OVERVIEW OF HILSC
The Houston metropolitan area has one of the highest concentrations and fastest-growing populations of immigrants and refugees in the country. More than 1.6 million immigrants and 70,000 refugees call Greater Houston home and 63% of them are non-citizens; more than 500,000 Greater Houston residents are undocumented. Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative (HILSC) grew out of a 2013 conversation among Greater Houston immigrant-serving organizations and funders seeking to grow legal services capacity in this region. Launched to expand legal resources to help DREAMers apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), HILSC convened working groups to identify gaps in service and incubated new programs such as the Immigrant Resource Hotline, Deportation Defense Houston, Forensic Evaluations, Disaster Justice, Connect for Healthcare, Strategic Learning, Holistic Immigrant Services, Give Citizenship A Bost, and fund fellowships to build a pipeline of immigration lawyers and advocates to meet community needs. The vision of HILSC is to co-create, with our allies, a vibrant and resilient ecosystem where all immigrants, migrants, and refugees belong.
HILSC strives to create a collaborative, respectful, humble, transparent, and equitable work environment so that each person can bring his or her best self to the job. HILSC is committed to a collaborative culture. Our work is challenging; it requires great emotional intelligence and resilience. Having a sense of humor and optimism is highly valued.
POSITION OVERVIEW
Since January 2025, the new administration swiftly and systematically bulldozed the immigrant world. The drastic shrinking of government funding to non-profit legal services left a huge vacuum of free and low-fee legal services for our vulnerable neighbors in times of crisis.
The Pathways Attorney Fellow (Fellow) will join the HILSC team to address this vacuum and begin rebuilding the immigration legal services ecosystem beyond the current times. This is a full-time, two-year, exempt position. Working under the supervision of the Legal and Advocacy Director, the Fellow will conduct legal screenings and intakes; provide legal advice on various immigration matters; develop alternative and creative ways of delivering legal service to a maximum number of people with limited resources through pro se assistance and direct representation. The Fellow will also assist with data collection and analysis to meet funders’ requirement, as well as engage in community outreach to publicize and promote HILSC’s programs and participate in community education to provide information on the latest immigration policies to the immigrant community. The Fellow is a vital team member of HILSC and serves as an ambassador for HILSC by liaising with HILSC partners to cultivate strong collaborative relationships in addition to augmenting the capacity to provide legal services.
The ideal candidate is knowledgeable in humanitarian and general immigration law as well as deportation defense; possesses deep understanding of the immigrant community and non-profit capacity in Greater Houston; and is motivated, passionate, creative, self-starting, meticulous, with good project management, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Flexibility and commitment to serving the immigrant communities in Greater Houston are key competencies.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Conduct legal intakes for immigration benefits and provide legal advice.
• Identify eligible candidates for and hold pro se workshops.
• Identify eligible detained individuals and provide removal defense.
• Participate in regular team meetings and training.
• Commit to adhering to confidentiality and privacy standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Legal and Advocacy Director.
QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS
Minimum Education Requirement
• JD degree from an accredited law school in the U.S., admission to practice law in TX and two years of job-related experience.
Minimum Skills and Experience Requirements:
• Fluency in English and Spanish in written and oral forms.
• Minimum two years of experience as a practicing attorney in the United States.
• Licensed to practice law in Texas and is in good standing.
• Minimum two years of experience practicing a broad range of immigration law before USCIS and EOIR. Experience practicing in a non-profit setting is strongly preferred.
• Minimum one year of experience supervising administrative staff. Experience supervising paralegal(s) is preferred.
• Excellent legal research and writing skills.
• Experience working with the low-income immigrant and refugee community.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, superior interpersonal communication and negotiation skills.
• Must be literate in information technology and comfortable learning and using new telecommunications technology. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, knowledge about on-line collaboration tools, such as Google Drive, Dropbox and case management systems strongly preferred. Experience in web design and social media platforms is highly desirable.
• Outgoing and able to work well in a team setting or individually.
• Reliable transportation, valid Texas Driver’s License, and evidence of insurability.
COMPETENCIES
• Commitment to racial equity and social justice.
• Skillful listener with a high degree of self-awareness, humility and diplomacy.
• Empathy and ability to understand and relate to the other’s situation.
• Strong organizational skills. Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, prioritize conflicting demands, and meet deadlines.
• Resourceful with creative critical thinking skills.
• Fluency in language (Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Urdu, and Dari) other than English and Spanish, an asset.
HOW TO APPLY
This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual to have a meaningful impact through their professional contributions to advance immigrant rights and racial justice. Interested candidates should email a cover letter explaining how your skills and background fit this position and a resume [email protected], with subject headline: Application for Pathways Attorney Fellow.
This position is open until filled.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative offers an excellent benefits package and a starting salary of $75,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications. Generous fringe benefits that include employer-sponsored health benefits; long-term and short-term disability, life insurance, and a 401(k) defined contribution retirement plan. HILSC also provides generous leave benefits inclusive of vacation, sickness, and holidays, as well as office closure the week between Christmas and New Year’s.
NLADA Mutual Insurance Co., RRG
