Description:
The Strategic Counsel, Immigration Services is a pivotal leadership role that integrates legal expertise with strategic planning, operational excellence, and firm growth initiatives. This position requires vision, collaboration, and a deep commitment.The Strategic Counsel provides high-level legal guidance, develops innovative service strategies, and ensures the legal department operates with consistency, compliance, and excellence. This individual will collaborate closely with leadership, attorneys, and operations teams to align legal practices with the firm's long-term vision of “changing people's lives.”
Tasks and Responsibilities
Legal Strategy & Oversight
- Develop and oversee legal strategies across all immigration practice areas.
- Review and approve complex case strategies, ensuring alignment with current immigration law and firm standards.
- Partner with the Managing Partner to evaluate legal trends and forecast potential impacts on client representation.
- Conduct audits of casework to ensure legal accuracy, compliance, and consistency.
- Identify systemic risks or inefficiencies and design mitigation plans.
- Establish performance benchmarks for the legal team and monitor adherence.
- Lead continuous improvement projects within the legal department to increase efficiency and client satisfaction.
- Optimize workflows, technology use, and communication between legal and operations teams.
- Develop scalable procedures to support firm growth and maintain high service standards.
- Mentor attorneys and paralegals, providing training, feedback, and professional development support.
- Collaborate with HR, Operations, and Client Services to enhance cross-departmental coordination.
- Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and shared success.
- Represent clients before USCIS and in removal proceedings when required.
- Participate in key client meetings and strategy sessions, ensuring exceptional service and trust-building.
- Serve as a strategic advisor in high-profile or precedent-setting cases.
- Partner with leadership to identify emerging opportunities within immigration law.
- Contribute to firm-wide business planning, including market positioning, service innovation, and client outreach strategies.
- Support the firm's brand as a thought leader in immigration advocacy through publications, speaking engagements, and community involvement.
Skills & Qualifications:
- Legal Expertise: Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and U.S. BAR Certified.
- Immigration Law Experience: Minimum 8 years in humanitarian and family-based immigration, including complex case strategy and litigation.
- Strategic & Analytical Thinking: Proven ability to design and implement legal frameworks, process improvements, and performance metrics.
- Legal Research & Advocacy: Advanced legal writing, oral advocacy, and case analysis for court representation and USCIS interactions.
- Client & Team Leadership: Demonstrated experience mentoring attorneys, enhancing cross-functional collaboration, and leading client-centered advocacy initiatives.
- Operational & Business Insight: Skilled in workflow optimization, resource allocation, and aligning legal operations with organizational growth objectives.
- Language & Technology Skills: Spanish fluency required; proficiency in immigration case management systems (e.g., MyCase, Docketwise).
- Commitment & Flexibility: Willingness to travel for hearings, strategy meetings, and community engagement events.
