Staff Attorney, Unaccompanied Children�s Program

International Institute of New England•Boston, MA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The International Institute of New England (IINE) is seeking a Staff Attorney to provide immigration legal services to Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) in the care of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). This role involves conducting Know Your Rights presentations, legal screenings, legal consultations, case preparation, and direct representation in immigration matters before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The attorney will support the delivery of high-quality, child-centered, trauma-informed legal services in line with ORR standards. IINE is a long-standing non-profit organization dedicated to helping refugees and immigrants succeed through resettlement, education, employment support, and citizenship pathways. They have locations in Boston and Lowell, MA, and Manchester, NH, serving thousands annually. IINE values diversity, inclusion, and professional growth, seeking mission-driven candidates who are experts in their fields.

Requirements

J.D. or LLM from an ABA accredited law school or international equivalent.
A current bar membership in good standing in the United States.
Licenses in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in immigration law assisting clients with a range of immigration relief.
Prior experience working with children and/or youth.
Knowledge of immigration policies and regulations.
Excellent organizational and time management skills; demonstrated ability to meet deadlines.
Ability to act independently and in a team setting.
High degree of intellectual curiosity; willingness to learn about immigration law and contribute to the program.
A strong sense of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.
Effective communicator, comfortable working as part of a team and expressing innovative or critical ideas.
Cooperative, friendly, and helpful attitude with clients and co-workers.
Highly proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
Experience with CRMs (E-Immigration and Salesforce) or other databases, or a demonstrated ability to learn new systems quickly.
Strong writing skills (writing sample required).
Professional and/or volunteer experience working directly with marginalized populations.
Must have access to a car and auto insurance.
Position requires travel to different locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Must undergo background checks mandated by the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual candidates preferred, especially fluent speakers of Spanish.

Responsibilities

Deliver Know Your Rights presentations to unaccompanied alien children, explaining immigration court processes and legal rights with age-appropriate information, and documenting completion.
Conduct individualized legal screenings to assess potential immigration relief options and explain legal options and case strategies.
Identify urgent legal needs and protections for children.
Represent eligible children before EOIR and USCIS, including preparing and filing legal motions, applications, petitions, and supporting evidence.
Conduct legal research and develop case strategies.
Prepare children for hearings and interviews, and attend court hearings and immigration proceedings.
Coordinate with sponsors, service providers, and external partners.
Pursue all appropriate forms of relief, including asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Visas (JIJS), U visas, T visas, adjustment of status, family-based relief, and other applicable forms of immigration protection.
Collect and report required service delivery data, support quality assurance reviews, and respond to information requests from program leadership.
Ensure timely and accurate data entry into immigration databases.
Assign and oversee projects for support staff, ensuring team members are trained and working efficiently.
Maintain and update the immigration database with detailed client case notes and contact information changes.
Assist with internal IINE reporting as required.
Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor/manager.