Staff Attorney

Company Overview
The Immigration Project is a dynamic immigration legal aid organization located in Normal, Illinois, with a satellite office in Champaign, Illinois. The agency is the largest non-profit immigration legal services agency located in downstate Illinois with immigration attorneys on staff and serves clients in 86 counties across central and southern Illinois. We understand the importance of immigration for our communities and believe in equal access to fairness and justice. Our goal is to advocate with, not for, our clients and walk alongside them through the legal process as they make the best decisions for their lives.
The Immigration Project is seeking to add three Staff Attorneys to support our expanding services.

Job Overview
The Staff Attorneys are responsible for representing clients and completing casework across various immigration-based subjects. While the assigned casework depends on the position, The Immigration Project handles cases in family-based immigration, removal defense, survivors of trauma, deferred action for childhood arrivals, green card renewal, and naturalization for legal permanent residents.
The ideal candidate for this role has practical experience with hearings and preparing casework, speaks and writes fluently in Spanish and English, is highly organized and detail-oriented, and has a connection, personal or professional, to the immigration process.
This position is for you if you enjoy working with children as clients, have the ability to communicate effectively with various audiences, and are a proactive team member who can self-manage a high volume of work.

Job Details – Responsibilities might vary slightly based on the assigned program
• Maintains a diverse client caseload of family-based immigration, VAWA/U Visa, SIJS, complex naturalization, asylum, and removal defense cases under the supervision and mentorship of the managing attorney or legal director
• Counsels immigrants and their families regarding immigration legal remedies virtually or by traveling to regional clinic locations and workshops throughout downstate Illinois
• Directly represents adults or children while they remain in the detention center as well as those released within our geographic zone
• Prepares immigration applications, attends USCIS interviews, makes appearances before EOIR, researches applicable law, composes memoranda, writes client affidavits, and drafts motions and briefs
• Makes regular visits to the Chicago Immigration Court to represent clients
• Presents to the public on citizenship, Know Your Rights, recent executive orders, and other immigration matters
• Connects clients with social services resources and opportunities presented by other Immigration Project programs
• Maintains reporting and case management systems as required by internal policies
• Works collaboratively with and mentors administrative staff, volunteers, Community Navigators, and interns
• Represents The Immigration Project in meetings, press related events, regional/state associations, and other public forums
• Participates in grassroots organizing and advocacy efforts based on expressed community needs
• In accordance with the ethical standards required of the legal profession and the Code of Professional Responsibility, preserves client confidentiality, accounts for client monies, and avoids conflicts of interest
• Performs other duties as assigned

Requirements
• License to practice law with membership in good standing to any state bar (Required, Illinois Preferred)
• Fluent in Spanish or French (Required for select Staff Attorney openings)
• Immigration law experience (Preferred)
• Experience working with children as clients (Preferred)
• Previous experience supervising volunteers or administrative staff
• Previous experience working with indigenous communities, survivors of domestic violence, or low-income individuals (Preferred)
• Demonstrated ability to serve clients in a professional, welcoming, and efficient manner
• Strong organizational ability
• High attention to detail
• Ability to learn technical and legal information
• Ability to pass various background checks to meet grant requirements
• Full-time position
• Ability to work out of either the Champaign or Normal, IL offices (Required)
• Ability and willingness to travel throughout Illinois regularly

Benefits
• Flex Time
• Paid Time Off
• Heath Insurance
• Health Savings Account Contributions
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Travel Reimbursement