Workers’ Rights Staff Attorney

CHIRLA•San Juan Capistrano, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is seeking a Staff Attorney to join the Workers’ Rights and Labor Legal Services Department (WRD). The Staff Attorney will work on matters at the intersection of immigration and employment law, which may include wage theft, retaliation, discrimination, unfair immigration-related labor practices, employment authorization reverification, labor-based immigration relief, and related issues. Responsibilities include providing regular legal consultations and screenings to prospective clients by phone or in person, including through triage and legal clinics as needed. The WRD Staff Attorney will collaborate with teammates and senior staff to assess available forms of relief and determine the most appropriate way to serve each potential client. The Staff Attorney will maintain a caseload, with support and supervision from senior staff, and represent clients in filing labor complaints with appropriate government agencies. Depending on the matter and the attorney’s experience, representation may include conference calls, settlement conferences, mediation sessions, administrative hearings, and other legal proceedings. The Staff Attorney will also assess potential labor-based immigration relief as needed and may assist clients with applications for labor-based immigration benefits. In wage theft matters, the Staff Attorney will conduct wage and damages analyses as needed to determine amounts owed and other potential remedies. As the department expands, the Staff Attorney may receive training and opportunities to assist with additional areas of workers’ rights advocacy and legal services. The WRD Staff Attorney will provide effective, responsive, compassionate, and efficient legal services and conduct Know Your Rights trainings and other public education activities as needed.

Requirements

Active attorney license and good standing with a State Bar of California
A strong desire to expand knowledge and develop skills in both employment and immigration law.
Demonstrated commitment to social justice, progressive social change, empowering communities' rights, and justice.
A high level of integrity and the ability to maintain confidentiality
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
Fluency or high proficiency in the Spanish language and/or other languages that would allow communication with existing, new or potential clients is required as the job requires extensive legal counseling and representation with client who primarily speak languages other than English.
Must be able to lift 25 pounds of force occasionally, and/or amount of force constantly to move objects.
Must be flexible to work early in the morning, evenings and Saturdays during clinical/consultations times if needed.

Nice To Haves

Engaging communication skills that can effectively and independently communicate with diverse audiences and network collaboratively among a variety of stakeholder groups
Excellent creative problem solving, strategic thinking, and analytical skills
Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail
Intermediate spreadsheet skills or willingness to learn.
Experience with providing direct services to the community, ideally in a nonprofit setting
Experience working with survivors of trauma, victims of violence, and human trafficking
Experience working with underserved and diverse populations
Ability to be comfortable in a collaborative, consultative environment.
Proficient with Word, Excel, Power Point and other Microsoft Suite or other software utilized by CHIRLA.
Prior experience practicing employment and/or immigration law is preferred but not required.
Highly self-motivated, creative, takes initiative, ability to learn quickly, flexible, and able to work as part of an interdisciplinary team of legal staff.
Demonstrated experience working effectively as part of a team and with colleagues of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, both in person and within a remote work environment.
Ability to establish and maintain effective and positive working relationships within their team, their department, and throughout the organization.
Demonstrated ability to be proactive in the approach to assigned responsibilities, completing tasks and/or using technology and systems to maximize efficiencies.
Strong commitment to CHIRLA’s mission of empowering low-income community groups and immigrants

Responsibilities

Responsible for maintaining their own caseload and for drafting and revising any documents needed to address a client’s labor and immigration issues, including but not limited to demand letters, legal memos or briefs, labor complaints, settlement offers, leave request letters, applications, certification requests, etc.
Responsible for communicating and/or providing reminders of deadlines and/or case issues to supervisors, colleagues, and WRD staff as needed to ensure matters are addressed properly and efficiently.
Responsible for communicating directly with clients, informing them of deadlines, collecting, analyzing, and organizing evidence, preparing and submitting claims, and drafting documents.
Responsible for communicating directly with labor agencies as needed, as well as with opposing counsel.
Screen potential clients for labor issues such as wage theft, discrimination, retaliation, and other labor violations.
Screen potential clients for potential labor and immigration relief relevant to their circumstances and use that information to assess available legal options and potential eligibility for relief.
Communicate to potential clients an assessment or evaluation of their labor and/or immigration cases or circumstances, including but not limited to any rights these individuals possess, any requirements these individuals must meet, where to file complaints if WRD is unable to assist, and any deadlines they must comply with.
Collaborate with attorneys, paralegals, and other staff to provide representation to clients with cases involving issues such as criminal history, immigration law violations, family law issues, labor issues, current or previous removal proceedings, appeals, or other issues related to their immigration and labor matters as needed.
Work effectively with competing priorities and time-sensitive deadlines.
Stay up to date with changes in employment and immigration law, as well as other developments, to provide clients with effective and informed representation.
Make appropriate referrals for employment and immigration law services beyond the scope of the programs or one’s own competencies, and for other social service needs.
Assume caseload of any departing staff member as needed, with support and supervision from senior staff.
Communicate and interact with clients with professionalism, respect, compassion, and sensitivity to their life circumstances and potential or actual trauma that they may have experienced.
Maintain regular communication with clients and provide them with updates regarding their cases no later than 90 days after the last case update provided to them.
Respond to client communications or inquiries no later than within 48-72 hours of receipt of a client (s) message.
Participate in-person legal screening events, community presentations, meetings, and other special events as scheduled on occasional weekends. For example, participation may be required on Saturday mornings or evenings for special events as scheduled.
Lead Know Your Rights training as needed, including travel to locations outside your home office, primarily throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties, while remaining available to travel to other regions as needed.
Participate in media interviews or other public education opportunities related to emerging issues, as appropriate.
Support CHIRLA’s fundraising goals including annual fundraising drive and GALA activities.
Update case notes with any developments or client interactions within 48-72 hours to provide accurate and up to date information for other staff to rely on in a timely manner.
Update and maintain current databases, tracking sheets or other documents mandated by policies and procedures issued by CHIRLA or the Workers’ Rights and Labor Legal Services department.
Work closely and diligently with all other staff to represent clients ethically, efficiently and properly to maximize client outcomes and deliverable requirements for funders.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as necessary to address urgent issues or priorities either within their department, or for CHIRLA as assigned by the Department Director.