Managing Attorney-Immigration Court Helpdesk

at  Catholic Charities of LA

Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, a program of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc., is a nonprofit law firm which provides community education and legal representation to Southern California’s most vulnerable immigrant communities. Esperanza provides legal representation to immigrants who are in detention and/or removal proceedings and focuses on particularly complex immigration cases which may involve unaccompanied minors, adults with mental health issues, and cases with past criminal or gang history. Esperanza also provides community education programming and pro se assistance to immigrants in removal proceedings both in detained and non-detained settings. Esperanza has proudly provided legal services to immigrants and their families in Southern California for over 10 years. More information can be found about Esperanza at www.esperanza-la.org

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Juris Doctorate;

• Active, California State Bar License, or license from another jurisdiction AND commitment to sitting for next available

  CA Bar Exam;

• Experience (including internships) in the practice of law, preferably in immigration and/or public interest law;

• Strong organizational, case management, legal research, and legal writing skills required;

• Experience working with vulnerable client populations, particularly with children families, or clients with mental

  health issues is a huge plus;

• Demonstrated ability and willingness to take on challenging and novel legal issues and a readiness to pursue

  “outside-the-box” legal theories;

• Teaching experience and/or group presentation experience, highly desirable.

• Spanish-language proficiency required and will be tested at time of interview;
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work under pressure required;
• Willingness to be a team-player with an attitude and aptitude for collaboration;
• Passion for social justice for immigrants and vulnerable communities required.

Esperanza seeks a full-time Managing Attorney to oversee Esperanza’s Legal Orientation Program for Released Youth-Immigration Court Helpdesk under our Community Education program and to carry a small caseload of unaccompanied minor cases under our Representation program.

The Managing Attorney for Released Youth-Immigration Court Helpdesk will engage in both substantive and operational tasks, which include:

• Serving as a source of substantive knowledge on all legal aspects related to unaccompanied minors for a diverse staff, including attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants, as well as volunteers and interns
• Coordinating the training, staffing, and oversight of legal orientation presentations for unaccompanied minors in office and at Los Angeles-area immigration courts
• Overseeing the operation of our Unaccompanied Minor Self-Help Centers
• Supervising legal aspects of our Call Center for Released Youth
• Managing intake clinics for unaccompanied minor
• Developing and updating innovative legal educational materials
• Expanding access to counsel for unaccompanied minors through pro bono program and our Universal Referral System
• Leading capacity development and self-care opportunities for staff, including attorneys, paralegals, and administrative personnel
• Training, mentoring, and supervising legal interns, fellows, and volunteers
• Maintaining and developing relationships with stakeholders that work with unaccompanied minors
• Carrying a small and focused caseload of unaccompanied minor cases

The Managing Attorney will be under the direct supervision of the Program Director and work closely with the Program Manager for Released Youth.