Legal Advocate (RDU, Seattle)

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project seeks a full-time bilingual legal advocate to work in our Removal Defense Unit as part of our Seattle office. The applicant must be fluent in English and another language, and additional languages are encouraged. The applicant must be able to start the position as soon as possible. A minimum two-year commitment is expected.

Under the supervision of an attorney, the legal advocate will assist in directly representing immigrant community members in Washington State. Legal Advocates focus primarily on cases involving immigration protections for survivors of crimes, such as domestic violence, and asylum seekers. Additionally, the legal advocate may handle other immigration matters as needed and will help manage and coordinate cases from the prescreen waitlist with other NWIRP staff members.

Founded in 1984, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is a nationally-recognized legal services organization on the front lines of defending and advancing the rights of immigrants. With over 150 employees, NWIRP provides direct legal representation and assistance in immigration matters to thousands of people with low incomes who come from over 150 countries and speak over 60 different languages.

NWIRP challenges unjust policies through high-impact lawsuits and advocates for laws and policies that respect the rights of immigrants. NWIRP is also a trusted provider of immigration-related community education for immigrant communities and social service providers. NWIRP serves the community through four offices in Washington State (Granger, Seattle, Tacoma and Wenatchee), but the impact of our work is felt nationwide.

NWIRP’s Removal Defense Unit (RDU) focuses on direct representation of immigrants in removal proceedings, and provides outreach and education throughout the state. Its work involves various forms of relief from removal, including but not limited to asylum, withholding of removal, protection under the Convention Against Torture, U and T nonimmigrant statuses, cancellation of removal, waivers of inadmissibility, and post-conviction relief. The legal advocate will also work with other staff members on different types of immigration cases as needed.

Under the supervision of an attorney, the RDU Legal Advocate will be expected to:

Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear; utilize a phone, computer, keyboard, pen and paper. Occasional work on night and weekend hours. Travel may be required. Travel reimbursements apply.

Emotional demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to discuss topics including, but not limited to, discrimination; child abuse, neglect, abandonment; domestic abuse; violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and psychological trauma.

The anticipated hours of work are Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm, with a 30 – 60 minute unpaid lunch, but occasional evening and weekend work hours may be required.

At the time of this posting, NWIRP staff is operating in a hybrid model, and some in-office work will be expected of this position (at least two full days per week).

This is a non-exempt, hourly position, and the minimum pay rate for candidates with no experience is $38.01 per hour (approx. $69,192.64 annually). Compensation increases based on years of directly relevant experience. For example, candidates with 10 years of relevant experience will earn $44.54 per hour (approx. $81,068.80 annually), while candidates with 20 years of experience will earn $50.88 per hour (approx. $92,604.95 annually).

NWIRP is proud to be a unionized employer, and this full-time position is covered by NWIRP’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. NWIRP offers a generous benefits package, including:

NWIRP is an eligible employer under the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is an equal opportunity employer committed to having a diverse staff, board, and volunteer base reflective of the communities we serve and that enhances our ability to create a vibrant environment where all members of the NWIRP community thrive.

NWIRP is committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. NWIRP does not discriminate on the basis of class, race, color, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, political ideology, age, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability. Excepting any undue hardship, NWIRP will provide reasonable accommodations upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please contact HR@nwirp.org for accommodations.

Supervising Attorney

Please upload a single-file document on our Careers Page containing your cover letter, resume, and a list of (3) references.

In your cover letter, please address:

1. How your personal or professional experiences qualify you for this role, and;

2. What challenges you recognize as barriers to providing legal advocacy to immigrant community members.