Senior Staff Attorney

Salt Lake City

Organization: IRC - International Rescue Committee
Location: Salt Lake City
Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
Occupational Groups:
- Legal - Broad
Closing Date: Closed

IRC BACKGROUND:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC is at work today in more than 40 countries and in 26 U.S. cities. The IRC’s Resettlement, Asylum and Integration (RAI) department creates opportunities for refugees and other vulnerable migrants to survive and thrive in the US. RAI serves nearly 50,000 individuals each year in the US through a diverse portfolio of programs aimed at achieving outcomes in five impact areas: Health, Safety, Economic Wellbeing, Education, and Power.

IRC's immigration legal services program serves more than 14,000 individuals in 23 sites throughout the U.S. each year, providing accessible and critical legal representation and advice to immigrants and their families in order to acquire the highest level of immigration status available, keep families together, access their full rights, and successfully integrate in the U.S.

JOB OVERVIEW:

IRC is a lead agency responding to the Afghan evacuation and will be serving thousands of Afghan parolees this year. This position will focus on ensuring Afghan parolees have access to immigration legal services through a range of services such as orientations, legal screenings and representation. The Senior Staff Attorney will represent asylum seekers and other individuals facing removal in immigration court, as well as on petitions before US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). The Senior Staff Attorney will also conduct community-based know your rights sessions. The Senior Staff Attorney will bring several years’ experience representing asylum seekers in immigration court, superb legal judgment and legal ethics, an ability to work independently while recognizing the value of collaboration and cross-referencing with other experts, and a passion for this area of work. The position will work in collaboration with community partners and will be part of the Removal Defense Community of Practice, led by IRC’s Immigration Technical Unit (TU) at IRC’s headquarters, which supports IRC’s 24 legal service programs across the US. This is a one-year temporary position.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Direct Legal Representation

•Conduct intakes with IRC clients and community members and provide direct legal representation to individuals in immigration court [and before USCIS/ the Asylum Office].

•Provide information on legal pathways for Afghan parolees, conduct screenings of clients, work with clients to gather documents, and assist clients to complete applications.

•Refer Afghan parolee cases to pro se immigration attorneys for assistance, and continue to track those cases until final decision is made

•Maintain up-to-date knowledge and expertise of changing asylum and immigration policies through independent research and analysis, regular trainings, and peer-to-peer consultation.

•Conduct trainings for IRC staff and/or externally as needed.

•Maintain accurate and up-to-date physical and electronic files and detailed case notes, enter required data in a timely manner, meet all case reporting requirements within established timelines and standards, and assist in the completion of statistical, narrative, and financial reports.

•Maintain strict client confidentiality and observe all other ethical practices/obligations as outlined in IRC’s Immigration Program Policies Manual.

Community Outreach & Program Development

•Lead efforts to design and implement legal services for Afghan parolees that account for community needs and resources and adhere to the IRC Immigration Program Policies Manual.

•Coordinate ongoing outreach to Afghan parolee clients to ensure all adult Afghan parolee clients receive a legal consultation and are advised of potential legal pathways to a permanent form of immigration status

•Coordinate with other legal service providers to refer clients and collaborate on joint activities, including legal clinics and workshops, and provide mentorship to those legal service providers

•Participate in community-based coalitions related to immigrant rights

•Serve as a strong advocate for humanitarian immigrants.

•Collaborate with IRC team members locally and nationally on legal and programmatic issues.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Position Reports to: Senior Legal Representative

Position Directly Supervises: DOJ-Accredited Representatives and Immigration Legal Assistants

This vacancy is now closed.
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