Job Details

Immigration Staff Attorney

The immigration staff attorney is primarily responsible for the direct representation of low-income immigrant clients seeking representation in a variety of immigration law matters.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct immigration legal screening and communicate effectively with potential clients. Provide eligibility and risk assessment for individuals and families seeking immigration representation before the DHS, EOIR, state and district courts as needed.
• Provide legal advice and directly represent clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and other immigration agencies on a wide range of matters, including naturalization, family petitions, adjustment of status, asylum, U visa, T visa, TPS, DACA, stay of removal, and other forms of immigration relief. Prior experience or familiarity with each of these types of matters is desirable but not required.
• Provide legal advice to clients who are in removal proceedings and provide direct representation before the Honolulu Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), and possibly the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior experience in removal defense is highly valued but is not required.
• Prepare successful immigration filings before USCIS, EOIR, ICE, CBP, state and district courts as needed.
• Successfully manage and coordinate a full caseload of active cases.
• Stay up to date on rapidly changing immigration laws and policies.
• Manage client documentation, maintain and update the client database, assist with data reporting, and other administrative responsibilities as required.
• Conduct legal research on complex legal issues and prepare memoranda of law to summarize findings.
• Train, supervise, and mentor legal assistants, pro bono attorneys, interns, and other volunteers.
• Conduct educational presentations about immigration laws and policies for public audiences under the direction of the senior staff attorney.
• Assist in planning and implementing public events that promote immigrant rights.
• Advise the board and other colleagues on legal trends pertinent to the organization and its mission.
• Engage with the ILJ Network through monthly meetings (by phone and/or video), an email list-serv, and occasional in-person meetings with other attorneys around the country.
• Perform additional case management or administrative tasks as needed, and support the broader efforts of the team and organization.
• Travel to neighbor islands and occasionally to national conferences outside of Hawaiʻi.

Qualifications:

• A law degree (JD or LLM) from an American Bar Association-accredited school is required.
• A license to practice law in good standing in any state is required. Desired but not required: Hawaii State Bar membership.
• Knowledge of immigration law and procedure is highly desirable but will provide substantive training opportunities to the right candidate.
• Willingness to undergo immigration law-focused training and ethics training.
• Strong commitment to public interest legal service and to the enfranchisement and empowerment of immigrant communities.
• Ability to work sensitively with numerous clients, staff, and volunteers having diverse personalities, lifestyles, cultures, political orientations, and faiths.
• Team-oriented personality with a demonstrated ability to work independently if needed.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, good communication and active listening skills, and a professional attitude.
• Ability to make mature, experienced legal and business judgments.
• Ability to communicate clearly, persuasively, logically, and succinctly—both verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to remain flexible in a demanding work environment and adapt to rapidly changing priorities. Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work well under pressure.
• Excellent attention to detail and superb organizational skills.
• Analytical, organizational, and conceptual skills to handle various projects and programs.
• Ability to identify, analyze, and research legal issues affecting the organization, and make decisions to address the problem.
• Strong case management skills, ability to record accurate data, and exceptional legal research and legal writing skills.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.
• Minimum of one year of legal practice experience required, preferably with immigration law focus, or a combination of relevant clerk-ship experience and legal practice experience with some immigration law focus.
• Desired but not required: prior public interest or nonprofit experience.
• A second language and familiarity with immigrant communities in Hawaiʻi a plus.

How to Apply:

Submit cover letter (or email) and resume to jobs@thelegalclinichawaii.org.