Senior Staff Attorney​/Supervising Senior Staff Attorney, Rapid Response Human Rights First

Purpose of the Job

Human Rights First aims to provide critical legal assistance and representation to immigrant families impacted by anti-asylum and anti-immigrant enforcement policies. The Senior Staff Attorney or Supervising Senior Staff Attorney (depending on experience) will play a key role in coordinating and leading efforts to provide rapid response legal services to asylum-seeking adults with children in New York, particularly in the face of restrictive policy changes, large-scale detention, family separation, and mass deportation efforts.

This position involves direct client representation, collaboration with pro bono attorneys, and engagement in research and advocacy efforts to push back against these policies and create narrative change.

• Legal Representation & Casework:
  Proactively identify cases appropriate for legal representation where the clients are impacted by enforcement actions or asylum-restrictive policies. Work closely with clients to prepare and present their cases in immigration courts and before other relevant agencies. Maintain a case load of full-scope and limited-scope representation matters, and provide pro se assistance where appropriate.
• Rapid Response Coordination:
  Collaborate with the Refugee and Immigrant Rights Advocacy team to identify and respond to emerging legal needs in response to new or evolving immigration policies, particularly anti-asylum measures. Help develop and implement strategies for providing legal services in a rapidly changing environment.
• Pro Bono Engagement:
  Leverage Human Rights First’s pro bono network of attorneys, law firms, law school clinics, and legal service providers to assist in the provision of legal services. Develop training materials and provide guidance and supervision to pro bono volunteers in handling asylum and deportation cases. Provide training and mentorship to pro bono volunteer attorneys.
• Policy Advocacy Integration:
  Integrate legal representation with broader advocacy and communications strategies. Work with the communications and advocacy teams to elevate client stories and legal challenges that highlight the human impact of policy changes, contributing to public messaging efforts aimed at policy reform.
• Stakeholder
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Establish and maintain effective partnerships with other legal service providers, advocacy groups, and community organizations. Participate in national and local coalitions to coordinate rapid response efforts across impacted communities.
• Monitoring & Reporting:
  Coordinate with the Refugee and Immigrant Rights Advocacy team to leverage rapid response representation efforts to support Human Rights First’s broader research, reporting, and advocacy efforts. Track and report on the outcomes of legal cases, identify trends, and contribute to data-driven assessments of the impact of anti-asylum and anti-immigrant policies. Assist in preparing internal and external reports, presentations, and briefings.
• Supervision & Mentorship:
  Help recruit, train, and supervise interns and volunteer attorneys. Foster a collaborative, team-oriented environment within the legal team. Supervising Senior Staff Attorney would also supervise Refugee Representation staff (e.g., senior staff attorney, staff attorney, associate attorney, legal fellow, and/or legal services coordinator).
• Assist in efforts to secure and maintain funding for the organization and Refugee Representation team.
• Other duties as requested, based on the team and/or organization’s need.

• A U.S. law degree (J.D.) and active membership in good standing with a state bar; preference for NY state bar membership.
• At least 5 years of experience in immigration law, with specific expertise in asylum law, removal defense, detained representation, and experience representing asylum seekers at all levels of the administrative process.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. immigration law and policy, particularly related to asylum and expedited removal.
• Experience in rapid response or crisis-driven legal efforts is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to human rights, social justice, and public interest work.
• Experience in habeas or…