Managing Attorney

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 over 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.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The IRC in Northern California (NorCal) seeks a Managing Attorney to lead its legal services for Afghan evacuees across its offices in Oakland, Sacramento, San Jose, and Turlock. The IRC supported efforts to welcome and resettle nearly 80,000 individuals from Afghanistan to the US since the shift in power in August 2021. IRC assisted nearly 5,000 Afghans to resettle to the region, and over 15,000 Afghans have settled in Sacramento alone. The majority entered with humanitarian parole and need legal assistance – most often to seek asylum – to achieve permanency in the US. The Managing Attorney will lead a team of attorneys and legal assistants providing both direct representation and limited scope legal assistance to Afghan individuals across the region who are seeking asylum.

The Managing Attorney will bring not only legal expertise in representing asylum seekers, but also the ability to mentor and support a team of legal professionals in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, while collaborating with a range of community and pro bono partners. The position will work in close collaboration with the Legal Services Technical Unit (TU) at IRC’s headquarters, which oversees and supports IRC’s 24 legal service programs across the US.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee the provision of legal services, including both limited scope legal assistance and direct representation, through daily direct supervision of a team of lawyers and legal assistants providing legal services to Afghans seeking asylum
• Develop a programmatic strategy to reach the highest number of clients possible while ensuring high quality and ethical legal services
• Develop and oversee legal strategy on complex cases
• Provide regular individual supervision and support; mentor staff, set clear performance expectations and goals, give regular performance feedback, help prioritize workloads, help troubleshoot challenges, and maintain appropriate professional development plans
• Develop and monitor intake procedures, case acceptance policies, and caseload targets and limits for direct representation, while balancing the team’s time on limited scope legal assistance efforts to support Afghan clients to file affirmative asylum applications
• Actively co-facilitate and support grant opening, grant review, and grant closing meetings, and lead all aspects of grant cycle, including developing/implementing monitoring & evaluation plans
• Ensure client data is collected consistently, managed appropriately, and reported timely, using IRC’s legal case management database and other relevant case management systems
• Ensure effective integration of internships and volunteers within programs
• Collaborate with other IRC program areas as appropriate to ensure client-centered service
• Create and maintain a viable outreach strategy to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with community-based organizations, the private bar, pro bono legal partners, and nonprofit legal providers; pursue program initiatives with partners that further goals and address unmet demand
• Serve as an in-house expert on US immigration law by updating internal IRC colleagues on changes in immigration law affecting IRC’s Afghan clients as needed
•  Work effectively across programs, and contribute to and support office-wide Strategic Action Plan

• Work closely with the HQ Immigration Technical Unit and other program offices as part of IRC’s immigration legal services network
• Serve as a strong advocate for immigrant rights
• Other duties as assigned

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:  

Position Reports to:  Legal Services Director

Position Directly Supervises: Staff Attorneys and Senior Staff Attorneys; Legal Assistants generally report to Staff Attorneys  

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Law degree (JD or LLM) from an ABA-accredited U.S. institution and admission to any state bar
• 3 years’ experience or more providing direct representation in immigration court and before USCIS to asylum applicants and other immigrants seeking relief from removal
• Experience with affirmative asylum applications before USCIS
• Strong legal supervision skills and superb legal judgment
• Ability to oversee and provide supervision on a reasonably high case volume and work under time pressure
• Experience organizing and facilitating immigration workshops and immigration information sessions
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills
• Bilingual in one or more languages of the population preferred (eg, Dari, Pashto)
• Deep commitment to working with humanitarian immigrants
• Trauma-informed and sensitive listening and communication skills
• Desire to join a team working to protect due process and immigrant rights
• Must have a valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle, active insurance policy and ability to travel frequently in and around the service area to engage with clients and community partners

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The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires candidates who are selected for interview to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for this position. 

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.   

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits.  In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $120 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.