Legal Advocate - Impact Litigation unit

SUMMARY:

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) seeks a full-time bilingual Legal Advocate to work in our Impact Litigation Unit. Applicants must be fluent in English and Spanish. The applicant must be able to start the position as soon as possible. A minimum two-year commitment to the position is expected.

The legal advocate will primarily work as part of a project team that focuses on filing habeas petitions on behalf of individuals seeking to challenge their detention at the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) in Tacoma, WA. The legal advocate will conduct intakes to assess cases, meet with clients to gather relevant evidence and draft declarations, assist with preparing and submitting court filings, and perform other administrative and record-keeping tasks as needed. While the Impact Litigation Unit is based in Seattle, this legal advocate will be based in NWIRP’s Tacoma office because it requires near-daily work at the NWIPC.

Because this position requires regular travel to NWIPC and occasionally to other locations as needed, a valid driver’s license will be required to meet these expectations. The position will occasionally involve evening and weekend work hours.

ABOUT NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT:

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 200 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.

The Impact Litigation Unit focuses on federal court actions that seek to advance and defend the rights of immigrants. Our cases include habeas petitions, petitions for review, individual complaints for relief, and class action lawsuits. The unit currently consists of five attorneys and one legal advocate, and works with other NWIRP staff on a regular basis.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under attorney supervision:
• Prepare and file documents with federal courts in accordance with the relevant rules;
• Conduct intakes and interviews in person and by phone;
• Assist in gathering facts and analyzing cases for viable claims;
• Draft and translate client declarations;
• Prepare, review, and edit documents for accuracy and completeness;
• Establish, organize, and maintain files;
• Perform administrative tasks related to grant reporting and other requirements; and
• Other tasks as assigned.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated commitment to advancing and defending the rights of immigrants and willingness to support NWIRP’s mission, vision, and values;
• Fluency in English and Spanish is required (additional languages encouraged);
• Commitment to creating a welcoming, professional, and inclusive environment for staff and clients, and to working with a diverse community in a challenging environment;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to organize information in a clear and concise manner, including strong problem-solving, research, and analytical skills;
• Ability to assist in the provision of trauma-informed and culturally inclusive legal representation;
• Ability to manage competing deadlines;
• Ability to work independently as well as in a highly collaborative team environment;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Previous work with remote legal assistance is encouraged;
• Ability to work with interpreters;
• Proficiency in the use of web-based software, Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel, and web peer-to-peer communication platforms; Familiarity with G-suite tools like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Gmail; and
• The applicant must have a valid driver’s license as the position involves travel to the NWIPC, which is not accessible by public transit.

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, 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, most NWIRP staff are operating in a hybrid model, with at least two full days per week of in-office work required. However, this position will require almost daily work at the NWIPC (the detention center) and may also require more than two days each week in-office.

BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION:

This is a non-exempt, hourly position, and the minimum pay rate for candidates with no experience is $39.54 per hour (approx. $71,960.34 annually). Compensation increases based on years of directly relevant experience. For example, candidates with 10 years of relevant experience will earn $46.33 per hour (approx. $84,311.55 annually), while candidates with 20 years of experience will earn $52.92 per hour (approx. $96,309.15 annually). The maximum possible pay rate for this role is currently $67.29 per hour (approx. $122,465.39 annually) based on 40 years of relevant experience.

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:
• 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);
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 6 months of employment, plus the ability to extend with State-paid leave;
• 14 paid Holidays with the ability to float 5 holidays;
• Employer-paid disability, life, AD&D and long-term care insurance;
• 4 weeks of paid sabbatical after every five years of employment at NWIRP;
• Eligibility to earn compensatory time;
• Opportunities for paid professional development;
• New employees may be eligible for a relocation bonus, per the CBA; and,
• Free onsite parking for the Tacoma office.

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

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 [email protected].
REPORTS TO:

Supervising Attorney
TO APPLY:

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

Full consideration will be given to those who apply by February 19, 2026, but applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.