Description:
Join our team! A Social Services Organization is seeking an Immigration Staff Attorney to join our immigration legal services team ASAP.Summary:
A Social Services Organization is expanding the immigration legal services team, in order to expand the overall team's capacity to provide legal consultation and representation to clients of Rian and our partners. The Immigration Staff Attorney will provide direct immigration legal services to low-income immigrants, refugees, and asylees.
Rian provides more than 2,000 legal consultations a year, and full case representation before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for over 600 immigrants. We also provide in-person “walk-in” consultations at four Boston public libraries, and pro se forms preparation for pre-screened clients with simple cases. We help low-income immigrants gain legal status, work authorization, and reunite with their families so they can become empowered, reach stability, and move out of poverty. We also assist eligible immigrants in becoming U.S. citizens, guiding them throughout the application process and representing those with complex cases. We work in partnership with local organizations to support immigrant patients receiving medical care, unhoused families, and immigrant youth.
Responsibilities:
Manage an immigration case load and provide legal representation to immigrant clients, including appearances before USCIS, as well as possibly EOIR and Massachusetts Probate & Family Courts;
Provide legal representation on cases such as family-based immigration cases, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), consular processing, asylee and refugee adjustments and I-730 petitions, VAWA petitions, Special Immigrant Juvenile petitions, naturalization applications, unlawful presence waivers, and medical deferred action applications;
- Provide expert immigration consultations for culturally and linguistically diverse clients, with high levels of integrity, inclusivity and respect;
- Ensure fulfillment of ethical and professional standards and provide quality legal services;
- Keep apprised of developments in immigration law and share this information with other staff as necessary;
- Work collaboratively with other Rian attorneys, paralegals, and different teams across the organization;
- Support the mission and values of Rian by demonstrating a commitment to social justice and equity; actively participate in Rian's efforts toward being an anti-racist organization; and value, promote, and integrate anti-racist ideas and policies into our work;
- Support Rian's engagement with foundations and donors and assist Rian to accomplish our new business development and partner goals by attending occasional events in person as needed;
- Perform other relevant tasks as required by the Director of Legal Programs.
Qualifications:
- Commitment to the overall mission and values of Rian
- A law degree and admission to a U.S. state bar (Massachusetts strongly preferred; by transfer of UBE acceptable)
- A minimum of 2 years of experience practicing immigration law, including representation before USCIS
- Excellent leadership, interpersonal, communication, organizational and problem-solving skills
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and database management
- Preferred fluency in Spanish or Haitian Creole; French also very helpful.