Supervising Attorney

The Tahirih Justice Center is a national, nonprofit organization that serves women, girls, and other immigrant survivors fleeing gender-based violence. Our interdisciplinary, trauma-informed model of service combines free legal and social services with bridge-building policy advocacy and research-based training and education. Our programs efficiently and effectively leverage donated professional services from a vast network of attorneys, medical professionals, and other experts to serve as many immigrant survivors as possible. By amplifying the experiences of survivors in communities, courts, and Congress, Tahirih’s mission is to create a world in which all people share equal rights and live in safety and with dignity. [Learn more about Tahirih’s Values, including our Commitment to Anti-Racism.]

JOB SUMMARY

At Tahirih, the Supervising Attorney assists the Managing Attorney in managing the legal personnel on interdisciplinary client services teams and ensuring the overall quality of the legal representation by both in-house and pro bono attorneys of immigrant survivors. The Supervising attorney will supervise a small team of individuals and assist the Managing Attorney in achieving Tahirih’s goals. The Supervising Attorney assists the Managing Attorney with grant monitoring through working closely with their team and closely monitoring performance to ensure compliance. Working collaboratively with the Managing Attorney, Directors of Client Advocacy, and Social Services colleagues, the Supervising Attorney ensures interdisciplinary client services teams function equitably and effectively to provide holistic trauma-informed support to our clients receiving interdisciplinary representation. The Supervising Attorney supervises legal team members; retains a caseload in compliance with grant metrics; ensures grant metrics compliance of the team; and ensures the team’s compliance with risk mitigation policies and intake/case acceptance processes; and conducts trainings, outreach, and community engagement pursuant to government grant compliance/metrics.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Directly manage 2 to 4 legal team members.
• Assist the Managing Attorney in executing intake, case acceptance, and legal representation processes and systems within the interdisciplinary client services team that enables the team to represent clients effectively and engage in regular, collaborative interdisciplinary client services team communication and work.
• Assist the Managing Attorney in ensuring quality control of the client database and files; maintain accurate data entry; ensure appropriate metrics tracking systems; and follow risk management procedures (in your own caseload and the caseload of the individuals supervised).
• Assist the Managing Attorney in ensuring teams communicate effectively and work collaboratively within the interdisciplinary team structure and with the larger client-services team.
• Work in collaboration with Social Services colleagues on the interdisciplinary client services team to effectively implement Tahirih’s interdisciplinary client services.
• Work collaboratively with the Managing Attorney, the interdisciplinary team, and the Co-Directors of Client Advocacy to ensure alignment with organizational policies.
• Assist the Managing Attorney in ensuring legal staff adhere to attorney standards of practice and other risk mitigation policies.
• Support Managing Attorney in ensuring legal staff engage in safety planning and other supportive collaborative case work in concert with Social Services team members as part of interdisciplinary, holistic, client-centered, trauma-informed service delivery.
• Mentor and assist direct reports in their professional growth by identifying and coordinating supplemental trainings and professional development, as needed, for supervised individuals.
• Provide brief advice and counsel and referrals to service seekers, and conduct intakes.
• Independently develop case theory and strategy and independently manage a complex and nuanced caseload of 40 – 60 cases, with at least 60% of those cases placed pro bono, to deliver holistic, client-centered, trauma-informed direct representation.
• Effectively mentor and train pro bono attorneys and internal Tahirih client services staff.
• Effectively delegate projects and clearly articulate the purpose and objectives of projects.
• Support Managing Attorney’s government grants management through effective management of the delivery of grant metrics and reports for individuals supervised and self.
• Support Managing Attorney in building and maintaining relationships with local nonprofits, funders, and government agencies, as needed.
• Regularly engage in professional development to hone supervisory skillset and immigration law substantive knowledge.
• Contribute to organization-wide meetings, resources and materials.

Requirements

Education

• JD or equivalent
• Current bar membership in good standing in any state in the US or State of Texas

Experience

• As least 5 years of combined experience representing diverse clients in immigration law (asylum, VAWA, T visa and/or U visa cases) before the DHS, Immigration Courts and BIA
• As least 2 years of experience supervising legal staff and/or interns who work with trauma survivors.
• Experience providing training, mentoring and support to pro bono attorneys representing clients.
• Experience working on interdisciplinary teams.
• Ability to manage casework independently.
• Excellent legal analysis, written and oral advocacy and presentation skills.
• Responsible, self-initiating, and focused, with proven ability to work independently and also collaboratively in a team-based decision-making environment.
• Ability to effectively manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills and record of cultural humility and cross-cultural communication skills
• Commitment to Tahirih’s foundational values and mission, and demonstrated commitment to legal services, public interest law, and/or social justice.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience designing trainings and presenting to legal and non-legal audiences.
• Experience litigating appeals, preferably in the immigration context, or superb legal research and writing skills and a desire to gain expertise in cutting edge immigration appellate work.
• Fluency in Spanish preferred.
• Ability to attend functions outside of regular business hours, as needed.