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 over 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 BACKGROUND:

The IRC in Northern California (NorCal) seeks a Managing Attorney to lead a team of attorneys and legal assistants providing both affirmative and defensive immigration legal services. The Managing Attorney will be focused on overseeing legal services in the Turlock IRC office and another IRC NorCal office (San Jose or Oakland).

The IRC has been the lead agency responding to the Afghan evacuation – in the United States, in Afghanistan, and in third countries where Afghans have sought protection. Across the United States, the IRC is serving tens of thousands of Afghan parolees who need legal services – most often to seek asylum – to achieve permanent residency in the United States. The Managing Attorney will bring not only legal expertise in representing asylum seekers, but also the ability to mentor and support a team of legal professionals in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, while collaborating with a range of community and pro bono partners.

The Managing Attorney will also oversee attorneys providing removal defense to immigrants from all over the world, many who have fled persecution in their home countries. The Managing Attorney should also have extensive experience providing legal representation to clients in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

The position will work in close collaboration with the Legal Services Technical Unit (TU) at IRC’s headquarters, which oversees and supports IRC’s 24 legal service programs across the US.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee legal services through daily direct supervision of a team of attorneys and legal assistants in both affirmative and defensive immigration legal services.
• Develop a programmatic strategy to reach the highest number of clients possible while ensuring high quality and ethical legal services.
• Develop and oversee legal strategy on complex cases.
• 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 for direct representation, while balancing the team’s time on limited scope legal assistance efforts to support Afghan clients to file affirmative asylum applications.
• 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 client 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.
• Create and maintain a viable outreach strategy to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with community-based organizations, the private bar, pro bono legal partners, and nonprofit legal providers. Pursue program initiatives with partners that further goals and address unmet demand.
• Work effectively across programs and contribute to and support office-wide Strategic Action Plan.
• May carry a small caseload of asylum and removal defense cases.
• Work closely with HQ Immigration Technical Unit and other program offices as part of the IRC’s immigration legal services network.
• Serve as a strong advocate for immigrant rights.
• Other duties as assigned.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS: ​

Position Reports to: Legal Services Director

Position Directly Supervises: Staff Attorneys and Senior Staff Attorneys; Legal Assistants generally report to Staff Attorneys and Senior Staff Attorneys

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Law degree (JD or LLM) from an ABA-accredited U.S. institution and admission to any state bar.
• At least five years of experience practicing immigration law, including direct representation of individuals seeking asylum in removal proceedings before EOIR and seeking asylum affirmatively before the USCIS.
• 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.
• Deep commitment to humanitarian law.
• Trauma-informed and sensitive listening and communication skills.
• Desire to join a team working to protect due process and immigrant rights.
• Must have ability to travel frequently in and around the service areas to engage with clients and community partners, including travel to the IRC offices in Turlock and San Jose or Oakland.
• Currently, the NorCal IRC is working on a hybrid schedule where employees must work at least two days per week in the office. This hybrid schedule may change at any time. The Managing Attorney will be required to work in the Turlock IRC office at least one day per week, and the other day(s) can be worked in the San Jose or Oakland IRC office, to be decided.

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Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires new hires to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for any in-office or hybrid positions. All IRC US offices require full vaccination to attend any in-office functions (e.g., meetings, trainings).

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $120 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.