Immigration Attorney

We are seeking an experienced Immigration Staff Attorney to join our team at Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc.

Job Summary

The successful candidate will provide legal representation to individuals on immigration matters, including representation before government agencies, such as U.S. immigration courts, U.S. Citizenship, and Immigration Services.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide legal representation to individuals on immigration matters, including representation before government agencies.
• Conduct thorough consultations with clients in all FRLS offices and make appropriate referrals to outside agencies.
• Conduct preparation sessions with clients for interviews before USCIS, U.S. immigration courts, and U.S. state courts.
• Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents, and interpret laws, rulings, agency guidance, and regulations to determine appropriate legal strategy for advisability of proceeding with a case.
• Manage large caseloads, independently manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment, review, draft, and monitor petitions.
• Oversee timely preparation of cases assigned and keep track of all deadlines under attorney's supervision.
• Supervise paralegals on assigned cases, including monitoring case progress, monitoring emails to clients, setting case strategies.
• Prepare legal cover letters, memorandums, briefs, and opinions.
• Prepare and file appeals before administrative and federal courts.
• Keep clients informed of case progress through telephonic, electronic, and written communication.
• Develop and litigate cases, including legal research and developing case strategy.
• Interviews, certifies eligibility, and identifies the legal problems of FRLS clients within a specific area of law and provides clients with appropriate legal assistance in the form of advice, referrals, or actual representation.
• Participates in outreach and case acceptance meetings.
• Represents clients in court and before administrative agencies, including investigation, witness preparation, pre and post hearing written arguments, conduct of the hearing, and related activities.
• Provides documentation, statistical information, and other records as required by the Managing Attorney, Advocacy Director, or Executive Director.
• Participates in training to keep up CLEs as may be provided by the program.
• Adheres to office hours, exhibits a strong work ethic, and excellent time management skills, communicates, and treats clients and staff with courtesy and respect; provides constructive feedback to other advocates (paralegals) on cases discussed.
• Serves as a role model to support staff by promoting the values of hard work, high-quality advocacy, and treating others with courtesy and respect.
• Promotes accessibility of the local office(s) to clients, including rural clients, non-English speaking clients, and clients with disabilities.
• Promotes good relations with the public, including client groups, service providers, press, and private bar, attending/speaking at local meetings as appropriate and approved by the Managing Attorney, Advocacy Director, and/or Executive Director.
• Provides timely data upon request for grant applications, fundraising, public relations, and other program needs.

Requirements

• JD degree from an accredited law school.
• Active Florida Bar license (in good standing).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Foreign language proficiency highly preferred.
• Able to perform manual and electronic searches using external systems.
• Able to work well independently, as well as effectively within a team.
• Able to handle sensitive matters and maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to work independently, under pressure, and meet deadlines.

Compensation

• Salary is commensurate with experience.

Application Instructions

• Please provide an extensive resume that details all experience.

EEOC Statement

Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc., does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.