St. Frances Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance is the legal services arm of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. It is one of the largest non-profit immigration legal services programs in the region. We provide free to low-cost immigration legal assistance to immigrants and refugees in Southeast Texas.
Job Summary
The Staff Attorney is responsible for providing direct legal representation to clients served by St. Frances Cabrini Center for Legal Assistance in immigration matters. Legal representation includes entering an appearance as the attorney of record on matters and in proceedings before the USCIS, Asylum Office, State, federal and immigration courts, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, as well as appellate agencies such as the Administrative Appeals Office and Board of Immigration Appeals. The Staff Attorney also provide legal services in the form of community outreach and legal education, legal workshops, legal intake, legal research, individual legal representation as well as supervising caseworkers and/or law student interns. The Staff Attorney works under the direct supervision of Senior Attorney and/or Managing Attorney. The Staff Attorney works as a team with the Legal Assistant/Paralegal and other Cabrini Center staff.
A successful candidate will be detail-oriented and organized, with excellent time management and collaboration skills.
30% Citizenship Workshop: Develop and implement pro se citizenship workshops by recruiting pro bono attorneys and volunteers to staff the workshops, organize and conduct pre-workshop CLE training for volunteers, review legal screening to assess suitability for workshop placement, manage work flow at the workshop and collaborate with other NAC partners in organizing mega-regional citizenship workshops.
30% Direct Representation: Provide direct representation to immigrant clients before the USCIS. Asylum Office or Immigration Court on matters such as family petition, removal of conditional status, adjustment of status, naturalization, asylum, removal defense and any immigration proceedings. Direct representation encompasses the following tasks: conduct legal intake and screening, interview with clients, affiants, witness, experts, case managers, and others who can provide information or statement in furtherance of the principle client’s immigration matters; draft, prepare and assemble relevant immigration petitions; conduct legal research; write memorandum of law, motions or briefs in support of applications and petitions filed before USCIS. Asylum Office. State, Immigration and federal Courts, Board of Immigration Appeals, Administrative Appeals Office, EOIR, and other immigration agencies; prepare client for interviews or court hearings. Maintain a minimum of 30-40 active cases.
10% Case Management: Maintain client physical and electronic files according to program requirements, including case notes, correspondence, filings, calendars, and dockets. Maintain a case status list and case service statistics for Cabrini Center and program funders. Participate in case reviews with Senior Attorney, Managing Attorney or Legal Director as applicable.
10% Meetings: Attendance and participation in mandatory unit and Cabrini staff meetings, and other agency meetings. Participate in calls and meetings organized by funders, city-wide advocacy groups, local service providers and national support centers when appropriate and helpful.
10% Supervision: Provide supervision and direction to Legal Assistant and/or Paralegal on a full range of legal services provided by the program.
5% Contract and Agency Compliance: Comply with all contract requirements. Provide data and statistical information for grant, contract and other reporting purposes. Provide accurate and timely monthly data, time logs, and reports for internal use, funder use, and other entity use. Participate in trainings, meetings, calls, etc. as required by funders or to serve program needs.
5% Outreaches: Participate in Charlas by presenting and performing legal consultations. Participate in program and agency community legal education and outreach efforts (Spanish and English), particularly as they relate to issues of immigration law, providing direct information to prospective clients, attending information sessions on asylum, deportation and other immigration relief.
Other: Perform other duties as assigned by the Legal Director and supervisors, such as assisting and training staff in legal and regulatory changes, participating in coalition activities, participating in staff retreats, United Way activities, agency fairs, speaking engagements, assisting with special organization projects/events, etc.
MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school required.
MINIMUM SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
0-2 years of work experience as a licensed attorney in the State of Texas, or a recent graduate from an ABA-accredited law school taking the next available Texas Bar Examination and be admitted to the State Bar of Texas within twelve months of hire, or has active license from another U.S. jurisdiction and is eligible to waive into the State Bar of Texas within 12 months of hire required.
Bilingual ability in Spanish or a language other than English strongly preferred.
Excellent legal research and legal writing skills required.
Excellent verbal and written communication and negotiation skills required.
Ability to handle a high-volume caseload, multiple deadlines, and other tasks simultaneously required.
Knowledge and proficiency in basic typing skills and computer applications such as MS Office, Adobe and other database required.
Demonstrated multi-cultural skills and sensitivity required
Ability to handle and maintain confidential information required, and
Experience working with low-income immigrant community strongly desirable.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Adhere to Texas Family Code {261.101}, Texas Mandated Child Abuse Reporter: As a mandated reporter, you are required by law {Texas Family Code (261.101} to report any and all reasonable suspicions or knowledge of child abuse, neglect, or child sexual abuse to proper authorities. You are required to follow all agency policies and procedures related to the reporting of abuse and neglect, as well as immediately report such events to the Texas Abuse Hotline (1-800-252-5400), your Program Director or VP and the Catholic Charities Director of Quality & Compliance.
Understands and supports a trauma-informed system of care and committed to providing quality, trauma-informed treatment supportive services as per program guidelines and services.
Must have reliable transportation, valid Texas driver’s license and valid vehicle insurance
Position requires/may require driving in personal vehicle on freeways and highways to satellite offices, job fairs, and offsite meetings and events, throughout the 10-county service area of Catholic Charities
Must be able to work on a flexible schedule as caseload demands to meet work, program and project deadlines.
CONTACTS
Requires contact by telephone, written communication, and face-to-face contact with other staff, clients, funders, financial institutions, other stakeholders, and/or volunteers. {Omit/Delete any that do not apply.}
EQUIPMENT USED
Desktop computer, laptop computer, telephone, calculator, fax machine, camera and/or copier.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is performed in an office environment
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Ability to lift twenty pounds; stooping, climbing, and bending are required. Regularly required to speak and listen.
MENTAL AND APTITUDE REQUIREMENTS
Job requires strong analytical, conceptual, problem-solving and decision-making skills
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