Staff Attorney; Immigration Removal Defense

Overview

Immigrant Defenders Law Center (Imm Def) is a next-generation, social justice law firm that provides high-quality representation and legal services to immigrants in Southern California and beyond. Imm Def was founded with the belief that no immigrant should be forced to face an unjust immigration system alone, and our universal representation programs are a first step toward that goal. Learn more about us def.org.

Imm Def represents thousands of adults, children and families annually who have multi-faceted, complex and urgent legal needs as they face our immigration system. Imm Def is currently seeking full-time staff attorneys to join our team of fearless advocates providing creative and zealous representation to our clients. Staff attorneys will join the largest non-profit, universal representation model deportation defense team in California.

Our attorneys work collaboratively within our team of staff including managing and directing attorneys, paralegals, administrative support staff and case managers to provide client-centered, holistic representation.

This is a rewarding position where the successful applicant will engage in cutting edge immigration litigation for individual clients with an overarching organizational goal of fighting for a more just immigration system. Riverside-based staff attorneys should expect a mixed caseload of potentially 50% unaccompanied children’s removal defense, in addition to removal defense for detained and released adults and families.

• Provide direct representation in removal proceedings to unaccompanied children, adults with mental competency issues, and detained or non-detained adults and families. Some clients face complex immigration issues, including those with juvenile or criminal histories.
• Provide high-quality, client-centered representation for clients facing deportation proceedings.
• Determine eligibility for legal relief and develop legal strategy case plans.
• Represent SIJS-eligible youth (under age 21) in related state court proceedings (guardianship and custody matters), or coordinate with juvenile dependency and delinquency counsel to obtain SIJS predicate orders.
• Identify the need for post-conviction relief and collaborate with Imm Def’s Post-Conviction Relief team to pursue remedies.
• File appeals, motions to reopen or reconsider, and habeas corpus petitions as needed and as funding and program capacity permit.
• Coordinate with public defenders and appointed counsel for clients with ongoing criminal or juvenile delinquency proceedings.
• Travel to shelters for unaccompanied children, ICE detention centers, and other custodial settings to interview and prepare clients, take declarations, complete immigration benefit applications, and provide legal advice.
• Represent individuals in court at initial or prolonged custody redetermination hearings, master calendar hearings, individual merits hearings, and ancillary state court proceedings.
• Represent clients before USCIS at asylum interviews, credible fear interviews, ICE check-ins, and other immigration-related appointments.
• Prepare and submit country conditions, declarations, and other supporting evidence for applications to defend clients against removal.
• Work with country conditions experts, expert witnesses, psychologists, and medical professionals to develop supporting evidence for immigration relief applications.
• Collaborate with colleagues and participate in weekly group case review, on-site trainings, and provide supervision for support staff’s legal work.
• Support Imm Def’s mission by engaging with colleagues and leadership on initiatives through community engagement, peer mentoring, and event participation.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support programmatic and organizational needs.

• Juris Doctorate degree or L.L.M. degree.
• Active California State Bar License or licensure from another state or U.S. jurisdiction; willingness and eligibility to waive into the CA Bar via the Multi-Jurisdictional Practice Program if required.
• Strong case management, legal research, and legal writing skills.
• Willingness to zealously pursue new and untested legal theories.
• Demonstrated…