Bilingual Staff Attorney - Crime Victims Assistance Program

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston is seeking a full-time, experienced Staff Attorney to provide direct legal representation to clients served by St. Francis Cabrini Immigration and Legal Services Program in immigration matters.

The Staff Attorney works under the direct supervision of Senior Attorney and/or Managing Attorney and collaborates with a team of legal assistants, paralegals and other Cabrini Center staff. Legal representation includes but is not limited to 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 successful candidate will be detail-oriented and organized, with excellent time management and collaboration skills.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

Direct Representation: Provide direct representation to immigrant survivors of crime and qualifying family members before USCIS, Asylum Office or Immigration Court on matters such as U visas, T visas, VAWA, adjustment of status, and any related 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 an active caseload of at least 40 active cases providing individual representation to immigrant survivors of crime and their qualifying family members.

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. Maintain a minimum of 30-40 active cases.

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.

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.

Outreaches: Participate in Charlas by presenting and performing legal consultations. Participate in program and agency community legal education, training, 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. Recruit and mentor pro bono attorneys, plan and coordinate CLE and other outreach/training sessions.

Supervision: Provide supervision and direction to Legal Assistant and/or Paralegal on a full range of legal services provided by the program.

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.