Legal Director/Staff Attorney

LEGAL DIRECTOR / STAFF ATTORNEY
PASO – West Suburban Action Project (Proyecto de Acción de los Suburbios del Oeste) is a community-based
social justice organization that works to engage community members to address issues that affect them, their
families, and neighbors with the mission to build stronger communities where all residents can live dignified
lives regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic or immigration status. PASO was founded
in March 2009 to fight for immigrant rights in west suburban Cook County and other collar counties, and its
mission is to develop the leadership skills of the immigrant community so residents can organize, create
opportunities, and exercise their collective power.
PASO is based in Melrose Park, Illinois, and primarily serves the western Cook County suburbs. PASO
provides direct services and community education to immigrants, refugees, and asylees, and helps community
members navigate immigration, health, tenant, labor, employment, and other issues that affect their ability to
live and thrive.
PASO is seeking an experienced immigration attorney to serve in a joint Legal Director / Staff Attorney role.
This position combines department leadership and supervision with direct legal representation. The Legal
Director / Staff Attorney will lead PASO’s immigration legal department, supervise and develop the legal team,
maintain sound legal-service systems and standards, and manage an active caseload of immigration matters.
As a member of PASO’s core leadership team, this person will also help integrate legal services with PASO’s
programs, organizing, community education, and broader mission of building power within the immigrant
community.
The ideal candidate is a collaborative, systems-oriented immigration attorney who combines strong legal
judgment with compassionate client service and effective people leadership. This person should be
comfortable moving between hands-on casework, staff supervision, program administration, community
education, and organizational leadership.
This position is in person and based in Melrose Park, Illinois.
Reports to: Executive Director
RESPONSIBILITIES
Organizational Leadership & Legal Department Management

– Serve as a member of PASO’s core leadership team and accurately represent PASO’s programs,
organizing campaigns, community priorities, and organizational goals.
– Lead the day-to-day operations of the legal department and ensure legal services are integrated with
PASO’s broader programs, organizing, and community engagement work.
– Develop, implement, and maintain legal department policies, procedures, case-management practices,
quality-control standards, and workflows.
– Supervise legal department staff, including two paralegals, through regular check-ins, work plans,
performance feedback, coaching, professional development, and clear accountability for deadlines and
client service.
– Review and approve paralegal work products and provide legal guidance, training, and case
supervision as appropriate.
– Establish and monitor department goals, service metrics, grant deliverables, reporting requirements,
and other program commitments.
– Partner with the Executive Director on legal-program strategy, capacity, risk, staffing, and opportunities
to expand the visibility and impact of PASO’s legal services.
– Coordinate with outside counsel, pro bono attorneys, partner organizations, and other legal-service
resources as appropriate.
– Support and participate in core organizational activities, including Cafecitos, community events,
trainings, and other organization-wide actions.
Staff Attorney / Direct Legal Services

– Provide direct legal services and manage an active caseload involving a range of immigration matters,
which may include naturalization and citizenship, permanent residency, adjustment of status, consular
processing, family petitions, re-entry permits, DACA renewals, U Visas, T Visas, Violence Against
Women Act (VAWA) matters, humanitarian parole, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status matters.
– Conduct and oversee client intake and legal screening to identify potential forms of immigration relief,
determine eligibility for PASO legal services, and establish appropriate next steps.
– Develop case strategy; prepare, review, and file immigration applications, petitions, appeals, motions,
waivers, supporting evidence, and other legal documents.
– Represent clients before relevant government agencies and, as appropriate to the matter and the
attorney’s licensure and experience, in immigration court proceedings.
– Conduct legal research and remain current on changes in immigration law, regulations, policy,
procedures, and agency practice that may affect PASO clients.
– Maintain accurate, complete, timely, and confidential client files and ensure appropriate calendaring,
deadline management, and case documentation.
– Communicate regularly with clients regarding case status, legal options, risks, deadlines, and next
steps, translating complex legal matters into clear and accessible language.
– Provide or coordinate Spanish-language communication, translation, and interpretation as needed to
support effective client service.
– Work in the office a minimum of three days a week.
– Supervise Paralegal’s Work in the Areas of Community Education, Outreach & Legal
Program Development
– Plan and lead community legal education activities, including citizenship workshops, Know Your Rights
trainings, and other immigration-related presentations.
– Collaborate with PASO staff to align legal education and outreach with community needs, program
goals, and organizational priorities.
– Identify emerging immigration-law issues affecting PASO’s service area and recommend responsive
legal-service, education, or referral strategies.
– Support partnerships and initiatives that strengthen PASO’s legal-services capacity and connection to
the broader immigrant-rights and legal-services communities.
QUALIFICATIONS
– Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
– Active membership in good standing with a state bar and authorization to practice law in the United
States.
– At least 2–4 years of substantive experience practicing immigration law; experience handling a broad
range of humanitarian, family-based, citizenship, and removal-related matters is strongly preferred.
– Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish, including the ability to communicate clearly with clients about
complex and sensitive legal matters.
– Demonstrated experience managing an immigration caseload, drafting legal documents, conducting
legal research, and meeting multiple case deadlines.
– Experience supervising, coaching, or developing paralegals, legal support staff, interns, or other team
members.
– Strong legal judgment, research, writing, analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and
communication skills.
– Ability to work compassionately and effectively with clients from diverse backgrounds, including
individuals experiencing significant stress, uncertainty, or trauma.
– Demonstrated commitment to immigrant communities, social justice, community-based legal services,
and PASO’s model of combining direct service with leadership development and collective power
building.
– Ability to work independently while collaborating closely with organizational leadership and
cross-functional teams.
– Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office applications.
Preferred Qualifications
– Prior experience in a nonprofit, community-based, legal-aid, or immigrant-rights organization.
– Experience supervising a small legal-services team and establishing or improving legal department
systems and procedures.
– Experience facilitating community legal workshops or Know Your Rights trainings.
– Experience supporting grant-funded legal programs, program reporting, or organizational
recognition/accreditation processes related to immigration legal services.

COMPENSATION
Salary of $83,500.00 annually and benefits include 100% employee coverage of medical and dental insurance.
In addition, we offer 11 paid holidays, 15 vacation days, 5 floating holidays and 12 sick days, plus 15 days of
Winter Break. Cell phone stipend of $40 per month and mileage reimbursement.
TO APPLY
Please send a resume and a cover letter to hiring@pasoaction.org. To ensure prompt attention, put “Legal
Director / Staff Attorney” in the subject line. The deadline for applications is September 28, 2026.
Equal Opportunity
PASO is an equal opportunity employer. PASO does not discriminate against or tolerate harassment of any
employee because of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender
identity or expression, marital status, physical or mental disability, or any other basis prohibited by law, or
protected activity under the anti-discrimination statutes.
Women, LGBTQIA people, and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.