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Job Summary/General Purpose of Job
Accountable for providing legal representation to detained immigrants in removal proceedings in San Diego and the Southern California border region. Serves as mentor and leader to staff attorneys, legal support staff, and volunteers, including by maintaining current legal materials and training on legal matters. May serve as a supervisor to law school legal interns. This position will require regular involvement with individuals living in difficult circumstances and who may have experienced trauma.
Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities • Regularly appears in immigration court. Represents clients seeking immigration relief such as asylum, T visas, U visas, cancellation of removal, and other relief as appropriate. • Mentors staff attorneys by providing advice and direction on their cases. Assists in the training and mentoring of pro bono attorneys, legal support staff and other legal volunteers. May support in the supervision of law school legal interns. • Develops and maintains legal competency relating to immigration removal proceedings, specifically as applied to detained immigrants. Builds and maintains relations with local stakeholders. Observe ethical practices relating to client confidentiality and all other applicable legal ethics standards. Maintains case files, documentation, and data integrity using the division’s case management system. • Provides group and individual legal orientations to detained and non-detained immigrants in immigration removal proceedings. • Provides legal services, including direct representation to detained or locally released immigrants. • Performs other related duties as required.
Required Education, Qualifications, Experience • Possession of a Juris Doctorate or Master of Law (LLM) from an ABA-accredited law school. • Licensed to practice law in a U.S. state or territory and be in good standing. Two (2) or more years of experience representing immigrants and/or asylum-seekers in removal proceedings. • Written and spoken fluency in a secondary language may be required based on the location and client base served. • Must have reliable internet and phone connection. • Intermediate proficiency with Adobe and Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, OneDrive, teams). • Must be familiar with conducting virtual meetings, training, and observations on software such as Zoom, Teams, etc. • Must have reliable transportation to travel between the office and off-site work locations. • This position requires the ability to travel to and enter federal detention centers.
Preferred Education, Qualifications, Experience • Licensed to practice law and member in good standing in the State of California, and three years’ experience in representing clients in removal defense matters. • Prior work experience with foreign-born, non-English speaking clients. • Prior non-profit experience, particularly involving field work or in off-site work locations. • Prior volunteer, community, or work experience regarding immigration or detention. Physical Requirements Typical office setting with frequent visits at immigration detention facilities and/or immigration court, requiring an ability to move about the facility grounds, with documentation materials weighing up to 15 pounds, for up to 15 minutes or more in temperatures that may exceed 90 degrees.
Extent of Travel Required in the Job As a normal course of business, this job will typically require travel (besides travel to the detention center) less than 5% of the time.
Salary The starting hiring range for this position is $85,000.00 - $95,516.00 based on relevant experience and education.
The American Bar Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Disability/Veteran. In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with the American Bar Association, please call 312-988-5188.
