Temporary 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 has one
Temporary Staff Attorney position available. This one-year assignment will help
ILU’s Federal Litigation team build capacity to 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. In particular, the attorney will
assist in expanding our capacity to assist non-citizens in habeas matters,
including utilizing advanced technology to integrate emerging legal arguments
and create sharable litigation resources.

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.

ILU 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.

This position is funded through a temporary grant, and the continuation of the
position is dependent on funding availability. The position is funded for an
initial period of 12 months, with the possibility of extension based on
continued funding and project needs. If funding is not continued, the
temporary attorney will be eligible to apply for other internal positions or be
transferred into a comparable position.

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

Benefits

• The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more.
• The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs.
• Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed