Staff Attorney - Children's Program

Full-time

No

Organization

The Florence Project

Date Posted

September 15, 2021

Job Title

Staff Attorney - Children's Program

SEO Friendly Job Title

Staff Attorney - Children's Program

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Join Our Team as a Staff Attorney for the Children's Program at The Florence Project

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About The Organization

The Florence Project was founded in 1989 to respond to a representation crisis for indigent non-citizens detained at the rural Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center in Florence, Arizona. Through our programs today, we provide services to thousands of adults, youth, and children detained in Eloy, Florence, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona on any given day. In 2001, the Florence Project implemented our Integrated Social Services Program, one of the first of its kind in this field. The Florence Project provides high quality legal and social services and supports initiatives for national changes in immigration law and policy.

Overview

The Florence Project is seeking a highly motivated and passionate Staff Attorney to join our Children's Program team. The Staff Attorney will provide pre-court counseling sessions and direct representation to unaccompanied children in front of the Department of Justice, including EOIR and the BIA, juvenile courts, and . Citizenship and Immigration Services. This position requires extensive client contact with youth, including indigenous youth and youth who have suffered abuse, abandonment, neglect, or other emotional and physical trauma. The Staff Attorney will also have the opportunity to participate in outreach activities and collaborative projects within a national network of legal service providers for unaccompanied immigrant children.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

- Provide legal representation in cases accepted through the Children's Program, including representation in immigration proceedings before the Immigration Court, representation before the Board of Immigration Appeals, representation before the Arizona Juvenile Courts, and other related services.
- Supervise legal assistants assigned to each case.
- Develop and recommend case strategy consistent with immigration law and procedure.
- Prepare cases, draft legal papers, present required evidence, and engage in negotiations.
- Conduct assessments of client's social, economic, and psychological functioning.
- Collaborate with Children's Program social workers to identify client needs and make appropriate referrals.
- Attend and actively participate in all team meetings and trainings.
- Remain current in immigration law and policy and the impact of criminal and civil law on immigration cases.
- Comply with ethical standards, maintain client confidentiality, and avoid conflicts of interest.
- Maintain complete and accurate case notes and client records.
- Prepare timely statistical reports.
- Conduct periodic case audits for presentation and review.
- Participate in training on immigration procedures and develop and conduct training sessions as assigned.

Advocacy

- Conduct intake interviews and provide "Know Your Rights" information to detained and non-detained unaccompanied children.
- Appear as Friend of the Court before Immigration Court (EOIR).
- Liaise with children's detention shelters as part of a team with legal assistants.
- Develop and maintain cooperative relationships with local and national community partners.
- Communicate with the Managing Attorney about possible advocacy initiatives and legal trainings for the community.
- Support Florence Project advocacy, outreach, and development activities as needed.
- Perform other administrative duties as needed.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

- Participate in organizational fundraising and outreach efforts as requested.
- Participate in developing and implementing special projects or presentations.
- Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

- . and admission to any state bar.
- Fluency or advanced proficiency in Spanish.
- Demonstrate commitment to advocating for indigent immigrant clients in a respectful and empowering way.
- Demonstrate a zealous support of the Florence Project's mission.
- Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
- Strong legal research skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.
- Highly organized, innovative thinker, and able to work in high-volume settings with limited resources.
- Excellent problem-solving, research, and analytical skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
- Ability to adapt to changing priorities and work effectively under pressure.
- Exhibit high ethical standards and maintain confidentiality.
- Must be able to pass federal and state background checks.
- Travel is required for this position.
- Must have a valid driver's license and reliable transportation.
- Proven computer skills, including advanced understanding of basic office applications.

Preferred Requirements

- License to practice in Arizona.
- Experience practicing before the Arizona Juvenile Courts, the Immigration Courts, BIA, or USCIS.
- Prior experience working with children/teenagers and trauma survivors or individuals with mental health issues.
- Experience providing direct representation to immigrants in removal proceedings and extensive knowledge of immigration law.
- Prior advocacy work in immigrant rights, human rights, LGBTQ rights, criminal justice, or experience working with trauma survivors.
- Experience with databases and data tracking (., Legal Server).

Working Conditions/Physical Demands

- Operate in a professional office environment and requires the ability to sit for long periods of time with intermittent walking, standing, bending, squatting, pulling, and pushing.
- Requires the ability to use standard office equipment such as scanners, computers, keyboards, phones, shredders, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.
- Requires the ability to lift up to ten pounds.
- Regular travel between offices and secondary work locations.
- Frequent time in children's shelter detention facilities and immigration courts.

Effective September 1, 2021, FIRRP has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy. To comply with this policy, active employees must be fully vaccinated by October 15, 2021. Employees seeking an exemption due to a medical condition or sincerely-held religious belief should contact our Human Resources Department at .

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time position with a salary range of $68, - $

the position includes extensive client contact with youth, including indigenous youth and youth who have suffered abuse, abandonment, neglect or other emotional and physical trauma. experience providing direct representation to immigrants in removal proceedings, and extensive knowledge of immigration law, specifically deportation defense, asylum, and criminal-immigration law issues is strongly preferred. requires the ability to use standard office equipment such as scanners, computers, keyboards, phones, shredders, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. employees seeking an exemption due to a medical condition or sincerely-held religious belief should contact our human resources department at humanresources@firrp. employees seeking an exemption due to a medical condition or sincerely-held religious belief should contact our human resources department at . to apply, please submit a cover letter detailing your interest in the position as well as your resume, three professional references. only those selected for an interview will be contacted. apply for this position
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i certify that that the resume i am submitting is true, accurate, and complete, and that i am relying on my experience in this resume to support my application for the position. i understand and agree that, if hired by firrp, firrp will use the true, accurate, and complete information in this resume to determine my starting salary based on relevant years of experience

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