Full-Time Staff Attorney – Immigration Unit
Job Description
Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Accessible Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.
GBLS seeks a staff attorney to join our Immigration Unit (IU). The IU represents clients in removal defense, defensive and affirmative asylum claims, special immigrant juvenile status petitions, VAWA self-petitions, “U” and “T” visas, and other immigration matters before the USCIS and EOIR. GBLS provides free legal services and representation to clients in the greater Boston area who cannot afford private legal representation.
Responsibilities:
- Manage an immigration case load and provide representation and assistance to immigrants on substantive issues that may include:
- Removal defense;
- Defensive and affirmative asylum claims;
- Special immigrant juvenile petitions;
- VAWA self-petitions;
- “U” and “T” visa applications; and
- Provide representation concerning these and other immigration matters before the USCIS, BIA, EOIR and the federal courts;
- Conduct intake interviews;
- Provide advice and referrals on immigration matters;
- Respond to requests for emergency legal assistance;
- Participate in legislative, administrative and other systemic advocacy that promotes the interests of GBLS clients;
- Provide legal services to culturally and linguistically diverse clients in an inclusive and respectful manner;
- Participate in projects to provide training and/or information to community groups about legal services;
- Provide training and presentations at substantive law events as appropriate;
- Participate in internal projects to share substantive knowledge, and supervise students as appropriate;
- Assist with general administrative tasks and grant reporting as appropriate;
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills in immigration law.
Qualifications:
- This position is for an attorney with 0-3 years’ experience.
- The candidate must be admitted to the Massachusetts bar or have comity to become admitted.
- The candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills.
- The candidate must have the ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks.
- The candidate must have the ability to work collaboratively with other attorneys as well as non-attorney staff and community partners.
- Fluency in one or more of the languages in addition to English spoken by GBLS Immigration clients, such as Spanish, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Cantonese or Mandarin is preferred.
- Experience working with immigrant clients from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds is preferred.
- Prior experience in immigration law, including asylum is preferred.
Salary & Benefits:
- Salary is based on a union scale, which begins at $60,000 for an attorney who has just graduated law school. GBLS offers a generous benefits package, retirement contribution, a student loan repayment assistance plan for eligible attorneys, and generous PTO leave.
GBLS values diversity and encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds.
How to Apply
- Candidates should submit letter of interest, resume and brief writing sample to the Personnel Department at jobs@gbls.org. Please refer to Job Code: IU-ATT when applying for this position. Deadline is May 20, 2021 or until position is filled.
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