Agency Description: Journey's End is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit refugee resettlement agency in
Buffalo, New York. We are a community-based organization with the mission of providing refugees
and immigrants with the resources and support they need to become successful, active and
contributing members of our shared community. The Immigration Legal Services (ILS) Program
offers immigration legal services to immigrant New Yorkers in need, including representation on
matters before U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) and Buffalo Immigration Court.
Project Description: New Americans in New York State lack options for free or low cost legal
services to assist them with immigration related legal issues and representation. They therefore are
often forced to turn to service providers who may not have the necessary expertise in immigration
law. To address this issue, the New York State Office for New Americans (ONA) will expand the
availability of immigration lawyers around the state offering free and expert technical legal assistance
legal clinics, direct representation, and legal seminars and workshops.
Job Description: Reporting to the Supervising Attorney, ONA Legal Counsel will assist in carrying
out ONA grant objectives and will work to advance the mission of Journey's End Refugee Services.
ONA Legal Counsel will provide outreach, direct immigration legal services, naturalization application
review, legal clinics, legal consultation days, community information sessions, Know Your Rights
presentations, referrals, and technical legal assistance to ONA Opportunity Centers and other
organizations across the counties of the Southern Tier. The Southern Tier region includes Broome,
Chemung, Chenango, Delaware, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties. This position
will primarily operate out of Binghamton, NY.
Job Responsibilities
- Provide direct affirmative and defensive immigration legal representation to the immigrant
populations of the Southern Tier.
- Conduct review of naturalization application completion process of Department of Justice
(DOJ) Accredited ONA Opportunity Centers in the Southern Tier.
- Organize and attend legal consultation days, legal clinics, community information sessions,
and Know Your Rights presentations at ONA Opportunity Centers and partner agencies
across the Southern Tier.
- Develop, sustain, and grow meaningful partnerships with local community groups to
organize and host events.
- Respond to immigration law questions from ONA Opportunity Centers, other immigrant
service providers, and individuals in need of immigration assistance in the region.
- Develop and distribute a list of resources for referrals on programs and services available to
new Americans.
- Conduct widespread community outreach and coordinate with other ONA projects,
including participation in monthly New York State Department of State/ONA webinars.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications Applicants must:
- Be admitted and remain in good standing of the bar of the highest court of any state in the
country or U.S. territory
- Be able and willing to travel extensively to all counties throughout the Southern Tier
Be able and willing to travel to Buffalo, NY when necessary as part of client representation
- or as required by supervisor
Be able and willing to travel to Journey's End's office in Buffalo, NY for mandatory staff
- training and events
- Possess ability to be part of a dedicated team of talented individuals
- Possess strong communication (written and oral) and advocacy skills
This is a full time and salaried position. Benefits and retirement package are included. Candidates that
have three or more years of experience as an attorney, two or more years of immigration law
experience, and the ability to communicate in a language other than English are preferred.
Journey's End Refugee Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ the best
qualified personnel without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, age, gender,
gender identity, marital status, or any other reason prohibited by law.
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