The Managing Attorney at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge supervises the work of a team of energetic immigration attorneys, BIA Accredited representatives, and paralegals who share the agency’s mission to help immigrants and their families become fully incorporated into our nation’s social and economic life and join our community’s neighborhoods. We do this by providing legal orientation to detainees, direct representation and assistance in applying for immigration benefits and the protections allowed under U.S. law. We handle all types of cases from removal proceedings to asylum, SIJs (especially for Unaccompanied Children), family-based petitions, and visa applications. We advocate in favor of immigrant rights and work closely with other organizations and community members – private individuals, churches, governmental and NGOs -- who share our mission to serve our common human family. The managing attorney is responsible for developing and maintaining pro bono relationships with attorneys throughout our service area. A critical responsibility of the MA, with the help of the Program Coordinator, is oversight of non-representative legal orientation services to immigrants in detention through our Legal Orientation Program (LOP) at the Pine Prairie Correctional Center in Pine Prairie, Louisiana and the LaSalle Detention Facility in Jena, Louisiana. Some travel may be required.
Essential Job Duties:
Legal Orientation Program ("LOP") - The MA shall oversee the delivery and content of group rights presentations at detention centers and individual orientations to detainees in accordance with program guidelines; prepare for and conduct workshops, develop and maintain a pro bono network inside and outside of Louisiana, identify potential cases for such pro bono participation, prepare materials for training pro bono counsel; and help the Program Coordinator and Department Director prepare reports to funding agencies and stakeholders. Travel is expected 3 days a month, occasionally overnight.
Supervision - The MA shall contribute to and help maintain a spirit of cooperation and team work within ILS; allocate and assign cases to staff members; supervise and mentor staff attorneys and paralegals; oversee procedures and criteria for accepting, opening, managing and closing case files; formulate legal strategies for cases and help allocate limited resources to the most needy cases; assist the Director in the preparation of reports to funders; and work with other agency departments to make sure all available resources are maximized to benefit all clients.
Community Relationships - The MA shall be expected to maintain cooperative relationships with community partners – private immigration attorneys, public officials, nearby law schools and their clinics/interns, law enforcement officials, and other non-profits that provide services to the immigrant population within Louisiana and directly with the immigrant community regarding immigration subject matters and rights.
Direct Court and Federal Agency Representation - The MA shall represent clients before Executive Office of Immigration Review's Immigration Courts in New Orleans and Oakdale, Louisiana and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS"); the Managing Attorney shall also supervise the filings of the ILS staff members, including but not limited to VAWA, U visas and asylum cases among others types of matters related to immigration removal and family based petitions.
Education, Experience & Certifications: Education: J.D. from an accredited ABA institute; Experience: Three (3) years of general immigration law practice experience, preferably in removal defense, family-based petitions, and/or immigration detention with one (1) of the three (3) years in legal office management, including supervision of staff members; Certification/Licensure: Admitted to practice law in any state or the District of Columbia, Louisiana license preferred.
Other Qualifications: REQUIRED: Working knowledge of Microsoft Office platform. Ability to work with diverse population and handle deadlines and other court demands as needed. A professional demeanor and skilled interpersonal communication. STRONGLY PREFERRED: Spanish reading, writing and speaking fluency.
Please forward your cover letter, resume, short writing sample (5-10 pages), and 3 references to [email protected].