Staff Attorney

CASA INC•Rockville, MD

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

CASA's mission is to create a more just society by building power and improving the quality of life in working class Black, Latino/a/e, Afro-descendant, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities. CASA has a sister organization, CASA in Action, a separate, but related, nonprofit organization. A set of employees at the two organizations, including the person filling this position, shares their time between the two organizations. The legal program at CASA operates under the principles of Justice is the goal, law is a means. It is a marathon, not a sprint. We endeavor to find the most creative strategies to combat the abuses and injustices identified by our constituents. We value justice in the largest sense possible, not only one person at a time legal solutions, but broad, transformative solutions created in combination with immigrant leaders, CASA organizers and other staff, other local and national organizations and direct service staff. We value our time and believe that through hard and sustained effort is often required, real rest is also necessary for creativity, stamina and “a life,” however defined. A CASA staff attorney is on the front line in defending, advocating for, and working alongside our members in different spaces. The Staff Attorney will be responsible for providing direct representation to CASA members in civil legal cases, such as immigration, housing, employment, and/or civil rights , while helping to support the broader efforts of CASA’s Legal Department, as assigned by their supervisor. CASA staff attorneys work with a dynamic group of paralegals, organizers, advocates, and social service staff in a friendly and fast-paced environment.

Requirements

Licensed to practice law in the jurisdiction where this position is based or ability to immediately obtain licensure.
Valid US Driver’s License and a reliable vehicle.
Bilingual English/Spanish (written and spoken).
1-3 years of experience delivering civil legal services. This can include work with a law school clinic, internships or other related activities.
Strong communication skills.
Strong commitment to CASA’s mission of building power in working-class and immigrant communities.
Strong commitment to the principle of zealous advocacy.
Strong time management skills.
Ability to work both independently and in a group setting.
Ability to travel regularly between different CASA locations.

Nice To Haves

French is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide legal representation to CASA members in civil legal cases under the supervision of the Supervising Attorney.
Provide brief legal services, including legal orientation, intake, education, counseling, advice and referrals to community members on a variety of legal issues, such as immigration, housing, employment, and/or civil rights.
Participate in community workshops and clinics organized by the Legal Department and/or other departments.
Support the legal needs of CASA’s Organizing Department as they arise, including through regular engagement with staff and community leaders, providing legal consultations to members identified by Organizing staff, responding to urgent situations such as impending evictions of CASA members or immigration raids, collaborating on policy and campaign issues, and other support as needed.
Support CASA campaigns to improve the lives of immigrant and working class communities at the local, state and federal level by drafting and reviewing legislation, presenting testimony, organizing hearings, lobbying elected officials and other duties as assigned.
Co-counsel with other legal service providers or pro bono counsel to pursue impact litigation.
Identify clients to support priority CASA campaigns through engagement with the Organizing Department, media engagements and other means of public advocacy.
Engage in education and outreach through “Know Your Rights” presentations, workshops and clinics, participation on panels and other means of public engagement.
Design, edit, and disseminate popular education materials, and plan and implement “Train the Trainer” workshops in which organizers and workers are trained to reach out to others to inform them of their rights.
Improve and grow relationships with volunteers and other key partners to support CASA’s legal work, including pro bono attorneys, law students, and other relevant professionals.
Complete on-going data entry, data verification, and internal activity reports.
Maintain contemporaneous and complete notes of all case-related activity in CASA’s case management systems.
Engage in an annual planning process, developing and executing individual work plans, evaluating and providing feedback on plans as the year progresses.
Provide detailed information regarding work including case examples, case profiles, and statistics for regular reporting deadlines.
Other duties as assigned by program leadership.

Benefits

Generous paid time off, including: annual leave starting at three weeks per year (proportional accrual per pay period), two weeks of sick leave, three days of personal leave, and additional compensatory leave for exempt employees.
Sixteen (16) paid holidays per calendar year.
Health, dental, and vision insurance (CASA pays 100% of the premium costs for the employee up to our HMO plan, 55% for couples, 65% for children and 60% for family)
Basic life and AD&D
Long and Short Term Disability insurance
Professional Development: Those pursuing a course of study related to work performed at CASA may be eligible for a reimbursement up to $3,000.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
FSA Account including Dependent Care.
401(k) retirement plan with a 2% employer discretionary match.
Accident, Critical Indemnity, Hospital insurance.
Mileage reimbursements for those positions that are required to drive on CASA business.
Cell Phone stipend for those positions that are required to use their cellphone for CASA business.