Supervising Attorney, Education Legal Services

Position Title
:
Supervising Attorney – Higher Education Legal Services

Organization
:
Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Department
:
Immigration Legal Services

Position Type
:
Full-Time (37.5+ hours/week), Exempt

Work Setting
:
Fully Onsite

Reports To
:
Directing Attorney Higher Education and Affiliation Services

Pay Range
: $88,000-$94,000/year

Total Compensation
:

In addition to standard pay, compensation for this position includes:

• Comprehensive, low-cost healthcare coverage for employees
• Generous employer 401(k) contributions
• Employer-covered life insurance

Being able to take time away from work is critical in bringing your best self to work. Time off benefits for this position include:

• Paid vacation time and sick leave
• 15 paid holidays, including Federal and Jewish holidays (as long as the holiday lands on a normal scheduled work day), and floating holidays
• 2 Wellness Days to be taken any time during the year to support employees’ mental wellness

Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) is a Department of Justice-recognized provider of immigration legal services and a key refugee resettlement agency in San Diego County. As co-lead of the Immigration Legal Services Coalition of San Diego (ILSC), JFS plays a critical role in coordinating rapid-response efforts and delivering legal support for vulnerable noncitizens impacted by immigration enforcement.

Serving low-income and vulnerable immigrants across San Diego and Imperial Counties, JFS offers legal representation and support tailored to each client’s needs. Services include removal defense, humanitarian relief, family-based petitions, naturalization, and administrative remedies. JFS provides representation before USCIS, ICE, CBP, and Immigration Courts, as well as in select cases before the Board of Immigration Appeals, federal courts, and San Diego Superior Court.

JFS also leads the Higher Education Legal Services (HELS) program, supporting immigrant and refugee students, faculty, and staff at two California State Universities and ten regional community colleges. Beyond direct services, JFS engages in advocacy to advance the rights and well‑being of immigrants and refugees throughout the region.

The Supervising Immigration Attorney will be responsible for overseeing the program and casework of the attorneys and DOJ accredited representatives of the Higher Education Legal Services program in addition to providing direct representation for clients in immigration cases before the USCIS and representation in probate court, if licensed in California, while helping to support the broader efforts of the ILSD. Representation in immigration court and supervision of attorneys and representatives on cases in immigration court may be required.

Under the supervision of the Directing Attorney, the Supervising Immigration Attorney for the Higher Education Legal Services program will be responsible for the following:

• Direct Legal Representation
  :
  Provide high-quality immigration legal services to JFS-ILSD clients, including representation before DHS agencies (USCIS, CBP, Border Patrol, and ICE), the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), and related federal and state courts. Support the broader work of the JFS-ILSD team while maintaining the program’s strong record of effective legal advocacy.
• Supervision and Oversight
  :
  Supervise and review the work of HELS attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives, and support staff who provide direct assistance and legal representation in both defensive and affirmative immigration matters, including appeals.
• Policy and Procedure Development
  :
  Collaborate with program leadership to develop procedures, protocols, and guidance that advance the JFS-ILSD mission and safeguard Higher Education Legal Services from legal malpractice.
• Education and Community Engagement
  :
  Design, oversee, and deliver accurate legal orientations, presentations, and educational materials on a wide range of immigration and rights-related issues faced by low-income immigrant communities in San Diego and Imperial Counties.
• Institutional Relationship Management
  :
  Maintain effective professional relationships with…