Staff Attorney, Immigration Law Unit – Federal Litigation Team

The Legal Aid Society•New York, NY

32d•$84,000 - $152,500

About The Position

The Immigration Law Unit (ILU) in The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice is a recognized leader in providing high-quality representation to non-citizens in all five boroughs of New York City and surrounding counties. Our staff of almost 100 attorneys, social workers, and paralegals across six different projects and initiatives works collaboratively to provide client-centered, interdisciplinary, and comprehensive legal services. The ILU is seeking a Staff Attorney to work in its Federal Litigation team. The Staff Attorney will represent low-income clients before the U.S. District Courts and the U.S. Courts of Appeals to safeguard immigrants’ constitutional rights and ensure that immigration laws are accurately interpreted and fairly applied. The Staff Attorney will work closely with colleagues, as well as the clients they represent, to identify federal court interventions to address our clients’ needs. The Staff Attorney’s essential duties will include undertaking affirmative and other litigation challenging unlawful policies and practices, including habeas petitions, petitions for review, and Administrative Procedure Act complaints.

Requirements

Admission to the New York State Bar. Must be eligible to immediately seek admission to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits and U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Admission to other federal district courts desirable
Minimum of two years of federal litigation or comparable litigation experience, preferably in immigration law
Demonstrated commitment to representing or working with individuals from marginalized communities
Excellent writing, analytical, oral advocacy, and organizational skills
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively on an interdisciplinary team and manage a high volume of cases
Ability to work with pro bono attorneys, law student interns, and volunteers

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required
At least two years of Immigration law is strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and conduct litigation before federal district courts and U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits, including habeas petitions, petitions for review, and Administrative Procedure Act actions
Assist with class action lawsuits and other affirmative litigation on behalf of non-citizen New Yorkers
Provide individualized consultation to staff attorneys
Develop skills and knowledge of ILU staff on federal litigation matters through trainings
Work with pro bono counsel
Develop pro se and pro bono lawyer resource materials and trainings on federal court issues
Maintain, organize, and update case files and case management database (LawManager)
Other duties as assigned