Supervising Attorney (Hybrid)

Description:

Description:
Metropolitan Family Services empowers families to learn, to earn, to heal, to thrive. Part mentor, part motivator, part advocate, since 1857, Metropolitan Family Services has been the engine of change that empowers families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities. Metropolitan is Illinois' first comprehensive human services agency and reaches more than 117,000 individuals and families in Chicago, Evanston/Skokie, the southwest suburbs and DuPage County with services promoting education, economic stability, emotional wellness and empowerment.

We are now hiring for a full-time Supervising Attorney to join its Individual Rights & Social Justice Practice Group!

The Supervising Attorney will be responsible for supervising staff attorneys, volunteers, and support staff; assist in grant management and project implementation; and will maintain a caseload. The supervising attorney will focus on oversight of Immigrant Legal Services Program, which includes community based clinics that are designed to respond to needs of immigrant community as well as accepting referrals for full scope representation.

The Individual Rights & Social Justice Practice Group provides legal representation to victims of crime and currently has projects that focus specifically on services to survivors of human trafficking immigrant victims of crime, victims of wage theft, and legal services to recent immigrants arriving in the Chicago from the southern border. In addition, the Individual and Social Justice Practice Group engages in numerous direct outreach, training, and technical assistance throughout Illinois. As part of a trauma informed practice we believe in reducing barriers to assist clients, which includes being willing to meet clients in safe locations away from the main office.

Essential Job Functions:

• Direct the day-to-day operations of program, including supervision of staff providing legal representation in both affirmative and defensive immigration matters.
• Assign and review the work of supervised staff and volunteers, adjusting the distribution of cases and assignments as necessary to provide equitable and manageable workloads as well as high quality client services. Regularly provide guidance and feedback to staff on case management and subject matter.
• Handle an appropriately limited caseload of direct legal services to clients, taking responsibility for complex or sensitive cases as warranted.
• In consultation with Managing Attorney and Executive Director, make hiring decisions, evaluate staff, and recommend appropriate promotions/pay increases.
• With Managing Attorney and Executive Director, participate in program planning and implementation of program goals and objectives. Ensure program staff comply with grant and other reporting requirements. Assist with grant reporting
• and other related activities.
• Maintain awareness of relevant law or policy issues and developments, initiating and participating in appropriate public agency reform, court reform, legislative reform, affirmative litigation, policy analysis, and similar systemic activities in the
• interest LAS clients; provide direction and leadership around such activities to supervised staff and volunteers.
• Develop and maintain constructive relationships with other programs within LAS and MFS, promoting the maximum development of the multi-disciplinary potential of the agency on behalf of clients. Work and collaborate with community partners and other stakeholders.
• At the direction of Executive Director, participate in public relations activities of LAS and MFS, including collaborating or communicating with other agency programs/groups, community partners, and government officials.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor AND active member of the Illinois Bar OR admitted in another state and eligible for reciprocity in Illinois required. 
• 5+ years of experience in the general practice of law or 4+ years of experience in the field of legal aid. This experience should include 2+ years of directing the activities of a staff made up of both professional and non-professional employees
• and one year of experience in handling, without supervision, cases before EOIR.
• Must have immigration experience in both affirmative and defensive applications.
• Experience with detained work strongly preferred, but not required.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish strongly preferred, but not required.

Travel Requirements:
Travel required within Cook County, primarily between LAS office and the community clinics.

Physical Demands:
While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is required to sit and stand for sustained periods of time, frequently talk, hear, use hands and fingers to feel, handle, and operate objects or controls, and occasionally stand, bend, stretch, stoop, kneel and crouch. The employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, and viewing a computer terminal.

Salary:

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