Staff Attorney

IRC seeks a Staff Attorney to join the IRC Elizabeth office to provide legal services to Afghan evacuees and families, including legal consultations and representation before USCIS. The Staff Attorney will coordinate pro se asylum clinics for Afghan evacuees, leveraging partnerships and pro bono volunteers, and represent a limited number of asylum cases directly. The Staff Attorney will bring experience representing immigrants, the desire to work in a fast-paced environment, and a passion for this area of work. The position will work in collaboration with community partners and will be part of a national Community of Practice of legal practitioners serving Afghan parolees across IRC’s 24 legal service programs in the US.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Direct Legal Representation

· Conduct legal consultations, intakes, and pro se workshops with IRC clients and community members and provide direct legal representation to individuals before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, including the Asylum Office.

· Coordinate closely within IRC’s multidisciplinary teams, including the Afghan Placement & Assistance team, to 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 personal research and analysis, regular trainings, and peer-to-peer consultation.

· Serve as a strong advocate for humanitarian immigrants.

Community Partnerships and Workshops

· Collaborate with other IRC departments, partners, and volunteers, including pro bono attorneys, to offer pro se workshops and other community information sessions.

· Create and maintain a viable outreach strategy to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with community-based organization, local immigration attorneys, and nonprofit legal providers.

· Other related duties as assigned.

Position Directly Supervises: Legal Assistant, interns and volunteers

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

· Law degree (JD or LLM) from an ABA-accredited U.S. institution and admission to any state bar;

· At least one year experience providing direct representation in immigration proceedings, ideally to asylum applicants and other immigrants seeking humanitarian relief; law school graduates with clinical legal experience may be considered;

· Excellent research, writing, analytical, and organizational skills;

· Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally in a courtroom setting and in writing;

· Fluency in English required. Proficiency or fluency in Dari, Pashto and/or Farsi highly desirable;

· Demonstrated ability to be a strong team member in a highly collaborative social service 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

· Must have a valid driver’s license, access to personal, insured vehicle, and ability to travel frequently in and around the service area to engage with clients and community partners.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires candidates who are selected for interview to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for this position.**

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.**

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.**