Managing 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 Managing Attorney ensures the overall quality of the legal representation by both in-house and pro bono attorneys of immigrant survivors for one of Tahirih’s interdisciplinary client services teams. The Managing Attorney co-leads an interdisciplinary client services team with the Social Services Program Manager. Together, the Managing Attorney and Social Service Program Manager are responsible for monitoring grant metrics and appropriately addressing successful compliance with grant metrics within the team. As a key leader for ensuring a well-functioning interdisciplinary client services team, the Managing Attorney is responsible for ensuring that all members of the legal team are equitably treated and center the immigrant survivor client in service provision. This position works closely with the Social Services Program Manager, as well as the Co-Director of Client Advocacy to provide holistic trauma-informed support to our clients receiving interdisciplinary representation. The Managing Attorney will supervise a team of immigration attorneys, DOJ accredited representatives, and paralegals; retain a caseload in compliance with grant metrics; ensure grant metrics compliance of the team; manage, oversee, and coordinate the pro bono attorney program for the geographic location; oversee the intake and case acceptance processes; and oversee the team’s legal training, outreach, and education initiatives.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensure high quality, client-centered (trauma-informed and culturally humble) legal representation of clients through direct supervision and management of legal representatives on Tahirih’s interdisciplinary client services team.
• Oversee the management, and execution of processes and systems within the local office to enable the interdisciplinary client services team to represent clients effectively and efficiently, maximizing internal resources to serve the greatest number of survivors.
• Manage, oversee, and coordinate the local pro bono program, and maintain at least 75% of cases with co-counsel who are trained and mentored by the interdisciplinary client services team.
• Contribute to organization-wide meetings, resources and materials.
• Ensure quality control of the client database and files; maintain accurate data entry; ensure appropriate metrics tracking systems; and follow risk management procedures.
• Responsible for staff members’ professional development and mentorship; identify and coordinate supplemental trainings to support the team’s professional development, as needed.
• As a co-manager and in collaboration with the Social Services Program Manager, develop systems and approaches to engage in regular, mutually respectful interdisciplinary client services team communication and work to ensure delivery of high-quality, holistic, client-centered, trauma-informed interdisciplinary services.
• Oversee, and execute effective and efficient intake, case acceptance, and legal representation processes and systems within the interdisciplinary client services team.
• Work collaboratively with the Directors of Client Advocacy, and other interdisciplinary managers to ensure organizational alignment and ensure local office compliance with organizational policies.
• Support government grants management through effective management of the delivery of grant metrics and reports.
• Represent Tahirih in community and collaborative meetings, and build and maintain relationships with local nonprofits, funders, and government agencies; to work collaboratively to innovatively meet gender-based survivor needs.
• Maintain small caseload of 5 – 15 cases with at least 75% of those cases placed pro bono.
• Effectively delegate projects and clearly articulate the purpose and objectives of projects.
• Regularly engage in professional development to hone supervisory skillset and immigration law substantive knowledge.

This Job Description is not designed to cover a comprehensive listing of activities that are required of the employee. The precise duties and responsibilities of the job may change over time.

Requirements

Education

• JD or equivalent
• Current bar membership in good standing in any state in the US or District of Columbia or US territory

Successful candidates generally possess:

• At least 5-7 years of experience representing immigrant survivors of gender-based violence in asylum, VAWA, T visa, and/or U visa cases before the DHS, Immigration Courts and BIA
• At least 2-3 years of experience directly supervising legal staff (attorneys, paralegals and interns) who work with trauma survivors, and/or managing projects.
• Experience providing training, mentoring and support to pro bono and low bono attorneys representing clients.
• Experience working on and leading interdisciplinary teams.
• Ability to manage casework independently.
• Excellent legal analysis, written and oral advocacy and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and to delegate as necessary.
• 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, the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, 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
• Program management and grant management experience
• Fluency in Spanish and/or French preferred
• Understanding of the law firm and pro bono culture and previous work experience with recruiting volunteer attorneys
• Able to attend functions from time to time outside regular business hours