IMMIGRATION SUPERVISING ATTORNEY

Catholic Migration Services (“CMS”), an affiliated agency of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, provides high quality free legal services, community education, and advocacy for low-income immigrants residing in Brooklyn and Queens, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, or immigration status.

CMS assists individuals with their immigration, housing, and employment legal needs. CMS is committed

to “welcoming the stranger in our midst” by serving and working along side underserved immigrant communities to advance equality and social justice in an ever-changing landscape.

The Supervising Attorney will work in our downtown Brooklyn office with our Pro Se Plus Project (PSPP), a collaborative initiative of several Non-profit legal service providers that was developed to respond to the needs of newly arrived migrants from the southern border. PSPP provides community legal orientations, trainings for advocates, legal screenings, and pro se assistance with various immigration applications, both on a rolling basis and through scalable clinics and workshops. This is a unique opportunity for someone passionate about immigrant rights, energized to empower immigrant communities, and eager to participate in the development of an innovative project.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Participate in developing and implementing the PSPP initiative in collaboration with the Managing Attorney of the Immigration Program, the Removal Defense Project’s Supervising Attorney, and the PSPP Associate Supervising Attorney, as well as our partners, African Communities Together, Central American Legal Assistance, UnLocal, New York Legal Assistance Group, Masa and VIA;
• Together with the PSPP Associate Supervising Attorney, train, onboard, and supervise our dynamic PSPP team and volunteers;
• Provide legal advice on screenings conducted by PSPP paralegals and volunteers; review and sign off on applications prepared by PSPP paralegals and volunteers;
• Together with the PSPP Associate Supervising Attorney, plan, develop, and conduct community legal orientations, volunteer trainings, and clinics;
• Conduct screenings for eligibility for immigration benefits;
• Prepare a varietyof immigration applications and motions, on a pro se basis, including changes of address, motions to change venue, applications for asylum and work permits, etc.;
• Train, onboard, and supervise PSPP volunteers to conduct screenings and provide pro se application assistance;
• Participate in PSPP meetings with other members of the collaborative as well as funders;
• Participate in on-site and virtual PSPP events, which will sometimes be held on evenings and weekends, such as legal clinics, educational events, or workshops; and
• Maintain a small caseload, including:
  • representation of clients in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review seeking all types of relief, including but not limited to: Asylum, Cancellation of Removal, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status;
  • representation of clients on affirmative applications before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and in guardianship and custody hearings in New York State Family Court;
  • representation of clients before federal appellate bodies and district courts with supervisor approval;
• Maintain client files and regularly update case information in CMS’ case management database;
• Provide required information for internal and external reporting;
• Assume other duties as assigned.

Catholic Migration Services values workplace diversity and welcomes applicants and employees of all backgrounds. CMS strives to create a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for all staff. CMS makes all employment decisions without regard to any applicant’s or employee’s protected characteristics, including their race, religion, color, national origin, immigration status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, arrest conviction record, or marital status.

Salary and Benefits:

The salary range for a supervising attorney with five to seven years of experience is $95,320.99 to $100,056.54. CMS offers a very competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision insurance coverage, transit benefits, Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a 403(b) retirement plan including employer contribution. We offer generous leave policies, including four weeks paid vacation, four paid personal days, fourteen paid holidays and the week off between Christmas and New Year’s Days, inclusive.

• JD from an accredited law school;
• Admission to New York State Bar;
• Written and oral fluency in a 2nd language, Haitian-Creole, or Spanish preferred;
• Five or more years of experience practicing immigration law as an attorney in asylum and removal defense;
• Three or more years of supervisory experience, preferably in the immigration field;
• Experience working with immigrants from diverse backgrounds and communities, including those who have experienced trauma;
• Demonstratedability to take initiative and work independently or as part of a team;
• Strong, clear, and effective communication skills;
• Excellent organizational and time management skills;
• Commitment to advocating for immigrant clients in an empowering way;
• Excellent computer skills;
• Ability to travel throughout the five boroughs.