Description:
Salary Range:$75,000.00 To $95,000.00 Annually
Make a difference! Become a Defender!
The Defender Association of Philadelphia is seeking an experienced, organized and dedicated immigration attorney to join our Community Defense Unit. This unit provides direct legal services in immigration law matters through the representation of clients in immigration court hearings, appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and Federal Court, and filings with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of State. The Community Defense Unit also provides immigration analysis and advice to our attorneys for cases involving noncitizen criminal defendants. In addition, the Community Defense Unit serves as an immigration resource for all members of our staff. The Immigration Attorney must have a demonstrated commitment to defending and promoting the rights of immigrants as well as strong research, writing, and courtroom advocacy skills.
What You'll Do:
Funding Contingent Responsibilities:
What You'll Need:
Salary:
The Defender Association of Philadelphia is seeking an experienced, organized and dedicated immigration attorney to join our Community Defense Unit. This unit provides direct legal services in immigration law matters through the representation of clients in immigration court hearings, appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and Federal Court, and filings with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of State. The Community Defense Unit also provides immigration analysis and advice to our attorneys for cases involving noncitizen criminal defendants. In addition, the Community Defense Unit serves as an immigration resource for all members of our staff. The Immigration Attorney must have a demonstrated commitment to defending and promoting the rights of immigrants as well as strong research, writing, and courtroom advocacy skills.
What You'll Do:
- Represent clients in removal proceedings before EOIR Immigration Courts, Board of Immigration Appeals, and Federal Court
- Represent clients at interviews before USCIS, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- Conduct research and prepare legal memos and briefs for immigration clients, including affirmative filings with USCIS, CPT, ICE and U.S. Department of State
- Conduct immigration interviews and consultations, including interviews of clients in custody
- Collect and Maintain data related to direct representation of clients in immigration law matters
Funding Contingent Responsibilities:
- Consult directly with Defender Association trial attorneys and staff representing immigration clients in criminal court
- Conduct in-house trainings on immigration issues for Defender Association staff
- Serve as an office resource for immigration-related questions
What You'll Need:
- Juris Doctorate Degree required; Admission to PA Bar required.
- Admission to practice in the Federal Courts required.
- At least three (3) years of experience representing individuals in removal proceedings and before USCIS, preferred.
- Fluency in Spanish, preferred.
- Knowledge and familiarity with statutes, procedures, caselaw, and best practices related to immigration representation, required.
- Excellent research, writing, and courtroom advocacy skills.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, and a capacity and desire to work collaboratively within interdisciplinary teams
- Strong organizational skills to manage a high-volume, fast-paced legal practice environment
- Travel to local, state, and federal courtrooms and prisons, as needed
Salary:
- Entry-Level (Recent Graduate): $73,000 per year.
- Experience Credit: We value your background. The base rate increases by $1,500 for each year of relevant post-bar experience (including legal aid, judicial clerkships, and immigration law).
