STAFF ATTORNEY Santa Ana, CA
The Immigrant Defenders Law Center (“ImmDef”) is a next-generation, social justice law firm that provides high-quality representation and legal services to immigrants in Southern California. Our organization was established by experienced public attorneys and activists from the immigrant rights community who collectively have decades of experience fighting for the rights of immigrants in Southern California and beyond. ImmDef was founded with the belief that no immigrant should be forced to go into court alone, and we see our universal representation programs for children and adults as a first step towards that goal. Learn more about us at www.immdef.org.
ImmDef seeks a full-time Staff Attorney, based in our Santa Ana office, to provide fearless and zealous advocacy to clients in immigration removal proceedings. The Staff Attorney will work under the direct supervision of a Managing Attorney and in collaboration with their fellow attorneys. Our attorneys receive support from paralegals, administrative assistants and case managers. This is a rewarding and exciting position where the successful applicant will be engaged in cutting edge immigration litigation.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Provide creative representation to immigrants before the Immigration Courts, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and CA state court proceedings related to a client's removal case;
- Stay up to date on rapidly changing immigration laws and policies;
- Comply with data and program reporting requirements.
Qualifications:
- Juris Doctorate degree required;
- Active, California State Bar License, or license from another jurisdiction and (for some positions) commitment to “waiving in” to the CA Bar via the Multi-Jurisdictional Practice Program. We will consider those who sat for the July 2017 bar exam and are awaiting their results.
- Spanish language proficiency required (will be tested at time of interview);
- Experience working with detained immigrants or other incarcerated populations is a big plus;
- Preference for experience working with marginalized populations and survivors of trauma;
Experience with removal defense, family law, criminal defense, and/or child welfare related matters is a big plus;
- Experience working in a high volume, social-justice law firm is a huge plus;
- Strong case management, legal research, and legal writing skills required
- Demonstrated ability and willingness to zealously pursue new and untested legal theories;
- Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work under pressure required;
- Enthusiasm for working at a progressive, start-up organization;
- Passion for social justice for immigrants required.
Salary:
Competitive public interest between $53,000 - $65,000 DOE + generous benefits package, including health, dental, sick and vacation time, 11 paid holidays/year, and our office is closed between 12/25 and 1/2.
As a 501(c)(3) corporation, attorneys are eligible for public service loan forgiveness programs for federal student loans.
Application Instructions:
E-mail cover letter, resume, 3 references, and brief writing sample (5 pages or less) to: Lindsay Toczylowski, Executive Director, Immigrant Defenders Law Center at AttorneyJobs@immdef.org. Please indicate where you came across our job announcement. In the subject line please write FIRST NAME_LAST NAME_STAFF ATTORNEY APPLICATION.
Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please.
Immigrant Defenders Law Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
