Description:

Mission: The Worker Justice Center of New York pursues justice for those denied human rights, with a focus on agricultural workers and other workers in low-wage industries, through legal representation, community empowerment and advocacy for institutional change.

Opportunity: WJCNY is currently seeking to hire a full-time immigration staff attorney to join its legal team. The staff attorney will develop and maintain an active immigration docket focused on immigration relief connected to workplace abuses, with a primary focus on T and U visa applications for trafficked and exploited workers, as well as immigration legal services for clients pursuing labor and employment matters.

The WJCNY legal team provides consultations to workers throughout New York State and represents workers in a range of employment matters, including wage and hour violations, discrimination, and labor trafficking. We also assist individuals with employment-related immigration matters related to trafficking or workplace violence. The legal team currently consists of a director, three labor & employment staff attorneys, a legal fellow, and three paralegals. We operate in close collaboration with the WJCNY anti-trafficking, outreach and education, and legislative advocacy teams. We are seeking an attorney who is committed to our mission, using legal advocacy to effect meaningful change at both an individual and systemic level.

Job Title: Immigration Staff Attorney
Supervisor: Legal Director
Working Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: Rochester, NY.

Compensation: Salary is based upon a union-negotiated scale, which begins at $64,000 per year for minimum qualifications and increases to $88,500+ based on experience. WJCNY offers a generous comprehensive benefit package, including health and dental insurance, paid sick and vacation time, and 401(k) retirement plan. This is an exempt position.

Additional Benefits: Use of a company-owned vehicle is available for work-related travel, subject to scheduling and availability. Flexible scheduling is available to all WJCNY employees.

Job Description:

Engage in all duties related to WJCNY's immigration matters, which will generally be connected to WJCNY's work on wage and hour, discrimination, labor trafficking, and agricultural and migrant worker claims.
Review intakes on immigration matters, make determinations on available remedies and address follow-up services, including but not limited to advice and counsel, brief services, and full representation.
Staff attorneys may be asked to perform off-site intakes and client work and work outside of regular business hours to accommodate clients' schedules.
Develop effective impact strategies to address workplace exploitation, including impact litigation for broader law or policy change.
Collaborate with other WJCNY staff in case development as well as in efforts to build knowledge about legal rights and empowerment among workers.
Contemporaneously report on the delivery of all legal services, in alignment with grant specific requirements.
Maintain contact and collaboration with relevant community organizations, government agencies, and bar associations that may be of assistance in serving clients or reaching organizational goals.
Maintain knowledge of immigration legal and policy changes.
Advise staff and community members on legal, policy, or legislative matters as needed.

Qualifications:

J.D. and admission to practice in New York, or ability to gain admission within a reasonable time frame.
At least three years of relevant post-law school immigration experience, including U-visas, T-visas, deferred action, adjustment of status, and removal defense.
Clear desire to engage in substantial immigration practice.
Demonstrated commitment to workers' rights and immigrant rights.
Strong legal writing, research, and verbal and written communication skills.
Spanish fluency highly preferred.
Ability to work independently.
Experience with immigrant and/or low-wage workers and an ability to demonstrate sensitivity to the diversity of the organization's service population.
A valid NYS driver's license (car not required).

To apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to Legal Director Maureen Hussain at A Non-Profit Organization and Director of Human Resources Erin Young at A Non-Profit Organization. Please include “Immigration Staff Attorney” in the subject line of your e-mail.

WJCNY is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all applicants regardless of race, sex, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity.