Supervising Attorney

About KIND:

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied refugee and migrant children. Launched in 2008, KIND champions a world in which every child’s rights and well-being are protected throughout their journey to safety. KIND has accepted over 23,000 referrals of children seeking legal representation in their immigration proceedings. KIND has welcomed more than 41,000 attendees to trainings since its founding, cultivating partnerships with over 670 law firms, corporate legal departments, law schools, and bar associations across the country.

KIND’s social services program ensures that migrant and refugee children – who have often endured trauma – receive counseling, educational support, medical care, and other comprehensive services.

To address the root causes of child migration from Central America, and strengthen the protection of unaccompanied children, KIND advocates for policy changes and educates lawmakers, the media, and the broader public on the conditions that drive these children to flee their home countries. KIND supports children returning to their home countries by connecting them to essential support services and sponsors gender-based violence prevention programs in Central America to protect children in countries of origin and transit.

KIND is also building upon its expertise in the protection of unaccompanied children to encourage the development of pro bono initiatives across Europe in partnership with European NGOs.

Position Summary:

KIND seeks a Supervising Attorney to assist in the management of the delivery of legal services to children and families impacted by family separation and other emerging legal and policy changes affecting migrant children seeking safe haven in the U.S., provide direct representation, pro bono mentoring, and strategic legal counsel and program planning and implementation in a cutting-edge area of humanitarian immigration work on behalf of highly vulnerable children. As needed, the Supervising Attorney will supervise Staff Attorneys, Senior Paralegals, Paralegals, and program staff. The Supervising Attorney will report to the Managing Attorney.

Essential Functions:

• Provide both mentoring to KIND pro bono attorneys and direct legal representation to KIND clients:
  • In the pro bono mentoring function, provide robust consultation and technical assistance to pro bono attorneys who have accepted a KIND case.
  • In the direct representation function, perform ordinary functions of legal counsel including legal research and formulating the legal strategy for the case; conducting client interviews; appearing before immigration and/or state courts or agencies, and drafting and filing court pleadings and applications for benefits.
• Supervise and lead program staff in the relevant jurisdiction(s), in consultation with the Managing Attorney, including:
  • Program oversight, supervising casework, managing caseloads and other assignments, promoting, and advising supervisees on professional growth, conducting employee performance evaluations, meeting regularly with each supervisee, and providing consistent and effective supervision to ensure high-quality legal work and achievement of deliverables.
• Provide legal skills training and technical case assistance to in-house staff, pro bono attorneys, or other stakeholders, in coordination with field office colleagues and KIND’s Training and Technical Assistance Team.
• Support the Managing Attorney to develop and implement management strategies to meet ambitious programmatic and funding deliverables, including staff recruitment and development-support functions, employee engagement, and quality control of KIND’s legal services delivery.
• Partner with the Managing Attorney to ensure mid-level supervisors in the field office are equipped and trained to effectively supervise and coach their direct reports.
• Oversee data management, ensuring data integrity through regular case audits, technical fluency with KIND’s case management systems, and oversight of data upkeep and accuracy by supervisees.
• In coordination with KIND’s Training and Technical Assistance Team as well as the Senior Director for Pro Bono Partnerships, as needed, develop pro bono training resources and local training curriculum, including sample filings and guidance packets. Assist with development and conducting of a local and national KIND training for both staff and external partners and stakeholders.
• In collaboration with the Managing Attorney, lead and manage large and complex programs, including oversight and drafting of grant reports, metrics oversight, and assisting in the drafting of funding proposals as needed.
• Maintain internal and external stakeholder relations; participate in local coalitions of various stakeholders supporting unaccompanied immigrant children.
• Collaborate with Managing Attorney to determine in-house and volunteer pro bono case placements.
• Develop and implement effective recruitment, mentoring, and case placement strategies to increase pro bono representation of unaccompanied immigrant children with support from the Senior Director for Pro Bono Partnerships.
• Collaborate with other KIND departments on specific projects and initiatives as needed, including KIND’s Policy, Advocacy, Communications, and International departments.
• Participate in and lead local and national KIND meetings, committees, retreats, and events.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• J.D. and admitted to the local state bar (If not admitted to local state bar, must sit for bar exam or start waiver to be admitted within 6 months and be able to be admitted within one year of employment).
• Fluent in English and Spanish.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience practicing immigration law, which should include representation of clients in humanitarian immigration claims such as asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U visas, and T visas.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience working with children, preferably immigrant and refugee children, and/or working with survivors of abuse, human trafficking, or other trauma.
• Experience working with law firm attorneys and or other legal volunteers.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience supervising attorneys and non-attorney staff.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in program management, including experience such as project management, tracking deliverables, hiring, planning and development.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience working in a detained setting, if the position is over a detained program.
• Ability to work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and communication styles.
• Committed to prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as embracing transparency and authenticity in daily work life.
• Be disciplined and nimble to ensure delivery on our core mission of access to justice and protection of children’s wellbeing and rights.
• Showing the ability to multi-task and work with a sense of urgency in a dynamic, fast paced environment.
• Committed to practicing and supporting wellbeing and a work-home life balance.
• Experience working and communicating in a remote environment.

Salary range: $93,040 – $116,300 dependent on experience.

KIND requires all staff be COVID vaccinated with the exception of those who have medical or religious beliefs exemptions.