Staff Attorney

The Staff Attorney provides legal services to young people who are, or have been, in federal custody under the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

The position includes extensive contact with youth, including youth who have suffered abuse, abandonment, neglect, or other trauma.

Who are we?

Ascentria Care Alliance is a nonprofit organization that has spent the past 150 years helping people in need. We empower people of all backgrounds to rise together and reach beyond life's challenges by building stronger communities and helping people move forward together.

Essential Responsibilities :

• Provide direct representation to unaccompanied minors in immigration and family matters before immigration courts and agencies and state and federal courts.
• Conduct thorough legal intake interviews to assess for immigration legal relief, including explanation of their rights and available immigration legal options.
• Ensure entry to timely, accurate, and detailed case data according to grantor provisions and as required by ILAP.
• Provide support and oversight to paralegals, student interns and volunteers.
• Contribute to grant reporting and assist with general administrative tasks, as appropriate.
• Represent ILAP in occasional community presentations, outreach, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills in immigration law.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications :

• Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Licensed and in good standing in a state bar required, Massachusetts / Rhode Island preferred. If not admitted in Massachusetts, by transfer of UBE acceptable.
• Minimum 1-3 years of experience practicing immigration law required.
• Supervisory experience preferred, including supervising / mentoring volunteers, interns and pro bono attorneys.
• Ability to speak, understand, read and write in a second language. Spanish strongly preferred.
• Experience with Cerenade or similar immigration software.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, excellent legal research and writing skills, strong organizational skills, an ability to work collaboratively with other staff, and self-motivation required.
• Demonstrated commitment to social and economic justice. Prior experience in a public interest setting is highly desirable.

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification.

At Ascentria we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways.

You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Company Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• FSA and dependent care account
• 3 Weeks PTO and 9 Holidays!
• Tuition Assistance
• And many more!

Ascentria Care Alliance celebrates diversity and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with federal and state employment opportunity laws, qualified applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, pregnancy, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, or any other legally-protected category.

Candidates who identify as BIPOC, multilingual or have lived experience with immigration or human services are encouraged to apply.