Staff Attorney II-Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project

at  Catholic Charities of LA

Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, a program of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc., is a non-profit law firm which provides community education and legal representation to immigrant adults, families, unaccompanied minors, individuals with mental health issues, and in cases involving crimmigration. Esperanza is one of the few programs across the country that provides services to pro se detained and non-detained immigrants. Esperanza has proudly provided legal services to immigrants and their families in Southern California for over 15 years. More information can be found about Esperanza at www.esperanza-la.org

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Juris Doctorate;
• Active bar admission (California state bar preferred);
• Minimum 2 years of experience in the practice of immigration law required;
• Immigration court litigation experience strongly preferred;
• Experience with matters before the Board of Immigration Appeals preferred;
• Strong organizational, case management, legal research, and legal writing skills;
• Ability to take initiative and work under pressure;
• Willingness to be a team-player with an attitude and aptitude for collaboration;
• Passion for social justice for immigrants and vulnerable communities
• Proficiency in a second language such as Spanish, French, Mandarin, Portuguese, or Mayan dialect; (preferred)
• Experience working with vulnerable client populations, such as with children, families, or clients with mental health issues;(preferred)
  To apply go to: https://catholiccharitiesla.org/employment-opportunities

Esperanza seeks a full-time Staff Attorney II to work under the supervision of a Managing Attorney to provide legal representation to immigrants in removal proceedings in both detained and non-detained settings. The Staff Attorney II will be expected to carry a caseload consisting of a variety of defensive immigration cases for adults, with an emphasis on cases involving individuals with mental disabilities who are unable to represent themselves in court.
The Staff Attorney II will work primarily under the National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP) pursuant to the Franco-Gonzales v. Holder class action. Under this program, the Staff Attorney is appointed as Qualified Representative for individuals with mental disabilities who are facing deportation and are unable to represent themselves in court. The Staff Attorney II will have the opportunity to work on a variety of cases under the supervision of the Managing Attorney for NQRP. Representation will include litigating complex and interesting cases in immigration court, including cases that involve asylum, cancellation of removal, creative arguments against removability, and “crimmigration.” The Staff Attorney II will take on additional responsibilities including supervision of legal interns or law students as well as mentorship of Staff Attorney I, paralegals or other staff; participation in collaborative or stakeholder meetings; advocacy and policy; trainings and education; community engagement; and other special projects as needed.