Description:

On December 11, 2023, the U.S. government settled the Ms. L. class action lawsuit more than five years after thousands of families were separated under the Zero Tolerance Policy. As part of the settlement, the U.S. government created a new, special pathway for separated parents and children to temporarily access asylum in the United States. Separated families have less than two years to navigate the complex legal process of applying affirmatively for asylum. If they don't make this deadline, they will lose the opportunity to do so. The Special Projects Attorney is a full-time, one-year position that will work to implement these key provisions of the Ms. L. settlement agreement by providing training, technical assistance, mentorship, and legal resources to the attorneys and accredited representatives for the Ms. L. class members.

This position is remote, but may involve some travel for in-person meetings or presentations.

This position currently has a duration of one year; however, there is a possibility of extension.

Organizational Background:
Lawyers for the Movement is a national membership organization of attorneys, advocates, and community members driven by the belief that all people should be treated with dignity, live freely, and flourish. For over 50 years, the organization has litigated, educated, advocated, and built bridges across movements so that those who are most harmed by the immigration and criminal systems are uplifted and supported. The work of the organization has included a focus on workplace rights and the ability of laborers who are non-citizens to assert and protect their rights.

Supervised by the Executive Director and in collaboration with NIPNLG staff and partners, the Special Projects Attorney will accomplish these objectives:

Field questions on the Ms. L. settlement agreement and immigration court and asylum office procedures
Strategize about the legal theory of the families' asylum cases, including innovative theories focused on their Ms. L. class membership, FCTA payouts, and climate migration
Assist with the formulation of particular social groups based on current case law
Provide detailed feedback on legal representatives' work product, such as draft declarations and briefs
Create and share specific resources for our mentees, including filing checklists and an asylum declaration-drafting guide
Offer webinars on relevant topics, such as drafting declarations
Hold bi-weekly office hours
Participate in meetings and serving as a liaison to NIPNLG partner organizations and other external stakeholders, including the government

Through webinars, office hours, group emails, and engagement with the field, the Special Projects Attorney will endeavor to create a sense of community and cultivate a movement lawyering approach within the broader field of lawyers engaged in border and asylum work.

Qualifications Required: