Interim Supervising Staff Attorney

Nationalities Service Center•Philadelphia, PA

23h•$76,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Nationalities Service Center (NSC) serves more than 3,000 immigrants and refugees each year from over 110 countries. We provide comprehensive services in immigration law matters, community transition and integration, access to health and wellness, language proficiency, and job readiness training for immigrants and refugees. NSC’s mission is to welcome and empower immigrants to thrive in our communities and pursue a just future. Our vision is that all immigrants achieve a life of safety and stability, sustainable opportunities, and meaningful community connections. Job Summary: The Interim Supervising Attorney is responsible for ensuring high-quality legal assistance on behalf of eligible clients, both by providing direct legal services and by supervising the organization’s immigration legal work. The Interim Supervising Attorney will collaborate with the leadership team to develop best practices and uphold compliance standards that guide the organization’s operations. The Interim Supervising Attorney will also play a leadership role in the organization’s partnerships in the legal services community. The Interim Supervising Attorney will spend about 40% of their time on supervisory and leadership tasks, with the remaining 60% dedicated to direct legal services. The Nationalities Service Center formally recognizes the union; however, the position of Interim Supervising Staff Attorney is not included within the bargaining unit.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) required; Master of Laws (LLM) acceptable for foreign-trained attorneys
Admission to the bar of any State (required)
At least3years of experience practicing immigration law as an attorney
Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, including migrant and immigrant community members, partners, and funders.
Strongwritten and oral communication skills
Ability to exercise sound decision making andindependentjudgment
Excellent legal research, analytical, and problem-solving skills
Ability to work independently and take initiative
Strong attention to detail
Ability to set priorities, multi-task, and manage time well
Ability to work in a fact paced, fluid environment
Demonstrated commitment to mentoring others, improving internal processes, and sharing knowledge

Nice To Haves

Spanish language fluency (strongly preferred ); other languages a plus

Responsibilities

Oversee immigration legal work
Substantively support the immigration team, including attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice Accredited Representatives, fellows, and other legal staff.
Provide meaning and thoughtful feedback to the team and conduct performance reviews.
Create and execute a supervision plan and schedule tailored to the needs of each supervisee to ensure a supportive environment and quality work product.
Ensure the teammaintainscompliance with timekeeping, client files, data, reports, and all other applicable regulations, policies, ethical and grant requirements.
Review work product and legal writing, asappropriate basedon the needs and skill level of the supervisee.
Periodically review Client files, case notes, and case management system Client profiles.
Hold office hours
Conductan initialreview of all consultation notes andassistwith follow up afteran initialconsultation for more junior supervisees, until the supervisee can work more independently
Assistindeterminingwhen NSC will offer representation and what the scope of representation will be.
Review representation agreements prior to Client offer.
Assist with Client communicationregardingscope of services and terms of the representation agreement.
Ensure that all signed representation agreements are part of the Client file.
Maintain subject matterexpertisein immigration law and practice issues, especially for the case types mostfrequentlyhandled by our team.
Identify, compile, and share resources asappropriate.
Develop and refine internal protocols and best practices, in collaboration with the leadership team.
Support fundraising efforts
Support recruitment and onboarding ofnew staff
Assistin creating a transition plan fordepartingstaff and provide coverage for case work left behind
Identifyandparticipatein opportunities for community member and provider outreach and education
Identifyandparticipatein opportunities for collaboration with partner organizations
Provide legal advice and representation in immigration law matters to low-income individuals, including to survivors of domestic violence, crime, torture, and human trafficking.
Conduct screenings toidentifyindividuals eligible for services
Meet program deliverables as set by funding requirements
Record andmaintainrequired data
Prepare affirmative and defensive applications for relief
Provide representation at hearings and interviews
Administrative tasks