Description:
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. This position is funded for two years through a grant provided by the Spring Point Partners. The funding, and thus this position ends on September 7, 2028, unless Defenders gets continued funding.
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
What You'll Need:
- Juris Doctorate Degree required; Must be licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania
- Admission to practice in the Federal Courts preferred, but may be obtained within a reasonable time of employment
- Experience working with multicultural immigrant communities
- At least two (2) years of experience representing individuals in removal proceedings/USCIS is preferred. Clinical experience will be considered, as will other experience demonstrating knowledge of immigration law and practice.
- Fluency in Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, or French, preferred.
- Excellent research, writing, and courtroom advocacy skills
- Knowledge and familiarity with statutes, procedures, caselaw, and best practices related to immigration representation, required.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Capacity and desire to work collaboratively within interdisciplinary teams
- Strong organizational skills to manage a high-volume, fast-paced legal practice environment
