Immigrants Rights Clinic Staff Attorney

Description:

Note: This position has been deemed critical/has specific funding, has been approved by the Law School for posting, and is exempt from the hiring freeze

The Mills Legal Clinic of Stanford Law School invites applicants for a Staff Attorney position with its Immigrants' Rights Clinic (IRC). The Staff Attorney will represent noncitizens facing removal proceedings in a broad range of complex matters, conduct non-litigation advocacy in partnership with community organizations, and participate in the IRC's appellate and district court litigation practice. We seek candidates with a demonstrated commitment to collaborative work, intentional lawyering, and a growth mindset. The Staff Attorney will not be supervising law students. This position will co-supervise a paralegal and a legal assistant supporting the Clinic.

The IRC is a nationally recognized full-time clinical education program specializing in deportation defense and immigrants' rights advocacy. The Staff Attorney will work in collaboration with Professor Jayashri Srikantiah, Director of the IRC, and Associate Director Lisa Weissman-Ward. The Staff Attorney will report to Professor Srikantiah, who will serve as the direct supervisor. This is a hybrid position, with the potential for remote work two days per week.

The Staff Attorney will conduct: (1) complex litigation representing individual immigrant clients in removal proceedings, assuming a lead role on cases, and (2) broad-based advocacy in partnership with organizations within the immigrants' rights movement. The direct client representation includes the representation of noncitizen clients before the San Francisco Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and various federal district courts in California. The IRC's docket reflects its longstanding commitment to working alongside local and national non-profits committed to community-based lawyering. For more than twenty years, IRC lawyers and students have challenged the federal government's detention practices, addressed the unfair immigration consequences of criminal convictions, and advanced access to justice.

The Staff Attorney is part of the vibrant intellectual community within the Law School and Stanford University at large. The IRC also provides resources for its attorneys to participate in conferences, continuing education, and other professional development activities.

Core duties:

• Develop and manage litigation in collaboration with partner organizations
• Identify priority areas for advocacy and litigation, consistent with Clinic goals and community and client need
• Draft and file complex briefs, memoranda, and other legal documents
• Help to develop curriculum
• Counsel clinic clients and collaborators
• Develop or contribute to outreach strategy related to Clinic communications and partnerships
• Coach and mentor Clinic staff

Position Requirements:
Applicants for the Staff Attorney position must have:

• A J.D. and at least 3 years of experience representing clients in removal defense matters including appeals (3+ years of experience preferred)
• Experience conducting one or more forms of broad-based immigrants' rights advocacy, including complex litigation in the federal courts, administrative and legislative advocacy, public education, media work, or grassroots organizing
• Excellent oral, written, and analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to oversee and direct staff
• Strong academic credentials
• Excellent teamwork skills
• Membership in a state bar

Spanish language fluency and membership in the California Bar are additional plus factors.

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