National Staff Attorney

Location: Any of the Young Center’s nine offices (Chicago, Harlingen, Houston, San Antonio, New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Washington DC, or Grand Rapids, Michigan). This position is funded primarily through a federal contract and is contingent on ongoing renewals.

About The Young Center

The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights is a national organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights and best interests, safety, and well-being of immigrant children in the United States. We center children's voices, celebrate their strengths, and recognize their fundamental need to be with family and in community, not detention. For more than 20 years, the Young Center has accompanied and advocated for over 10,000 children from more than 70 countries worldwide. We are the only organization that takes an integrated approach to protecting and advancing the rights of children, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and state and federal law, through direct services, stakeholder support across child welfare systems, systems and narrative change, and litigation.

The Young Center has offices in Houston, San Antonio, and Harlingen, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. We also serve children through our programs in New Jersey.

Responsibilities

• Advocate for children's best interests before government or other interested parties
• Supervise volunteers appointed as Child Advocate for unaccompanied and separated children in federal custody in or near our program locations and across the United States as needed
• Serve as Child Advocate to a select number of cases or as needed
• Visit children (virtually or in-person as needed) and communicate with caregivers, family members, and stakeholders
• Provide internal case consultation and case support involving state, federal, and international best interests legal principles and immigration law
• Support the local and national efforts to recruit, train, and retain volunteer Child Advocates
• Participate in internal and external working groups as needed
• In collaboration with site Manager(s) and team(s), meet regularly with local stakeholders (government field staff, facility staff, immigration judges, ICE officers, and legal service providers) and attend case staffings
• Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders or organizations in the community
• Assist the team(s) in meeting case goals and other deliverables for the government contract and private grants
• Assist with accurate and timely data management to inform reports to the government, other funders, and internal Young Center departments regarding children served, case outcomes, program metrics, and current trends
• Participate in a supportive, collaborative work culture that allows for creative, thoughtful, high-quality, and effective interdisciplinary advocacy
• In collaboration with site-specific Managing Social Workers and/or Deputy Program Director (Social Worker), consult with social worker colleagues to develop child-centered advocacy through a trauma-informed lens that identifies and advocates for the best interests of unaccompanied and separated children
• Under the supervision of site-specific Managers and with input from the Deputy Program Directors (Attorney and Social Worker), draft and submit best interests determinations to immigration judges, asylum officers, attorneys, and federal agencies, applying state, federal, and international law and incorporating social science research and social work best practices, including, but not limited to trauma-informed and culturally sensitive approaches
• Actively engage with colleagues and supervisors in developing and editing interdisciplinary best interests determinations
• Accompany children to court hearings and interviews related to their immigration case
• Under the supervision of the Deputy Program Director (Social Workers), assess which children may need additional supportive and/or mental health services and accompany them to appointments as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• J.D. and license to practice law or ability to acquire license within the first year of employment
• 3+ years of experience working with children and/or youth, trauma survivors, or migrant/refugees/unaccompanied children to demonstrate an understanding of the population we serve. This may be first-hand experience or demonstrated interest in the field (coursework, internships, volunteer opportunities, etc.)
• Legal analysis, negotiation, and mediation skills
• Effective communication skills, including ability to liaise with various stakeholders, colleagues, and volunteers
• Excellent case management skills
• High-level organizational skills
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and proactively address case needs
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and creatively as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Ability to work in a flexible, evolving environment, adapt to situations, and manage change effectively
• Commitment to a comprehensive culture of feedback, including seeking and providing positive and constructive feedback and engaging in productive conversations
• Commitment to learn, both as an individual and as part of an organization, and apply diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or anti-racism principles
• Ability to effectively engage across different cultures, identities, and ethnicities
• Strong writing skills
• Aptitude and thoughtfulness in working with children and promoting child-centered advocacy
• Proficient in Microsoft Office products, Zoom, Adobe Acrobat, and willingness to learn new technology and/or platforms
• Bilingual ability (oral and written) in English/Spanish or English/other languages spoken by the population we serve

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience—lived, volunteer, or professional—with immigration matters

Physical Demands

• Regular attendance, keyboarding, sitting for long periods (at least 5 hours a day), driving
• Ability to use computer, telephone, and copy machine
• Ability to travel by plane, car, and other conveyances within the U.S.
• Occasional lifting for event setup/preparation

Pay

$75,550.80 to $86,509.28 is the standard new hire range for this position ($83,105.58-$95,159.90 for those residing in the Los Angeles and DC metropolitan areas; $86,882.45-$99,485.73 for those residing in the NYC metropolitan area). Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to location and experience.

Benefits

• Health/dental/vision insurance (employee & dependents) at no cost to the employee
• Paid vacation and sick time
• 401(k) plan with employer match