Director of Legal Services

About the role

The Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC) seeks an experienced and mission-driven attorney to serve as Director of Legal Services. We are looking for a legal leader who is passionate about immigrant rights and interested in growing a community-based immigration legal services program at a critical moment for immigrant communities.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, management, and strategic direction for AAFSC's Legal Services Program.
• Supervise and support legal services staff.
• Oversee legal intake, case management, and client service workflows as well as data collection and reporting systems to ensure high-quality, efficient, and client-centered services.
• Ensure effective stewardship of programmatic grants, including compliance with funder requirements, achievement of program deliverables, and collaboration with development staff on fundraising, grant proposals, reporting, and funder engagement.
• Serve as a thought partner to organizational leadership on the future direction of AAFSC's legal services work, leveraging insights on community needs, emerging immigration trends, and policy developments.
• Contribute to organizational planning efforts and cross-department initiatives that advance AAFSC's mission.
• Conduct immigration legal consultations, assess eligibility for benefits and relief, identify appropriate legal pathways, and provide client-centered legal advice, guidance, pro se assistance, referrals, or representation as appropriate.
• Manage an independent caseload of immigration matters, including affirmative benefits and deportation defense cases. Depending on need and capacity, legal activities may include: filing immigration applications and petitions, including naturalization, family-based petitions, adjustment of status, humanitarian relief, work authorization, TPS, DACA, SIJS, asylum, and consular processing matters; filing applications for asylum, withholding of removal, protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT), U and T visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), cancellation of removal, adjustment of status, waivers of inadmissibility, motions to reopen, and appeals; representing clients in bond hearings, parole proceedings, and removal defense cases.
• Provide immigration-related training to AAFSC staff across programs.
• Cultivate relationships with legal service providers, advocacy organizations, bar associations, law firms, pro bono partners, and community-based organizations.
• Represent AAFSC in coalitions, working groups, and external forums dedicated to immigrant rights.
• Strengthen referral pathways to ensure clients can access specialized legal representation and complementary services.
• Partner with communications staff to develop educational materials, public information campaigns, and resources that help community members understand their rights and navigate the immigration system.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• Minimum of three (3) years of relevant immigration law experience, including working directly with clients.
• Broad knowledge of the U.S. immigration legal system and experience advising clients across a range of immigration matters.
• Experience supervising staff, managing projects, or leading legal initiatives.
• Excellent written, verbal, and public presentation skills.
• Ability to balance direct client service responsibilities with program management and strategic planning.
• Commitment to serving immigrant, refugee, and historically marginalized communities.