Senior Staff Attorney

JOB OVERVIEW:

IRC seeks a Senior Staff Attorney to join the IRC in the Dallas office. The Senior Staff Attorney is an experienced removal defense lawyer who will oversee the removal program in the Dallas office, coordinate with key stakeholders on community ​and maintain a caseload of clients in removal proceedings. The Senior Staff Attorney will bring several years’ experience representing asylum seekers, superb legal judgment and legal ethics, an ability to work independently while recognizing the value of collaboration and cross-referencing with other experts, and a passion for this area of work. The position will work in collaboration with community partners and will be part of the Asylum and Removal Defense Community of Practice, led by IRC’s Legal Services Technical Unit (TU) at IRC’s headquarters, which supports IRC’s 25 legal service programs across the US.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Direct Legal Representation

• Conduct legal screenings and consultations with IRC clients and community members
• Lead and provide legal supervision and support at workshops and clinics as approved by the Legal service director ​
• Provide direct legal representation on removal defense cases before USCIS and/or EOIR respectively, including on various forms of immigration relief such as asylum, cancellation of removal, VAWA, U-visa, T-visa, etc.
• Provide direct representation on cases currently or to be filed with the Board of Immigration Appeals
• Coordinate closely within IRC’s multidisciplinary teams to identify client legal needs and facilitate referrals to services offered in-house and through partnerships with external providers
• Ensure client and program data is collected consistently, managed appropriately, and reported accurately in accordance with program reporting requirements set by IRC
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and expertise of changing asylum and immigration policies through independent research and analysis, regular trainings, local coalitions/listservs of legal advocates, and peer-to-peer consultation
• Conduct trainings for IRC staff and/or externally as needed
• Work collaboratively as part of the local Dallas team and participate in appropriate meetings
• Participate in community-based coalitions related to immigrant rights
• Serve as a strong advocate for humanitarian immigrants
• Maintain strict client confidentiality and observe all ethical practices/obligations as outlined in IRC’s Immigration Program Policies Manual

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Actively co-facilitate and support grant deliverables, grant review, and grant closing meetings
• Support Legal Service director on Funding opportunities to continue removal defense work
• Supervise a Legal Assistant supporting the removal program in the Dallas Office. ​

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Position Reports to: Managing Attorney, or Legal Program Director

Position Directly Supervises: Legal Services Navigator, Legal Assistant ​

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Law degree (JD or LLM) from an ABA-accredited U.S. institution and member in good standing of any state bar;
• At least 3 years’ experience providing direct representation in immigration court and/or before USCIS to asylum applicants and other immigrants seeking humanitarian relief;
• Excellent research, writing, analytical, and organizational skills and excellent legal judgment;
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally in a courtroom setting and in writing;
• Bilingual in Spanish;
• Evidence of capacity to be a strong team member in a highly collaborative multidisciplinary environment;
• Deep commitment to immigrant rights and working with humanitarian immigrants;
• Trauma-informed and sensitive listening and communication skills;
• Personal integrity in handling ethically complex and confidential situations;
• Strong computer literacy, research and analysis skills; and
• Ability to travel frequently 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: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.