Immigrants' Rights Staff Attorney

Position:

TakeRoot Justice invites applications for an open position on our Immigrants’ Rights team, which currently includes three Staff Attorneys, two Senior Staff Attorneys and a Director. We will consider applicants with three (3) or more years of relevant immigration law experience, or those with five or more (5+) years of relevant immigration law experience, who would be eligible for a Senior Staff Attorney designation.

Background:

TakeRoot Justice provides legal, participatory research and policy support to strengthen the work of grassroots and community-based groups in New York City to dismantle racial, economic and social oppression. Applicants are encouraged to learn more about TakeRoot’s work by visiting our website: https://takerootjustice.org/ TakeRoot’s Immigrants’ Rights team works in conjunction with community-based organizations to build power in immigrant communities by protecting individuals from detention and deportation and keeping families together. We work alongside our partners to provide their staff and membership with direct representation on affirmative and defensive immigration cases. Additionally, we provide community education and strategy support on many issues including immigrant community defense networks, immigrant tenants’ and workers’ rights organizing and the push for more humane immigration policies.

Responsibilities include:

• Direct representation of clients on a range of affirmative and defensive immigration matters including applications for Asylum/CAT/Withholding, U/T visas, VAWA, SIJS, family-based petitions, cancellation of removal, waivers of inadmissibility, and post-order advocacy, including representing individuals in immigration and family court and, when needed, federal district court;
• Develop relationships and conduct community education presentations for partner organizations and their members, including on occasional evenings and weekends;
• Support partner organizing groups’ members and campaigns by providing advocacy, research, strategy and action support;
• Staff community-based legal clinics and advise clients of their avenues for relief;
• Advocate to legislative and regulatory bodies on behalf of immigrants and community-based organizations;
• Assist the practice area director and resource management team in grant compliance and fundraising;
• Provide peer and technical support to attorneys, advocacy coordinators and interns within TakeRoot as needed;
• Participate in TakeRoot’s self-governance structure, including collective staff decision-making, participation in governance circles or working groups;
• Together with TakeRoot staff, develop and maintain relationships with community-based partners throughout New York City.

Ideal Candidates will:

• Be committed to economic, racial, and immigrant justice movements in New York City;
• Be passionate about working toward immigrant justice within a community lawyering model, serving community-based organizations and their members, and developing creative lawyering strategies to support immigrant organizing;
• Enjoy, and have experience in working with a team in a collaborative model that uplifts all voices on the team and encourages professional development;
• Have a J.D. degree;
• Be admitted to the bar of any state in the U.S., with a preference for New York;
• Have at least three (3) years of experience representing immigration clients in affirmative and defensive proceedings;
• Have fluency in a second language (Bengali, French, Haitian Creole, Nepali, Spanish and/or Tagalog will be prioritized);
• Have strong writing, analytical, and interpersonal skills;
• Be self-directed and enthusiastic about boundary-pushing immigration advocacy.

Salary and compensation:

The expected salary range for this position is between $78,290 and $91,350. The salary is commensurate with experience and will be determined using the salary setting procedures set forth in the collective bargaining agreement. An excellent benefits package is available, including generous vacation, personal, and sick time, along with strong medical and dental coverage. This is a union position, proudly represented by Local 2320 of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW.

Hybrid Workplace Statement:

This is a full-time, hybrid position with some in-person work required in our New York City office location as well as sites such as courthouses and community-based organizations throughout the city. TakeRoot Justice is a hybrid remote workplace that allows employee flexibility in determining whether to work remotely or in the office, for routine, independent work that doesn't require office resources. Additional work hours rules are set by TakeRoot Justice's Collective Bargaining Agreement.

TakeRoot Justice is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under the law.

We know from experience and research confirms that the more societal power people enjoy, the more likely they are to apply for a job without meeting all the listed criteria. This means that the people who have faced the most structural barriers but who may bring the most to a job may take themselves out of the running.

If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad range of candidates, including those with diverse work experience and backgrounds. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the immigrants’ rights space and what you hope to bring to this role.

TakeRoot encourages applications from people with diverse backgrounds, including, but not limited to, women, people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTGNCNBQI+ people, people from low-income backgrounds, people of all ages and people with personal experience with the criminal justice system. We strongly encourage applications from people who have had lived experience in the communities we serve. TakeRoot believes that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.