Supervising Attorney, Higher Education Legal Services

About the role

Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) is a Department of Justice-recognized provider of immigration legal services and a key refugee resettlement agency in San Diego County. As co-lead of the Immigration Legal Services Coalition of San Diego (ILSC), JFS plays a critical role in coordinating rapid-response efforts and delivering legal support for vulnerable noncitizens impacted by immigration enforcement. Serving low-income and vulnerable immigrants across San Diego and Imperial Counties, JFS offers legal representation and support tailored to each client's needs. Services include removal defense, humanitarian relief, family-based petitions, naturalization, and administrative remedies. JFS provides representation before USCIS, ICE, CBP, and Immigration Courts, as well as in select cases before the Board of Immigration Appeals, federal courts, and San Diego Superior Court. JFS also leads the Higher Education Legal Services (HELS) program, supporting immigrant and refugee students, faculty, and staff at two California State Universities and ten regional community colleges. Beyond direct services, JFS engages in advocacy to advance the rights and well-being of immigrants and refugees throughout the region.

Responsibilities

• Direct Legal Representation: Provide high-quality immigration legal services to JFS-ILSD clients, including representation before DHS agencies (USCIS, CBP, Border Patrol, and ICE), the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), and related federal and state courts.
• Support the broader work of the JFS-ILSD team while maintaining the program’s strong record of effective legal advocacy.
• Supervise and review the work of HELS attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives, and support staff who provide direct assistance and legal representation in both defensive and affirmative immigration matters, including appeals.
• Policy and Procedure Development: Collaborate with program leadership to develop procedures, protocols, and guidance that advance the JFS-ILSD mission and safeguard Higher Education Legal Services from legal malpractice.
• Education and Community Engagement: Design, oversee, and deliver accurate legal orientations, presentations, and educational materials on a wide range of immigration and rights-related issues faced by low-income immigrant communities in San Diego and Imperial Counties.
• Institutional Relationship Management: Maintain effective professional relationships with participating higher education institutions, supporting students, faculty, staff, and their family members who access Higher Education Legal Services.
• Legal Research and Updates: Stay current on rapidly changing immigration laws, regulations, and policies, and ensure that all program staff are regularly briefed and operating with the most up-to-date legal information.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure accurate legal analysis and appropriate legal strategies in all matters involving complex questions of law, eligibility for relief, and decisions to decline services.
• Compliance and Reporting: Adhere to and enforce JFS-ILSD and agency-wide policies, including case management, data management, and reporting requirements. Ensure staff compliance with all internal procedures.
• Grant Support: Participate in program reporting and contribute to the timely and accurate preparation of grant applications and funding renewals.
• Team Leadership: Foster a collaborative, supportive, and positive team environment both within the program and across partner agencies.

Requirements

• Law graduate
• Licensed to practice law in California preferred, but we will consider candidates with license to practice law in one of the 50 U.S. states
• More than 2 years of experience in a supervisory role
• Excellent interpersonal abilities, including strong communication, active listening, attention to detail, and a consistently professional demeanor
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills, demonstrating effective communication, attentive listening, and professionalism in guiding and supporting staff
• Proven skills in case management, legal research, and legal writing
• Demonstrated capacity and eagerness to pursue innovative, evolving, or untested legal theories when appropriate
• Ability to take initiative, manage competing demands, and perform effectively under pressure
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends
• A strong passion for social justice and advocacy on behalf of immigrant communities
• Experience working with marginalized populations and survivors of trauma
• A sincere and demonstrated commitment to serving low-income immigrant communities

Skills/Abilities

• Ability to travel locally within San Diego and Imperial Counties
• Physical Requirements: Sitting, standing, walking, using hands and fingers to operate a keyboard, handling documents, reaching for the telephone or other office equipment. Moderate noise level, requiring the ability to concentrate and maintain good auditory perception. Ability to lift, push, or pull up to 25 pounds as needed.