceptance policies, and caseload targets and limits.
• Provide direct legal representation to a limited caseload of individuals in immigration court, before the Board of Immigration Appeals, and/or before USCIS.
• Actively co-facilitate and support grant opening, grant review, and grant closing meetings, and lead all aspects of grant cycle, including developing/implementing monitoring & evaluation plans.
• Ensure program data is collected consistently, managed appropriately, and reported timely, using IRC’s legal case management database and other relevant case management systems.
• Ensure effective integration of internships and volunteers within programs.
• Collaborate with other IRC program areas as appropriate to ensure client-centered service.
• In collaboration with the Legal Services Director, establish, maintain, and periodically refresh legal services program policies and procedures in collaboration with IRC’s Legal Services Technical Unit; oversee and/or conduct regular case file reviews (paper files and electronic case files) to ensure compliance with legal case management procedures.
• Create and maintain a viable outreach strategy to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with community-based organizations, the private bar, and nonprofit legal providers; pursue program initiatives with partners that further goals and address unmet demand.
• In partnership with Legal Services Director, act as an in-house expert on US immigration law by updating internal IRC colleagues on changes in immigration law affecting IRC’s clients as needed.
• Serve on Northern California’s Legal Services Senior Management Team, helping to ensure consistency, high quality services, and cohesion among legal services team members across all 4 offices.
• Collaborate with leaders in other functional areas in Northern California to provide holistic warp-around services to IRC clients.
• Contribute to and support office-wide Strategic Action Plan.
• Work closely with the NorCal Regional Leadership and HQ Legal Services Technical Unit as part of IRC’s immigration network.
• Serve as a strong advocate for humanitarian immigrants.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS: ​

Position Reports to: Northern California Legal Services Director

Position Directly Supervises: Staff Attorneys and Senior Staff Attorneys; Legal Assistants generally report to Staff Attorneys and Senior Staff Attorneys

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Law degree (JD or LLM) from an ABA-accredited U.S. institution and member in good standing of any state bar (if applying for a UC Managing Attorney, admission to State Bar where office is located is required);
• 5 years’ experience or more providing direct representation in immigration court and before USCIS to asylum applicants and other immigrants seeking relief from removal;
• At least 2 years of experience providing supervision to attorneys and/or DOJ accredited representatives in a legal services context. Program management experience preferred.
• Experience with affirmative applications before USCIS (eg, adjustment of status, naturalization, I-130s);
• Strong legal supervision skills and superb legal judgment;
• Ability to oversee and provide supervision on a reasonably high case volume and work under time pressure;
• Experience organizing and facilitating immigration workshops and immigration information sessions;
• Trauma-informed and sensitive communication and interpersonal skills;
• Bilingual in one or more languages of the survivor population preferred (eg, Spanish, French, Arabic);
• Deep commitment to working with humanitarian immigrants;
• Trauma-informed and sensitive listening and communication skills;
• Desire to join a team working to protect due process and immigrant rights;
• Currently, the NorCal IRC is working on a hybrid schedule where employees must work at least three days per week in the office. This hybrid schedule may change at any time. The Managing Attorney(s) will be assigned to one primary office (Sacramento, Turlock, San Jose, or Oakland) and occasional travel to regional offices in the region will be required as will travel in and around the service area to engage with clients and community partners.

Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: The IRC offers a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. All US employees are eligible for sick time, a 403b retirement savings plans: up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus an 3-7% additional IRC contribution, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

In addition, full-time employees are eligible for 10 US paid holidays, 20-25 paid time off days, disability & life insurance, medical, dental, and vision insurance (employee contribution starting at $135, $7, and $5 per month respectively) and FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs. Part-time employees are eligible for a proportionate amount of paid time off. These additional benefits apply to employees who work at least 6 months within a 12 month time period.