Citizenship & Immigration Staff Attorney

About the position Citizenship & Immigration Staff Attorney– Are you an attorney who enjoys assisting people from multicultural backgrounds? If so, perhaps Dorcas International is the place for you. Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island cultivates an inclusive community for immigrants and those seeking refuge by providing integrated services, fostering cross-cultural understanding, and nurturing strong partnerships for more than 100 years. Embracing our core values of Agility, Inclusivity, Respect, and Integrity, we envision a future where everyone is welcome and has the opportunity to thrive and prosper. A non-profit 501(c)(3), Dorcas International offers adult education, language learning, job training, citizenship and immigration legal services, refugee resettlement, translation and interpreting, clothing and household needs, and more. Working within our expanding legal services program, the Citizenship & Immigration Staff Attorney will be responsible for providing free or low-cost immigration legal services to agency clients. The Staff Attorney will consult with and represent clients to attain immigration benefits based on their individual situation. The Staff Attorney will primarily focus on removal defense, inadmissibility waiver, Special Immigrant Juvenile, and asylum cases, as well as state court representation. This position will also collaborate with community organizations to provide education and training on immigration issues and will participate in coalition activities with the other Department of Justice accredited agencies in Rhode Island. Additionally, the Staff Attorney will supervise and/or evaluate the work of program staff. The Staff Attorney will meet or exceed annual goals for income generation, and number of clients served.

Responsibilities

• Providing free or low-cost immigration legal services to agency clients
• Consulting with and represent clients to attain immigration benefits based on their individual situation
• Focusing on removal defense, inadmissibility waiver, Special Immigrant Juvenile, and asylum cases, as well as state court representation
• Collaborating with community organizations to provide education and training on immigration issues
• Participating in coalition activities with the other Department of Justice accredited agencies in Rhode Island
• Supervising and/or evaluate the work of program staff
• Meeting or exceed annual goals for income generation, and number of clients served

Requirements

• J.D. from ABA accredited law school, immigration study preferred
• Member in good standing of any state bar (MA and RI preferred)
• 7-10 years immigration legal services and court experience required
• Experience with family-based immigration, in addition to a broad knowledge of all immigration laws, in order to effectively evaluate clients’ legal status and opportunities
• Positive values of integrity, accountability, reliability, and teamwork
• Ability to manage time and priorities effectively; strong multi-tasking ability
• Ability to work within specific deadlines and deliver accurate and high-quality work
• Strong interpersonal and rapport-building skills; commitment to maintaining confidentiality
• Ability to identify problems and develop solutions
• Excellent organizational and documentation skills, with a high degree of accuracy
• Ability to communicate and work with diverse populations/cultures
• Ability to effectively send and receive verbal and written communications (including narrative report writing) using the English language
• Ability to be flexible; handle stress and pressure, and a changing work schedule
• Must be able to present themselves in a court setting

Nice-to-haves

• Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred

Benefits

• Range of professional opportunities in our organization
• Comprehensive health & dental benefits
• Generous paid vacation, sick days, and personal leave in addition to 13 paid holidays
• 403b retirement plan with employer contribution and life insurance
• Full-Time. 37.5 hours per week; possible hybrid schedule
• Salary range: $76,000-$89,000

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