Immigration Attorney/Senior Immigration Attorney (LGBTQ Law Unit)

About NYLAG Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combatting economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. NYLAG’s staff of 410 impacted nearly 129,000 people last year. Job description The New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) seeks a highly motivated, experienced Immigration Attorney for a full-time position with the LGBTQ Law Unit. The LGBTQ Law Unit seeks an experienced full-time attorney to join our team and advocate for immigrant clients facing removal. NYLAG’s LGBTQ Law Unit, founded in 2008, exists to protect and expand the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community and to provide services that meet the unique legal needs of low-income LGBTQ New Yorkers. LGBTQ communities, especially those of color, transgender and gender non-conforming individuals and youth, are at greater risk of living in poverty and of being targeted for violence. The LGBTQ Law Unit provides free representation and advice on a wide array of civil legal matters, including legal name and gender marker changes, immigration (including removal defense), family law matters (orders of protection, custody and visitation, divorce, and adoption), housing, employment and public accommodation discrimination, wills and advance directives and access to gender affirming healthcare. We engage with community partners to provide legal services and education outreach in community settings throughout the five boroughs and push forward systemic advocacy efforts to advance LGBTQ rights and protections. Duties and Responsibilities Represent LGBTQ+ immigrants in defensive asylum claims before the immigration court, BIA, and federal courts including bond hearings, post order relief and appeals; Prepare and file forms, affidavits, other supporting documents, motions, and legal memoranda for submission to USCIS, EOIR, BIA, and federal courts; Represent immigrant clients in ancillary matters before civil courts (state and federal) and administrative hearings, in matters such as legal name changes and public benefits advocacy; Conduct legal screenings, track client cases, progress of applications, and follow up for funding purposes; Contribute to the LGBTQ Law Unit’s community outreach and education efforts through presentations and work with the Unit Director to establish and maintain relationships with community partners; Participate in systemic advocacy work on issues that directly impact LGBTQ+ immigrants; Attend regular internal and external stakeholder meetings regarding recently arrived migrants; Create and maintain physical and electronic files, including managing correspondence with clients and documenting correspondence with immigration and other agencies; Manage data entry in internal and external data management systems and assist with generating reports; Additional duties may be assigned to meet the changing needs of the LGBTQ+ community. Qualifications J.D. degree and admission to a State bar required; New York State Bar preferred. Two to six years of experience practicing immigration law, including affirmative and removal defense work, required. Fluency in a second language required, Spanish is preferred. Demonstrated commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and knowledge of the complex and systemic issues faced by our clients. Demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights, criminal justice, and/or social justice issues. Ability to communicate effectively with clients, community organizations, attorneys, judiciary and the public. Ability to work in and value a collaborative team model. Ability to work independently and under pressure while managing multiple competing deadlines. Ability to make creative arguments for complicated cases and cases that do not have a clear path to relief. Ability to set expectations for clients who are not eligible for any relief while nonetheless providing competent representation before the Immigration Court. Excellent written, oral and analytical skills. Experience working with diverse communities and clients who are survivors of trauma. * Senior title dependent on having four or more years of relevant experience NYLAG’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion NYLAG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply. Employment type Full-time Professional Level Professional Salary Range NYLAG is a unionized workplace, and salaries are set pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. The current salary range for this position is between $97,132 - $103,515. Benefits Medical, dental, vision, 401k, life insurance, long term disability, commuter benefits, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for Medical and Dependent care. #J-18808-Ljbffr ImmigrationJobs