Staff Attorney

Job Description

Job Description

WE ARE CASA & CASA IN ACTION SYNOPSIS:
We Are CASA’s mission is to create a more just society by building power and improving the quality of life in working class Black, Latino/a/e, Afro-descendant, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities. Rooted in the collective power of our community, our inclusive, permanent, member-led movement radically transforms communities and systems to ensure the needs, dreams, and aspirations of members are fully met as we strive for justice and full liberation at home and in solidarity with others across the world. We Are CASA has a sister organization, CASA in Action, a separate, but related, nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. Although We Are CASA and CASA in Action share a common goal of supporting immigrants and low-income people in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Georgia, they are separate organizations with their own board of directors. A set of employees at the two organizations, including the person filling this position, shares their time between the two organizations. This has no effect on salary or benefits.

DEPARTMENT SYNOPSIS:
The legal program at We Are CASA operates under the principles of Justice is the goal, law is a means. It is a marathon, not a sprint. We endeavor to find the most creative strategies to combat the abuses and injustices identified by our constituents. We value justice in the largest sense possible, not only one person at a time legal solutions, but broad, transformative solutions created in combination with immigrant leaders, We Are CASA organizers and other staff, other local and national organizations and direct service staff. We value our time and believe that through hard and sustained effort is often required, real rest is also necessary for creativity, stamina and “a life,” however defined.

POSITION SUMMARY:
A We Are CASA staff attorney is on the front line in defending, advocating for, and working alongside our members in different spaces. The Staff Attorney will be responsible for providing direct representation to CASA members in civil legal cases, such as immigration, housing, employment, and/or civil rights, while helping to support the broader efforts of We Are CASA’s Legal Department, as assigned by their supervisor. We Are CASA staff attorneys work with a dynamic group of paralegals, organizers, advocates, and social service staff in a friendly and fast-paced environment.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Direct Legal Work

• Under the supervision of the Supervising Attorney and/or Managing Attorney, provide legal representation to We Are CASA members in civil legal cases.  
• Provide brief legal services, including legal orientation, intake, education, counseling, advice and referrals to community members on a variety of legal issues, such as immigration, housing, employment, and/or civil rights. Most We Are CASA Staff Attorneys will work primarily in one issue area .
• Participate in community workshops and clinics organized by the Legal Department and/or other departments.

Strategic Work with Organizers

• Support the legal needs of We Are CASA’s Organizing Department as they arise, including through regular engagement with staff and community leaders, providing legal consultations to members identified by Organizing staff, responding to urgent situations such as impending evictions of We Are CASA members or immigration raids, collaborating on policy and campaign issues, and other support as needed.
• Support CASA campaigns to improve the lives of immigrant and working class communities at the local, state and federal level by drafting and reviewing legislation, presenting testimony, organizing hearings, lobbying elected officials and other duties as assigned.
• Co-counsel with other legal service providers or pro bono counsel to pursue impact litigation.
• Identify clients to support priority We Are CASA campaigns through engagement with the Organizing Department, media engagements and other means of public advocacy. 

Outreach/Popular Education

• Engage in education and outreach through “Know Your Rights” presentations, workshops and clinics, participation on panels and other means of public engagement.
• Design, edit, and disseminate popular education materials, and plan and implement “Train the Trainer” workshops in which organizers and workers are trained to reach out to others to inform them of their rights.

• Improve and grow relationships with volunteers and other key partners to support We Are CASA’s legal work, including pro bono attorneys, law students, and other relevant professionals.

Administrative Work

• Complete on-going data entry, data verification, and internal activity reports.
• Maintain contemporaneous and complete notes of all case-related activity in We Are CASA’s case management systems.
• Engage in an annual planning process, developing and executing individual work plans, evaluating and providing feedback on plans as the year progresses.
• Provide detailed information regarding work including case examples, case profiles, and statistics for regular reporting deadlines.
• Other duties as assigned by program leadership.

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE:

• Bar membership:
  • Licensed to practice law in Maryland; or
  • Eligible for admission in Maryland without examination; or
  • Willingness to sit for first available Maryland bar exam upon hire (including students in their last year of law school or recent law graduates).
• Valid US Driver’s License and, at time of hire, a reliable vehicle.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Bilingual English/Spanish (written and spoken), strongly preferred. French is a plus.
• 1-3 years of experience delivering civil legal services. This can include work with a law school clinic, internships or other related activities.
• Strong communication skills.
• Strong commitment to We Are CASA’s mission of building power in working-class and immigrant communities.
• Strong commitment to the principle of zealous advocacy.

• Strong time management skills.
• Ability to work both independently and in a group setting.
• Ability to travel regularly between different We Are CASA locations.

COMPENSATION: $64,000 - $72,070

BENEFITS DESCRIPTION:

Who is eligible?

• All full time and part time permanent positions working 20 hours or more per week.

What We Offer:

• Generous paid time off , including:  annual leave starting at three weeks per year (proportional accrual per pay period), two weeks of sick leave, three days of personal leave, and additional compensatory leave for exempt employees.
• Sixteen (16) paid holidays per calendar year.
• Excellent Benefits Package including employer paid benefits as follow:
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance (We Are CASA pays 100%  of the premium costs for the employee up to our HMO plan, 55% for couples, 65% for children and 60% for family)
  • Basic life and AD&D
  • Long and Short Term Disability insurance 
  • Professional Development: Those pursuing a course of study related to work performed at We Are CASA may be eligible for a reimbursement up to $3,000.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Additional voluntary benefits :
  • FSA Account including Dependent Care.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with a 2% employer discretionary match.
  • Supplemental Health insurance.
• Allowances :
  • Mileage reimbursements for those positions that are required to drive on We Are CASA business.
  • Cell Phone stipend for those positions that are required to use their cellphone for We Are CASA business.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; lift, carry, reach push or pull objects; climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl; handling, feeling or grasping.

The employee is occasionally required to stand or walk. The employee must rarely lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. When it comes to physical strength the employee will rarely perform heavy or medium work.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is rarely exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

ADA: We Are CASA will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

OSHA: A Staff Attorney is not to handle any human body fluids, biological agents, laboratory chemicals, or be exposed to hazardous materials such as noise, asbestos, or carcinogens.

This is a union position, represented in collective bargaining by a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Communication Workers of America, Local WBNG 32035 - Communication Workers of America (CWA). If you are offered and accept this position, you will be invited to become a member of the union. All bargaining unit positions require membership or agency fee payer status.

We Are CASA and CASA in Action do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, mental or physical disability, ancestry, marital status or national origin.

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