Immigration Legal Services Director

Min 10 yrs required

Full-time

No

Immigration Legal Services Director - Lead the ILS department at Building One Community to provide high-quality legal representation to clients in Fairfield County.

Organization Overview: Building One Community (B1C) is a non-profit organization that was established in 2011 to serve as a comprehensive resource center for immigrants in southwestern Connecticut. B1C's mission is to promote the successful integration of immigrants and their families.

Salary Information: This is a full-time exempt position with a competitive salary, to be discussed during the interview process.

Job Title: Immigration Legal Services Director

Experience Information: The ideal candidate should have 10+ years of experience practicing immigration law in a non-profit legal services organization and/or community-based organization. They should also have experience in both affirmative and removal defense litigation and be familiar with managing a team of attorneys and paralegal staff at all levels of experience.

Organization Name: Building One Community (B1C)

Department Name: Immigration Legal Services (ILS)

H1: Immigration Legal Services Director at Building One Community

H2: Lead the ILS Department and Provide High-Quality Legal Representation to Clients in Fairfield County

About the Organization: Building One Community (B1C) is a non-profit organization that serves as a comprehensive resource center for immigrants in southwestern Connecticut. B1C's mission is to promote the successful integration of immigrants and their families.

Our Immigration Legal Services (ILS) Department is an affiliate member of CLINIC (Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.), providing direct immigration assistance to low-income immigrant individuals and families in Fairfield County. Since 2017, the ILS Affirmative Practice has served over 750 individuals before the . Citizenship and Immigration Services, including naturalization, adjustment of status, DACA/TPS, consular processing, VAWA, and U visas.

ILS created a new Removal Defense Practice in 2021 to provide pro bono representation to unaccompanied minors and adults, individuals and families in removal proceedings before the Hartford Immigration Court. In addition, the ILS Department also educates the community on immigration issues through Q&A sessions, Know-Your-Rights presentations, and other outreach initiatives.

The ILS department currently has five attorneys, a program manager, paralegal, and legal assistant, as well as partially accredited DOJ representative volunteers. Our clients come from all over the world, with the largest percentage being Spanish and Haitian-Creole speaking.

Position Description: Building One Community is seeking an experienced and compassionate Immigration Legal Services Director to lead the ILS department in providing high-quality legal representation to clients in Fairfield County. The Director will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and advocacy with a non-profit legal service organization and/or community-based organization. This is a full-time exempt position that will report to the Executive Director.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and regularly update ILS policies, procedures, and practice management.
• Directly supervise the Affirmative Practice Director, Removal Defense Director, and Program Manager.
• Effectively manage competing case representation priorities due to high demand for legal services.
• Stay updated on case law developments in immigration law and policy.
• Perform selected case work (amount TBD).
• Collaborate with other B1C departments to provide wrap-around social services for clients.
• Analyze and report ILS data to upper management and B1C's Board of Directors.
• Provide support for grant proposals and reports; oversee ILS budget.
• Participate in public outreach and community education initiatives on immigration issues; assist with legislative advocacy as needed.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience practicing immigration law in a non-profit legal services organization and/or community-based organization.
• Demonstrable experience in both affirmative and removal defense litigation and familiarity with managing a team of attorneys and paralegal staff at all levels of experience.
• Admitted to practice law in Connecticut or eligible to waive into the Connecticut bar.
• Spanish language proficiency preferred.
• Excellent organizational skills and a commitment to efficient procedures.
• Skilled communicator and collaborative team player.
• Commitment to building trauma-informed, community lawyering.
• Passion for social justice and experience working with low-income communities and communities of color.

Building One Community is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To apply for this position, please submit your resume and a cover letter to .

Bullet Points:

- Building One Community (B1C) is a non-profit organization serving as a comprehensive resource center for immigrants in southwestern Connecticut.
- The organization's mission is to promote the successful integration of immigrants and their families.
- B1C's Immigration Legal Services (ILS) Department provides direct immigration assistance to low-income individuals and families in Fairfield County.
- The ILS Department is an affiliate member of CLINIC and has served over 750 individuals since 2017.
- In 2021, ILS created a new Removal Defense Practice to provide pro bono representation to clients in removal proceedings.
- The ILS Department also educates the community on immigration issues through various outreach initiatives.
- The ILS Department is currently comprised of five attorneys, a program manager, paralegal, and legal assistant.
- B1C is seeking an experienced and compassionate Immigration Legal Services Director to lead the ILS department.
- The Director will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and advocacy with a non-profit legal service organization and/or community-based organization.
- This is a full-time exempt position reporting to the Executive Director.
- The ideal candidate should have 10+ years of experience practicing immigration law and be familiar with managing a team of attorneys and paralegal staff.
- Spanish language proficiency is preferred.
- Building One Community is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
- To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter to .

Not specified

Not specified

Spanish preferred

Strategic Leadership, Advocacy, Case Law Analysis, Case Management, Budget Management, Public Outreach, Community Education, Legislative Advocacy, Team Management, Spanish Language Proficiency, Organizational Skills, Communication, Collaboration, Social Justice, Low-Income Communities, Communities of Color

Not specified

Submit resume and cover letter to with "Immigration Legal Services Director" in the subject line

Qualification and Experience 10+ years practicing immigration law in non-profit/legal services/community-based organization, experience in affirmative and removal defense litigation, admitted to practice law in Connecticut or eligible to waive in, Spanish language proficiency preferred

Legal