Washington New American's Lead Attorney

OneAmerica•Seattle, WA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Lead Attorney serves as the lead legal expert for Washington New Americans (WNA), a statewide program that helps eligible lawful permanent residents become U.S. citizens, voters, and active members of their communities. The role does not provide direct representation to individual clients. Instead, it provides legal consultation, training, technical assistance, and capacity-building support to WNA staff, DOJ Accredited Representatives, grantees, and partners across Washington State. The Lead Attorney provides legal oversight, case review, mentorship, and quality assurance for WNA naturalization services and statewide pro se naturalization workshops. The position exercises independent legal judgment, ensures compliance with legal and ethical standards, and strengthens the capacity of WNA's naturalization network. Program staff report to the Programs Director, while the Lead Attorney provides legal supervision and guidance to DOJ Accredited Representatives and staff engaged in naturalization services. The position is based in the Seattle office, is part of the Washington New Americans team, and reports to the Programs Director. OneAmerica is a locally and nationally recognized organization working to advance immigrant, civil, and human rights through grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, and civic and electoral engagement. Its work focuses on immigration, education and early learning, and democracy, and is grounded in the belief that people directly impacted should lead the movement for justice.

Requirements

Licensed attorney, preferably in Washington State.
At least five years of specialized experience in naturalization and citizenship law, including complex naturalization cases.
Demonstrated expertise in naturalization law, policy, and procedure, including legal analysis, interpretation of regulatory and policy changes, and strategic guidance.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound legal judgment, establish professional boundaries, and foster accountability.
Commitment to social justice and building power in immigrant communities.
Willingness to accommodate community-based scheduling needs, including evening and weekend meetings.
Access to reliable transportation and willingness to travel throughout Washington State and nationally on occasion.
Ability to use a computer for the majority of the workday, handle multiple phone calls daily, travel within the state, and lift 30 pounds when preparing for citizenship clinics.

Nice To Haves

Experience providing legal supervision, mentorship, or oversight to DOJ Accredited Representatives or other legal practitioners.
Experience developing and delivering legal trainings, technical assistance, and capacity-building support to legal service providers and community-based organizations.
Demonstrated leadership skills, including staff development, collaboration, and problem-solving.
Multilingual skills; Spanish, Dari, and Pashto are preferred.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

Create and maintain materials, resources, and legal guidance for naturalization clinics.
Support screening, intake, and legal issue-spotting for clinic participants and provide legal support for the WNA hotline.
Staff four naturalization clinics throughout the year, providing legal review and oversight of applications.
Develop and deliver training for volunteer attorneys and clinic volunteers before and during naturalization clinics.
Collaborate with government agencies, legal service providers, pro bono stakeholders, and other partners supporting naturalization efforts.
Recruit and engage pro bono attorneys and volunteers to support clinic operations.
Provide legal supervision, guidance, and case consultation to DOJ Accredited Representatives and WNA staff engaged in naturalization work.
Serve as WNA's primary subject matter expert on naturalization law, policy, and procedure.
Ensure legal services comply with applicable laws, ethical requirements, DOJ recognition and accreditation standards, and program guidelines.
Mentor, coach, and provide legal analysis to support the professional development of DOJ Accredited Representatives.
Develop and implement quality assurance processes to strengthen legal service delivery and case management.
Partner with the Programs Director to identify staff development, training, and capacity-building needs.
Provide grantees and community partners with technical assistance on naturalization law and complex citizenship cases.
Design and deliver training, tools, and resources that strengthen statewide naturalization services.
Maintain current knowledge of immigration and naturalization law, policy, and procedures, and disseminate updates to partners.
Foster a community of practice among WNA grantees and naturalization providers across Washington State.
Identify and implement operational improvements, including technology solutions, to enhance service delivery and program effectiveness.
Partner with the Programs Director to build the capacity of legal service providers, community-based organizations, and pro bono partners to expand access to naturalization services across Washington State.
Provide policy research, analysis, and legal expertise on immigration and naturalization issues to support local, state, and national advocacy efforts.
Coordinate and support stakeholder feedback, including federal comments related to naturalization policy and practice.
Partner with the Chief of Staff and Program Director to identify emerging legal and policy developments that may affect OneAmerica, WNA, partners, and the communities they serve.
Perform other tasks and responsibilities assigned by supervisory staff according to OneAmerica/WNA's needs.

Benefits

Comprehensive health insurance coverage, including vision, dental, and life insurance.
Long-term disability coverage.
20 weeks of family and medical leave.
Cell phone and transportation stipends.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).
403(b) retirement plan with a 4% employer match.
Five weeks of PTO in years 0–3, six weeks in years 4–6, and seven weeks after 7 years of service.
Eight hours of annual PTO to honor staff birthdays.
Three months of paid sabbatical after every five years of service.
Meeting-free Fridays and Summer-free Fridays, providing three-day weekends for two months in the summer.
Cost-of-living and annual merit-based raises.
Professional development investments and support for employee growth and advancement.