Description:
Summary:A Civic & Social Organizations Company Legal Services Fund provides critical legal representation to over 100,000 eligible members and their families across the eastern seaboard. We seek an experienced attorney to serve as the supervisor of our Immigration Law Unit. The Supervising Attorney oversees and directs the day-to-day operations of the Immigration Law Unit and assures the highest quality of legal services are provided by the staff attorneys, panel attorneys, paralegals, and administrative staff for every client; prepares oral and written reports regarding staff performance and case management; assists in the recruitment, training and development of staff; interacts with other Supervising Attorneys and department heads regarding office procedures and case management, as well as fulfilling all of the duties and responsibilities of a staff attorney (including, but not limited to, stepping in to handle files of particular complexity). The Fund's legal staff members represent clients before U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), various immigration administrative agencies and in state and federal courts.
Responsibilities:
- Lead and provide direction, mentorship, guidance, and professional development for attorneys, managers, paralegals, support staff and interns.
- Coordinate external panel of attorneys providing legal services to members outside NYC; review billing, monitor case status and trajectory.
- Harmonize the delivery of legal services with the broader Legal Fund team.
- Engage with the Funds' executive staff and assist in implementation and communication of policy, programming and initiatives within the Legal and wider Benefit Funds.
- Assist in the development and direct oversight of new programs and programming and initiatives, including planning, staffing, implementation, quality assurance/reporting requirements, budgeting, community relations, and provide direct supervision to the Legal Fund staff.
- Work closely with the Fund's Human Resource Department in recruitment and hiring efforts for legal teams at every staff level.
- Review and refine onboarding protocols and ensure high quality training for new legal staff, as well as ongoing training to support the needs of existing staff.
- Monitor legal practice to ensure a high standard of representation and client services, and lead practice-wide legal management and decision making through the analysis of legal issues, developing legal strategy, and strengthening and supervising the implementation of supervision and practice protocols for all legal staff.
- Coordinate intra-Fund communication, foster and encourage teamwork and communication, and ensure unity of vision, purpose, and mission identity for legal staff.
- Oversee the coordination and supervision of the Fund's immigration benefits, state court and federal court practice, and all removal defense work.
- Lead continuous quality improvement processes throughout the legal practice. Review and improve internal practices relating to intake programs, contract-based case enrollment and case closing protocols, and case productivity tracking to create Fund-wide systems for legal management.
- Monitor and approve expenses for all immigration programming and make any necessary budget adjustments. Work with legal team and assigned staff in the Finance Department to facilitate prompt and accurate tracking, invoicing, claims, forecasting and budgeting.
- Identify systemic issues faced by the Fund's immigrant clients and explore creative and alternative approaches for legal practice, including affirmative litigation. Evaluate existing program needs and identify necessary resources for effective delivery of services. Collaborate with practitioners and immigration legal services organizations throughout New York State and across the country to develop and participate in litigation and law reform initiatives.
- Work collaboratively with Fund's leadership team and managing attorneys to promote the Fund's visibility and impact within the governmental, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.
- Develop and maintain community support and relationships with community-based organizations, advocates, government agencies, elected officials and the courts.
- In coordination with the Fund's leadership team, represent the Fund's legal practice and policy perspectives through media and press relations, in collaborative and coalition representation, guided by internal Funds partners and in collaboration with external partners.
- Other job-related duties, as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Juris Doctor and active status as member in good standing of the bar in any State or the District of Columbia.
- Ten (10) years of post-JD experience in immigration law and community legal engagement/service delivery.
- Experience supervising and mentoring others.
- Comprehensive knowledge of immigration law and experience litigating cases in immigration court.
- Understand and advise on the intersection between criminal and immigration law, including the immigration consequences of certain convictions in New York and other jurisdictions.
- Strong interest in and familiarity with legal management principles.
- Demonstrated leadership ability.
- Demonstrated commitment to and experience in public interest law and immigration legal services.
- Demonstrated commitment to policy advocacy and administrative reform.
- Commitment to exploring alternative approaches for improving legal practice.
- Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required.
- Excellent oral, research, writing, analytical and organizational skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to prioritize and handle multiple complex tasks.
- Ability to convene and lead meetings.
- Ability to work both independently and in a highly collaborative team environment.
- Pro bono, government, public service, and academic experience is desirable, but not required.
- Ability to work in a fast?paced environment.
- Ability and experience working with diverse individuals and communities.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
