Staff Attorney, Houston

About the Role

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights invites applications for the full-time position of Staff Attorney to be based in Houston, Texas. This position is a unique opportunity for an attorney to join a passionate team made up of social workers, attorneys, and administrative staff, to engage in interdisciplinary written and oral best interests advocacy on behalf of children in immigration removal proceedings.

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. Further, we fight tirelessly to bring greater equity to the child welfare system, demanding accountability from systems and people in positions of power, so children in immigrant families who face court cases remain safe, free, and with families in communities where they are supported. 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.

Duties and 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 Houston and across the United States as needed
• Serve as Child Advocate to a limited number of cases or as needed
• Visit children 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 for the Houston office
• Support local and national efforts to recruit, train, support, and retain volunteer Child Advocates
• Participate in internal and external working groups
• Meet regularly with local stakeholders (government field staff, facility staff, immigration judges, ICE officers, and legal service providers)
• Collaborate on presentations to local stakeholders
• Attend case staffings or other stakeholder meetings
• Speak about the Child Advocate Program at local, regional, and national events
• Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders or organizations in the community
• Assist the team in meeting case goals and other deliverables for the government contract and private grants
• Capture accurate and timely data management to inform reports to the government, other funders, and internal Young Center departments
• Participate in a supportive, collaborative work culture
• Consult with social worker colleagues to develop child-centered advocacy through a trauma-informed lens
• Draft and submit best interests determinations to immigration judges, asylum officers, attorneys, and federal agencies
• 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
• Assess which children may need additional supportive and/or mental health services and accompany them to appointments as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications

• J.D. and license to practice law or ability to acquire license within the first year of employment
• 3+ years of demonstrated child welfare or immigration law experience
• Legal analysis, negotiation, and mediation skills
• Effective communication skills
• Excellent case management skills
• High-level organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and take initiative
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Ability to work in a flexible, evolving environment
• Commitment to a culture of feedback and learning
• Ability to engage across different cultures, identities, and ethnicities
• Strong writing skills
• Aptitude in working with children and promoting child-centered advocacy
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Zoom, Adobe Acrobat, and willingness to learn new technology
• Bilingual ability (oral and written) in English/Spanish or English/other languages spoken by the population we serve
• Valid driver’s license and access to a car

Preferred Qualifications

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

Physical Demands

Physical demands include 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. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to location and experience.