IMMIGRATION UNIT STAFF ATTORNEY
MANHATTAN LEGAL SERVICES

Manhattan Legal Services (MLS) is seeking a dynamic attorney to work as a Staff Attorney in its Immigration Unit. We seek candidates who are excited to work in a fast-paced environment and to use creative strategies in the pursuit of justice.

MLS is part of Legal Services NYC (LSNYC), the largest provider of free civil legal services for low-income people in the country. The Manhattan office provides high-quality legal services in the areas of housing, family law, public benefits, employment, immigration, LGBTQ/HIV advocacy, and consumer, education, and disability rights. We work in partnership with community-based organizations in the communities we serve to address the root causes of homelessness, hunger, and family disintegration.

As a community-centered, social justice organization, MLS is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where staff and clients feel welcome. Through our various affinity groups and committees, we actively work to foster collegial relationships among staff and allow staff to explore, grow in our understanding of and challenge barriers to opportunity within our organization and through our legal work. All employees are expected to learn about and seek to understand, identify and overcome barriers to justice, from individual preconceptions to structural obstacles, and work to realize our organizational goals and mission.

The Position:

The Staff Attorney will provide deportation defense in immigration court before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), including merits hearings, motions practice, and appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), to individuals and families in removal proceedings and will also handle affirmative immigration matters with USCIS, including asylum applications, family-based petitions, naturalization, VAWA self-petitions, and petitions for U or T nonimmigrant status, among other forms of relief. The Staff Attorney will also represent clients in family court proceedings related to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases. The attorney will work closely with our staff social worker to provide trauma-informed representation and holistic advocacy on behalf of clients and their families. In some cases, the Staff Attorney will collaborate with Citywide Litigation on habeas petitions. This is a strong opportunity to do substantive immigration law work with a diverse client population in an underserved community.

The attorney will be supervised by the Director of Immigration and will work in a hybrid remote and in-office schedule in accordance with the LSNYC Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Additional duties include:

• Intake, community education, and community outreach
• Collaborating with other LSNYC attorneys and advocates on cross-unit and cross-borough projects
• Partnering with community-based organizations on campaigns and projects
• Mentoring and collaborating with pro bono partners
• Administrative tasks, including timekeeping, uploading documents, data reporting, and case closing for compliance

Experience and Qualifications:

We seek an attorney admitted to the New York State Bar with:

• A demonstrated passion for social justice and a commitment to working with low-income communities, immigrant communities, and communities of color to advance equity
• At least 3-5 years of immigration law direct services experience
• Experience representing clients before EOIR, including motions practice and merits hearings, and experience with BIA appeals required
• Experience working with clients who have experienced trauma and other vulnerable populations (particularly domestic violence survivors, LGBTQ+ communities, and youth) required
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage a diverse, fast-paced, and high-volume caseload
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Strong cultural or personal ties to the communities we serve
• Collaborative orientation, ability to work in a team, and solution-oriented approach
• Admission to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Southern and/or Eastern District of New York (SDNY/EDNY) preferred
• Experience with federal court litigation, including habeas corpus petitions, strongly preferred
• Fluency in Spanish, including the ability to communicate in Spanish with clients about legal matters and correspond in writing with clients in Spanish required

MLS offers a competitive public interest salary, hybrid remote work policy, and excellent benefits package.

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three references. No telephone calls, please.

Manhattan Legal Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people identifying as LGBTQI+, and persons over 40 are welcome and encouraged to apply.

Bar associations and other organizations: Manhattan Legal Services welcomes your recommendations for candidates who meet the foregoing qualifications and requests that you or your organization encourage such candidates to apply.

All employees are strongly encouraged to remain up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations unless exempt for medical or religious reasons.