Managing Attorney

IRC BACKGROUND:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC is at work today in more than 40 countries and in 26 U.S. cities. The IRC’s Resettlement, Asylum and Integration (RAI) department creates opportunities for refugees and other vulnerable migrants to survive and thrive in the US. RAI serves nearly 50,000 individuals each year in the US through a diverse portfolio of programs aimed at achieving outcomes in five impact areas: Health, Safety, Economic Wellbeing, Education, and Power. IRC seeks a Managing Attorney to lead it’s Boise Afghan legal services program, alongside attorneys separately leading broader immigration services and unaccompanied children’s representation.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The Managing Attorney will oversee Afghan asylum immigration legal services at Boise.

The Managing Attorney will bring not only legal expertise and a passion for this area of work, but also the ability to motivate and mentor a team of legal professionals in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. The position will work in close collaboration with a range of community partners and the Immigration Technical Unit (TU) at IRC’s headquarters, which oversees IRC’s 24 legal service programs across the US, including offices that have removal defense programs.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee legal strategy through daily direct supervision of a team of legal practitioners, including attorneys and Department of Justice-accredited representatives.

• Employ adaptive management techniques to provide regular individual supervision and support; mentor staff, set clear performance expectations and goals, give regular performance feedback, help prioritize workloads, help troubleshoot challenges, and maintain appropriate professional development plans

• Develop and monitor intake procedures, case acceptance policies, and caseload targets and limits.

• Provide direct legal representation to a limited caseload of individuals in immigration court, before the Board of Immigration Appeals, and/or before USCIS where applicable, including on applications for asylum, relief under the Convention of Torture and withholding of removal, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), U-visas, T-visas, and adjustment of status.

• Actively co-facilitate and support grant opening, grant review, and grant closing meetings, and lead all aspects of grant cycle, including developing/implementing monitoring & evaluation plans.

• Ensure program data is collected consistently, managed appropriately and reported timely, using IRC’s legal case management database and other relevant case management systems.

• Ensure effective integration of internships and volunteers within programs.

• Collaborate with other IRC program areas as appropriate to ensure client-centered service.

• Establish, maintain and periodically refresh legal services program policies and procedures in collaboration with IRC’s Immigration Technical Unit; oversee and/or conduct regular case file reviews (paper files and electronic case files) to ensure compliance with legal case management procedures.

• Create and maintain a viable outreach strategy to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with community-based organizations, the private bar, and nonprofit legal providers; pursue program initiatives with partners that further goals and address unmet demand.

• Serve as an in-house expert on US immigration law by updating internal IRC colleagues on changes in immigration law affecting IRC’s clients as needed.

• Serve on Senior Management Team/Leadership Team [may have different names depending on office] and work effectively across programs to further IRC’s mission. Contribute to and support office-wide Strategic Action Plan.

• Work closely with the HQ Immigration Technical Unit and field offices as part of IRC’s immigration network.

• Serve as a strong advocate for humanitarian immigrants.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Position Reports to: Executive Director, Boise. Position liaises closely with HQ Immigration Technical Unit.

Close Collaboration: This position will work closely with the Boise Immigration Program Manager, who supervises the Boise team filing affirmative applications such as Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, Family Reunifications.

Position Directly Supervises: This position will supervise at least one Legal Assistant and Law Interns / Externs and volunteers that report to the Managing Attorney.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Law degree (JD or LLM) from an ABA-accredited U.S. institution and admission to any state bar (if applying for a UC attorney, admission to Texas State Bar is preferred);
• 5 years’ experience or more providing direct representation in immigration court and before USCIS to asylum applicants and other immigrants seeking relief from removal;
• Experience with affirmative applications before USCIS (eg, adjustment of status, naturalization, I-130s);
• Strong legal supervision skills and superb legal judgment;
• Ability to oversee and provide supervision on a reasonably high case volume and work under time pressure;
• Experience organizing and facilitating immigration workshops and immigration information sessions;
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills;
• Bilingual in one or more languages of the survivor population preferred (eg, Dari, Pashto, Spanish, French, Arabic);
• Deep commitment to working with humanitarian immigrants;
• Trauma-informed and sensitive listening and communication skills;
• Desire to join a team working to protect due process and immigrant rights; and
• Must have a valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle, active insurance policy and ability to travel frequently in and around the service area to engage with clients and community partners.