Staff Attorney - Immigration Unit

About the role

MLS is part of Legal Services NYC (LSNYC), the largest provider of free civil legal services for low-income people in the country. The Manhattan office provides high-quality legal services in the areas of housing, family law, public benefits, employment, immigration, LGBTQ/HIV advocacy, and consumer, education, and disability rights. We work in partnership with community-based organizations in the communities we serve to address the root causes of homelessness, hunger, and family disintegration.

Responsibilities

• Provide deportation defense in immigration court before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), including merits hearings, motions practice, and appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA)
• Handle affirmative immigration matters with USCIS, including asylum applications, family-based petitions, naturalization, VAWA self-petitions, and petitions for U or T nonimmigrant status
• Represent clients in family court proceedings related to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases
• Collaborate with our staff social worker to provide trauma-informed representation and holistic advocacy on behalf of clients and their families
• Work closely with Citywide Litigation on habeas petitions
• Contribute to cross-unit and cross-borough projects
• Partner with community-based organizations on campaigns and projects
• Mentor and collaborate with pro bono partners
• Manage administrative tasks, including timekeeping, uploading documents, data reporting, and case closing for compliance

Qualifications

• A demonstrated passion for social justice and a commitment to working with low-income communities, immigrant communities, and communities of color to advance equity
• At least 3-5 years of immigration law direct services experience
• Experience representing clients before EOIR, including motions practice and merits hearings, and experience with BIA appeals required
• Experience working with clients who have experienced trauma and other vulnerable populations (particularly domestic violence survivors, LGBTQ+ communities, and youth) required
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage a diverse, fast-paced, and high-volume caseload
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Strong cultural or personal ties to the communities we serve
• Collaborative orientation, ability to work in a team, and solution-oriented approach
• Admission to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Southern and/or Eastern District of New York (SDNY/EDNY) preferred
• Experience with federal court litigation, including habeas corpus petitions, strongly preferred
• Fluency in Spanish, including the ability to communicate in Spanish with clients about legal matters and correspond in writing with clients in Spanish required

Benefits

MLS offers a competitive public interest salary, hybrid remote work policy, and excellent benefits package.

Pay

$93,983 - $164,905 USD

Schedule

All employees are strongly encouraged to remain up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations unless exempt for medical or religious reasons.