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JOB DESCRIPTION

The Legal Aid Society's Civil Practice is seeking a Staff Attorney to work on the Immigration Law Unit's Appellate/Impact Litigation Project. The Staff Attorney will represent low-income clients before the U.S. District Courts and the Courts of Appeals to safeguard immigrants' due process and liberty rights and to ensure that immigration laws are accurately interpreted and fairly applied. The Staff Attorney will also assist in organizing regular Second Circuit working group meetings with other providers and practitioners to discuss current issues pending before the Second Circuit.

The Immigration Law Unit is a recognized leader in the delivery of high quality legal services to immigrants in New York City and surrounding counties. The Unit provides low-income New Yorkers with free comprehensive immigration services such as deportation defense, adjustment of status to Legal Permanent Residence, and citizenship applications. The Unit specializes in the intersection between immigration and criminal law and works collaboratively with all practice areas to serve the Society's diverse immigrant clients through a comprehensive service model. Unit staff represent immigrants before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), immigration judges in removal proceedings, and the Board of Immigration Appeals, as well as in federal court on habeas corpus petitions, petitions for review, administrative and judicial appeals, and other matters.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
* Develop and conduct litigation at the Board of Immigration Appeals, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits, and in federal district courts
* Identify unsettled legal issues of significance to the Society's immigrant clients and locate cases that could be litigated for the purpose of establishing favorable precedent
* Identify systemic problems that could be addressed through affirmative litigation
* Collaborate with practitioners throughout the country to develop and participate in national litigation and law reform projects
* Coordinate Amicus Curiae briefings in support of issues of significance to clients
* Track case law developments in immigration law and policy, both in the federal courts and before the Board of Immigration Appeals
* Provide individualized consultations to Staff Attorneys
* Develop competence within the Immigration Law Unit to litigate immigration related cases in federal district and circuit courts
* Work with pro bono counsel on assigned pro bono cases
* Develop pro se and pro bono lawyer resource materials and trainings on a range of federal court issues
* Engage in policy advocacy

SECONDARY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
* Other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS

* Admission to New York State Bar and a Federal District Court. Must be eligible to seek and immediately apply for admission to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
* Minimum of three years of federal litigation or comparable experience, preferably in immigration law before the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals
* Strong interest in and understanding of the intersection of criminal and immigration law
* Excellent research, writing, analytical, organizational, and communication skills
* Interest in developing new approaches to representing clients in removal proceedings
* Ability to work with pro bono lawyers
* Must be able to work independently as well as collaboratively and manage a complex caseload
* Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required

The Legal Aid Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer -- Women, People of Color, Gays and Lesbians, Transgender People, Veterans, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

If you have any questions about this posting email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.

Civil Practice Staff Attorney-Immigration Law Unit