Washington New American's Lead Attorney

OneAmerica•Seattle, WA

8d•$95,000 - $115,000•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 position 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's naturalization services and statewide pro se naturalization workshops. The role exercises independent legal judgment, ensures compliance with legal and ethical standards, and strengthens the capacity of WNA's naturalization network. While program staff report to the Programs Director, the Lead Attorney provides legal supervision and guidance to DOJ Accredited Representatives and staff engaged in naturalization services. The position is part of the Washington New Americans team, reports to the Programs Director, and is based in the Seattle office in a hybrid arrangement within Washington State. The role supports naturalization clinics, supervises legal services, provides technical assistance and training statewide, and contributes legal analysis and strategic advice on immigration and naturalization issues. It includes four weekend clinics per year, occasional travel within Washington and nationally, and accommodation of community-based scheduling needs such as evening and weekend meetings.

Requirements

Licensed attorney; Washington State licensure is preferred.
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 day, handle multiple phone calls each day, travel within the state roughly four times a year, and lift 30 pounds when preparing for citizenship clinics.

Nice To Haves

Experience providing legal supervision, mentorship, and/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 naturalization 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.
Support DOJ Accredited Representatives' professional development through mentorship, coaching, and legal analysis.
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 technical assistance to grantees and community partners on naturalization law and complex citizenship cases.
Design and deliver training, tools, and resources to 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, its partners, and the communities it serves.
Perform other tasks and responsibilities assigned by supervisory staff based on 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 seven 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, with three-day weekends for two months in the summer.
Cost-of-living and annual merit-based raises.
Professional development investments and opportunities for employee growth and advancement.
A $100 e-gift card for candidates who submit the performance task and attend the second interview.