Pro Bono Mentor

Florence Project • Phoenix, AZ

9d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Pro Bono Mentor will work directly with the Children’s Program and the Pro Bono Program. The position involves some client contact with youth, including minors who have suffered abuse, abandonment, neglect, or other trauma. However, the majority of the Mentor’s time will be devoted to providing an excellent and responsive mentoring service to Pro Bono Lawyers handling Florence Project cases. This position includes administrative duties. Attorneys, like the Pro Bono Mentor, at the Florence Project are generally assigned to one program at a time (here, the Children’s Program) as a matter of organizational structure. However, legal needs and services provided by the Florence Project can and often do evolve over time. This position will support the immediate need for legal mentor work, appeals, and advocacy in the Children’s Legal Program. However, depending on the evolving legal needs and priorities of the organization, this position may be assigned legal mentor work, case work, or other legal support work performed by other programs, including the Adult Legal Program or Advocacy Team, and/or assigned to other departments/programs. This position is based in the Florence Project’s central Phoenix office, with occasional travel to Tucson and Florence, AZ.

Requirements

• J.D. and admission to any state bar.
• Minimum 2 years of experience practicing Immigration law (affirmative or defensive) or Juvenile law.
• Must be licensed to practice law in Arizona or eligible to waive into practice in Arizona (have two years of good standing in another state bar or have received a score of 273 or greater on the Universal Bar Exam).
• Demonstrate commitment to advocating for indigent immigrant clients in a respectful and empowering way.
• Demonstrate a zealous support of the Florence Project’s mission.
• Must be comfortable working with people with criminal convictions.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Highly organized with ability to be an innovative thinker and work in a high volume setting with limited resources.
• Excellent problem solving, research and analytical skills, is able to effectively manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrate to be a hardworking, flexible, respectful team player that can work effectively in a collaborative, innovative, and client centered work environment.
• Ability to work independently, be adaptable and reliable in the face of conflict, pressure, crisis or changing priorities.
• Exhibit high ethical standards and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Must be able to pass federal and state background checks.
• Fluency or advanced proficiency in Spanish required.
• Travel is required for this position.
• Must have a valid driver license and reliable transportation.
• Proven computer skills.
• Advanced understanding of basic office applications.

Nice To Haves

• 2 years of prior experience practicing before the Arizona Juvenile and Immigration Courts.
• Prior mentoring experience is a plus.
• Prior experience working with teenagers and/or survivors of trauma or individuals with mental health issues is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Participate in weekly and other office meetings.
• Work with the Children’s Program to promptly identify suitable cases for pro bono placement.
• Oversee case assignments/casework and support the legal assistant workflow
• Review incoming referrals from legal services providers.
• Conduct intakes for all children selected for possible participation in the pro bono program.
• Write up referrals of cases to be placed with Pro Bono Attorneys.
• Place cases with the Florence Project’s pro bono network in Arizona and track the case in the appropriate databases.
• Determine an appropriate range of services, interventions with Pro Bono cases, and referrals needed.
• Maintain communication with Florence/Eloy Pro Bono Mentor, as part of the Florence Project Pro Bono Team, and collaborate on projects as necessary.
• Mentor Pro Bono Attorneys and law firms partnering with the Florence Project.
• Mentor Florence Project staff on representation before the Arizona State Juvenile Courts, the Immigration Courts, and USCIS
• Remain current in immigration law and policy, and on impact of criminal and civil law on the immigration case.
• Review and update the Florence Project’s SIJS Guide for Pro Bono Attorneys and develop other materials for pro bono case mentoring and CLEs as needed.
• Provide technical assistance on a discretionary basis to attorneys handling cases outside the FIRRP Pro bono Program.
• Coordinate and conduct CLEs and other trainings for lawyers and other members of the legal community, including meet and greet events with law firms, especially in the Phoenix area.
• Support Florence Project general outreach and development activities as needed.
• Maintain between 3-5 active non-pro-bono cases at a time, in order to sharpen skills and stay current.
• Maintain complete and accurate case notes and client records.
• Assist with other miscellaneous pro bono program tasks as needed.
• Other legal casework as assigned.
• Perform case work for, and provide other legal mentorship support to, Adult Legal Program or Advocacy team as assigned.
• Possibility of being transferred fully to other legal work programs depending on the needs and priorities of the organization.

Benefits

• Medical plans including health, dental, vision coverage, subject to plan terms
• Short Term Disability
• Eligibility for group benefits such as voluntary life insurance, subject to applicable waiting periods
• Retirement plan, subject to plan terms
• Paid Time Off earned on a biweekly accrual basis
• Twenty-five (25) Days of Vacation Time, annually
• Five (5) Days of Medical/Sick Time, annually
• One (1) Day of Personal Time, monthly
• Eight (8) Week Paid Sabbatical, after three years of employment
• Bereavement leave.
• Fifteen (15) Organization-paid holidays, all observed
• Eligible for Parental Leave which includes Twelve (13) paid weeks
• Mileage reimbursement for travel between offices and places of work.
• Relocation Assistance for out of state new hires available for some positions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level