ALWAYS is Hiring for Two Positions: Managing Attorney and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Staff Attorney! Please see below for the job descriptions and email info@alwaysaz.org with any questions.
About ALWAYS: ALWAYS’ mission is to remove legal barriers to safety, stability, and opportunity for trafficking survivors of all ages and people under 25 who have been impacted by crime, homelessness, and/or foster care. The organization is made up of attorneys, a legal advocate, a social worker, and volunteers who are dedicated to providing no-cost, trauma-informed, culturally competent services to people who would otherwise not have representation or intensive pro se assistance. With the help of ALWAYS’ team, clients are able to obtain housing, pursue their education and dream careers, meaningfully support themselves and their families, begin the process of healing from trauma, and more.
Application Process: Please send your resume, letter of interest, and three professional references to info@alwaysaz.org with either “Managing Attorney Application” or “Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Staff Attorney” in the subject line. Please email the same address with any questions. Applications are being considered on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled.
Equal Opportunity Policy: ALWAYS celebrates diversity, promotes inclusion, and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you are encouraged to contact us at info@alwaysaz.org or call the office at (602) 248-7055.
Managing Attorney Position
About the Position: ALWAYS is seeking a mission-oriented Managing Attorney to join our Phoenix-based team. The position supervises a team of attorneys, law student interns, and social worker and provides legal services in various areas including immigration, family law, and criminal history repair. The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to justice and the wellbeing of the community.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
- Direct Representation and Case Management
- Conduct screenings and intakes to assess eligibility for ALWAYS services;
- Manage intake/assignment/closure of ALWAYS cases;
- Provide legal representation and pro se assistance in a variety of practice areas including:
- Immigration: Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U-Visas, T-Visas, VAWA, DACA Renewals, Lawful Permanent Resident Status, Citizenship, Employment Authorization Documents;
- Family Law: Orders of Protection, Legal Decision-Making and Parenting Time (“Custody”), Child Support, Divorce;
- Criminal History Repair: Set Asides, Good Cause Exceptions for Fingerprint Clearance Cards;
- Work with clients who have experienced trauma and/or other adverse circumstances;
- Work alongside other staff to provide referrals to people who are deemed ineligible for ALWAYS services;
- Participate in weekly team meetings, bi-weekly case staffing, and weekly 1:1s.
- Supervisory Responsibilities
- Work with the Executive Director and other team members to conduct onboarding training of new staff including introducing new staff to policies, procedures, and expectations;
- Engage in weekly 1:1 meetings with staff attorneys, the social worker, and law student interns;
- Help plan and coordinate the summer law student program;
- Regularly track and report progress and data for funding reports and other supporters.
- Community Engagement
- Provide trainings for other organizations, government entities, and practitioners;
- Advance advocacy priorities and promote ALWAYS’ services by working with local and national stakeholder networks and peer organization representatives;
- Coordinate community consultations with partner organizations;
- Represent ALWAYS at community clinics and drop-in centers.
- Tracking Data
- Maintain accurate, timely records and track eligible activities in the requisite logs and/or case management system;
- Help maintain a running list of case wins for reporting purposes;
- Work with the team to collect data for quarterly reporting.
Required Skills:
- A U.S. law degree (J.D.);
- License to practice law in Arizona, in good standing;
- At least two (2) years of management experience;
- Relevant immigration law experience;
- Ability to travel periodically to Pima County, as well as to off-site locations in Maricopa County (mileage is reimbursed);
- Strong organizational skills;
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and writing skills;
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively.
Preferred Skills:
- Ability to assist clients and other community members in written and spoken Spanish;
- Family law experience;
- Criminal history repair experience;
- Experience working with survivors of trafficking, domestic, sexual, or intimate partner violence, other crimes, and/or other traumatic experiences;
- Experience working with young people.
Benefits:
- Healthcare insurance;
- Dental insurance;
- Vision insurance;
- Reimbursement for bar dues, CLE credits, and other relevant trainings;
- Hybrid work schedule;
- $30/monthly stipend for costs incurred working from home;
- 35-hour work week, 9am to 4pm, Monday-Friday;
- 15 paid vacation days/year and 2 floating vacation days after 6 months;
- Additional leave including but not limited to designated holidays, paid time off between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, voting, bereavement, and jury duty.
Annual Salary: Between $75,000 and $85,000.
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Staff Attorney Position
About the Position: ALWAYS is seeking a mission-oriented Special Immigration Juvenile Staff Attorney to join our Phoenix-based team. This is a full-time position reporting to the managing attorney. The Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (“SIJ”) attorney will provide dependency and affirmative immigration legal services to youth who are SIJ eligible. They will manage a caseload of private dependency cases with related immigration relief. The attorney’s dependency caseload will be limited to private dependency petitions on behalf of SIJ eligible youth. The related immigration relief component will include affirmative applications to USCIS. There are no removal defense or immigration court appearances involved.
The attorney will assess a minor child’s eligibility for Special Immigrant Juvenile (“SIJ”) status and assess whether a private dependency petition is appropriate. The SIJ attorney will be responsible for filing the private dependency petitions and managing their caseload in the dependency court. The SIJ attorney will also be responsible for filing the SIJ applications with USCIS. They will screen for any other applicable affirmative relief, for instance, T- or U-nonimmigrant status, and file those applications where appropriate. The SIJ attorney will also work on other cases related to SIJ eligible youth, which may include applying for green cards or naturalization. The SIJ attorney will be responsible for tracking data and outcomes, and creating collaborative relationships with members in the community who may be able to represent SIJ eligible youth in their removal cases before Immigration Judges.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
- Conduct legal consultations and determine eligibility for dependency claims and/or immigration benefits;
- Prepare or amend retainer agreements based on scope of representation, legal opinion and risk assessment;
- Prepare and file cases in dependency or probate (“guardianship”) court for SIJ eligible youth, including, but not limited to, initial petitions and requests for SIJ findings;
- Prepare and submit affirmative immigration applications to USCIS, which may include applications for SIJ, green cards, naturalization, employment authorization, and/or requests for T- or U-nonimmigrant status, and respond to any resulting Requests for Evidence.
- Comply with rules of procedure, including service of process and tracking/compliance with deadlines;
- Document case progress in internal tracking systems;
- Maintain client files and documentary evidence for all matters;
- Work with clients who have experienced trauma and/or other adverse circumstances;
- Participate in weekly team meetings, bi-weekly case staffing, and weekly 1:1s.
Community Engagement:
- Work collaboratively with referring organization;
- Develop and nurture relationships with organizations and other entities providing similar or adjacent services in Maricopa County and Pima County;
- Identify referral opportunities and work with partner community-based providers to ensure clients receive holistic services addressing various needs;
- Work on a pro-bono participation program through which SIJ eligible youth may connect with other attorneys that are willing and able to represent them in their removal cases.
Required Skills:
- A U.S. law degree (J.D.);
- License to practice law in Arizona, in good standing;
- Relevant legal experience;
- Strong ability to conduct legal research, write legal motions, and appear in court on behalf of clients;
- Ability to travel periodically to Pima County, as well as to off-site locations in Maricopa County (mileage is reimbursed);
- Strong organizational skills;
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and writing skills;
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively.
Preferred Skills:
- Ability to assist clients and other community members in written and spoken Spanish;
- Experience with immigration law;
- Experience in dependency cases;
- Experience working with young people.
Benefits:
- Healthcare insurance;
- Dental insurance;
- Vision insurance;
- Reimbursement for bar dues, CLE credits, and other relevant trainings;
- Hybrid work schedule;
- $30/monthly stipend for costs incurred working from home;
- 35-hour work week, 9am to 4pm, Monday-Friday;
- 15 paid vacation days/year and 2 floating vacation days after 6 months;
- Additional leave including but not limited to designated holidays, paid time off between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, voting, bereavement, and jury duty.
Annual Salary: Between $65,000 and $75,000.