Staff Attorney, Temporary - WA MASS

The WA MASS P Unit supports the Washington Migrant and Asylum Seeker Support Project. This is a pilot project carried out in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee, the Washington Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, and nonprofit legal and other service providers located across the state of Washington. As a temporary attorney, you will work closely with other staff members across NWIRP’s four offices and community partners in Washington State, providing individual consultations and limited direct representation to members of immigrant communities in Washington State through various forms of immigration protection, including asylum relief.

• Provide direct representation to individuals in removal proceedings before the Immigration Court, on appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals or before the federal courts, and before the Department of Homeland Security;
• Provide direct representation to persons submitting affirmative applications with USCIS and the Department of State;
• Conduct presentations, workshops, legal clinics, and intakes, by phone and in person;
• Conduct case analysis to determine eligibility for immigration protections/status under the immigration laws;
• Maintain a working knowledge of significant policies, laws, practices, and trends in immigration law, particularly as it impacts low-income immigrants and those impacted by the criminal justice system;
• Establish, organize, and maintain files up to date;
• Perform administrative tasks related to grant reporting such as timekeeping, submitting timesheets, tracking training, and other duties in a timely manner;
• Participate in NWIRP’s outreach, community education, and development efforts; and,
• Perform other tasks and responsibilities assigned by supervisory staff depending upon NWIRP’s needs.

• Provide legal intakes to community members referred to NWIRP through the Washington Migrant and Asylum-Seeker Services (WA MASS) Project Hub or who connect directly through NWIRP;
• Provide brief legal services (Pro se assistance);
• Provide referrals to other legal services organizations; and,
• Provide quarterly training on relevant immigration law topics to legal services providers that receive direct referrals from NWIRP to provide brief legal services;
• Create filing preparation checklists and template filings to be referenced by other unit staff;
• Travel to other NWIRP offices, partner locations, and other offsite locations to provide consultations to community members.

• Law degree;
• Admission to the bar of any state in the U.S.;
• Demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights and eagerness to support NWIRP’s mission, vision and values;
• Excellent writing, communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills;
• Ability to provide trauma-informed and culturally-inclusive legal representation;
• Commitment to creating a welcoming, professional, and inclusive environment for staff and clients, and to working with a diverse community in a challenging environment;
• Fluency in in English and at least one other language, with Spanish, French, and Portuguese preferred;
• Strong ability to work independently, as well as in a team environment;
• Proficiency in use of web-based software, Microsoft Office applications (including Word and Excel), and web peer-to-peer communication platforms; familiarity with G-suite tools (Google Docs, Google Sheets and Gmail);
• Prior immigration law and removal experience preferred;
• Prior experience working with survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault is preferred;
• Experience handling a high-volume caseload preferred;
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Ability to take on a substantive caseload, and;
• The applicant must have a valid driver’s license as the position involves some travel.

• Fully paid health, vision and dental plans for employee-level coverage with employer-funded HRA and HSA options;
• FSA and Dependent Care accounts;
• Automatic, employer contribution of 3% to 403(b) retirement plan;
• Generous paid health-related leave (12 days per year);
• Generous paid vacation (15 days during your first year);
• 14 paid Holidays with the ability to float 5 holidays;
• Employer-paid disability, life, AD&D and long-term care insurance;
• Opportunities for paid professional development; and,
• Subsidized transit pass is available for the Seattle and Tacoma offices.
• Free onsite parking at the Granger, Tacoma and Wenatchee offices.

• How your personal or professional experiences qualify you for this role, and;
• What challenges do you recognize as barriers to providing legal advocacy to immigrant community members?