Community Justice Attorney Immigrant Rights Program

Status: FullTime Exempt

Location: Newark NJ

Application Deadline: January 10 2025

For consideration please attach your Cover Letter and Resume to the online application in addition to answering the Application Questions.

Summary of Principal Responsibilities:

The Community Justice Attorney will provide legal representation to lowincome immigrants in immigration proceedings before the Newark and Elizabeth Immigration Courts. The Attorney will meet with clients counsel them on eligibility for relief under the immigration laws prepare applications for submission to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Immigration Courts and represent clients before both agencies as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Essential Functions/Responsibilities: The key responsibilities of the Community Justice Attorney include the following:

1. Provide consultations to immigrant community members to determine eligibility for immigration status and benefits.
2. Provide direct representation to immigrant youth asylum seekers families and others before USCIS local Immigration Courts the Board of Immigration Appeals and where appropriate before Federal Courts.
3. Maintain electronic and paper case files in up to date working order. ..
4. Work with AFSCs Social Workers where possible to meet clients social service needs.
5. Mentor legal interns fellows and volunteers for work on individual cases legal screenings and related work as necessary.
6. Participate in inperson and virtual training and information sessions to provide community members with information on immigration laws and policies.
7. Support efforts for program clients to participate in organizing advocacy and leadership development efforts.
8. Provide trainings to service organizations government agencies schools and other groups on immigration law and policy.
9. Support programmatic efforts to engage in narrative change through media work.
10. Assist with occasional screenings pro se clinics and other special initiatives to further support immigrant community members.
11. Participate in AFSC staff meetings and case reviews.
12. Assist in the documentation of the projects experiences and in the preparation of quarterly funding reports.
13. Attend immigration law training sessions and conferences.

Minimum Qualifications

Admission to a state bar required; with preference to individuals admitted to practice in New Jersey.

Required Skills and Abilities:

1. Two years experience in immigration law/preferred particularly in removal defense. Internships or clinical experience can count toward needed experience.
2. Understanding of and willingness to apply principles behind movement lawyering.
3. Demonstrated cultural competency.
4. Fluency in written and oral English and Spanish.
5. Excellent analytical writing and communication skills.
6. Experience and comfort with public speaking.
7. Selfmotivated; detail oriented wellorganized and able to effectively prioritize assignments and workload.
8. Ability to communicate effectively and build mutually respectful relationships with coworkers clients and the public.
9. Familiarity with software applications in a Windows and cloudbased environment including Microsoft Office and Docketwise. Commitment to Quaker values and testimonies. Understanding of and compatibility with the principles and philosophy of the American Friends Service Committee including nonviolence and the belief in the intrinsic worth of every individual.
10. Understanding of and commitment to the principles concerns and considerations of AFSC in regard to issues of race class nationality religion age gender and sexual orientation and disabilities. Demonstrated ability to work and communicate with diverse staff.

Compensation: Salary Range 15 (starting at $65 000 commensurate with experience $76356 Exempt Comprehensive medical and hospitalization plan; term life accident and salary continuation insurances defined benefit pension plan plus fringe benefits; participation in unemployment and workers compensation and social security.

The American Friends Service Committee is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified persons are encouraged to apply regardless of their religious affiliation race age sex gender identity sexual orientation or disability.

AFSCs Central Office and some of its offices in the U.S. are unionized workplaces. This position is represented under the Northeast Regions Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The American Friends Service Committee is a smokefree workplace.