ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL

Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.

Public Counsel organizes its work through seven legal teams: Child, Youth & Family Advocacy, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants’ Rights, Education Equity, and our impact litigation team, Opportunity Under Law.

Public Counsel has a full-time staff of approximately 160. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities. We recognize the essential role of staff in achieving our goals, and we have set a long-term intention to provide competitive compensation, benefits, training, mentorship, and overall workplace wellness, making Public Counsel a leader among nonprofit law firms.

ABOUT IMMIGRANTS’ RIGHTS

Public Counsel’s Immigrants’ Rights team envisions a world where all (im)migrants live with dignity, power, and opportunity. Staffed by approximately 30 attorneys, administrative staff, and social workers, the team provides direct legal representation to detained immigrants as well as non-citizens seeking asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), VAWA, T and U visas, and other relief in immigration court. In addition to direct representation, the Immigrants’ Rights team engages in advocacy at the local and national levels, recruits, trains, and mentors hundreds of pro bono attorneys each year, handles appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the California Court of Appeal, and conducts impact litigation. For 35 years, the team has been at the forefront of protecting the rights of immigrants in Los Angeles.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Supervising Attorney, the Staff Attorney will provide direct legal representation to clients in a range of matters, including removal proceedings, detention, bond proceedings, habeas petitions, appeals, and affirmative applications for immigration relief, with a focus on affirmative applications for immigrant survivors, including U visa, T visa and relief under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

The Staff Attorney will:

Work closely with the Supervising Attorney, Staff Attorney, and Program Manager
Expand the capacity of Immigrants’ Rights and the Survivor Team to respond to increased community need for legal representation in removal proceedings, immigrant detention, and applications for immigration relief for immigrant survivors
Provide zealous, client-centered, and trauma-informed direct representation to immigrant survivors of crime in removal proceedings
Represent clients who have been placed in expedited removal proceedings, were paroled into the U.S., or are party to an appeal before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
Represent immigrants in detention, including bond proceedings, habeas petitions, and parole requests
Provide representation in asylum or withholding only proceedings
File Motions to Reopen/Reconsider with the immigration court, USCIS or Administrative Appeals Office
File affirmative applications for immigration relief based on being the victim of crime
Work collaboratively with team members to provide client-centered, holistic, trauma-informed, and interdisciplinary services for clients
Collect case data and contribute to grant reports
Perform administrative tasks in support of this work, including opening and closing matters, printing and scanning documents, maintaining files, etc.
Maintain a caseload of 25-35 active matters (note - one client can have multiple matters)
Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

ESSENTIAL JOB SKILLS AND ABILITIES

2-8 years of experience in legal advocacy
Juris Doctor degree and a member in good standing of any state bar is required, California Bar preferred
Ability to read, write, and speak fluently in Spanish is strongly preferred
Experience in immigration removal defense
Experience in survivor based affirmative applications (U/T/VAWA) or experience working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or other serious crimes preferred
Strong legal research and writing skills, and attention to detail
Ability to prioritize and manage a large caseload independently
Comfort and experience working with clients from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, including those with complex trauma and those who have been criminalized
Understanding of trauma and its effects on both the clients and the advocates
Willingness and ability to travel to/from the asylum office, detention centers, superior and federal courts, and immigration courts in the Southern California region
Ability to think strategically and creatively, and problem-solve effectively
Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate with other team members.
Desire to learn and grow as an advocate, and openness to feedback
Commitment to immigrants’ rights and the mission of Public Counsel
Commitment to economic and racial justice, including participating in and advancing the equity and inclusion work at Public Counsel
High levels of emotional intelligence, maturity and cultural competency, including being curious, self-aware, cognizant of bias, empathetic, patient, and willing to listen, and having a growth and open mindset
Exempt employees are expected to work a minimum of 37.5 hours per week and must work all additional time necessary to accomplish job duties in a timely and professional manner. They must be flexible in work hours so as to provide superior quality and timely service to clients consistent with the position and professional responsibility obligations.

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Staff Attorney - Immigrants’ Rights (Survivor Team)