Founded in 1984, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is a nationally-recognized legal services organization on the front lines of defending and advancing the rights of immigrants. With over 150 employees, NWIRP provides direct legal representation and assistance in immigration matters to thousands of people with low incomes who come from over 150 countries and speak over 60 different languages.
NWIRP challenges unjust policies through high-impact lawsuits and advocates for laws and policies that respect the rights of immigrants. NWIRP is also a trusted provider of immigration-related community education for immigrant communities and social service providers. NWIRP serves the community through four offices in Washington State (Granger, Seattle, Tacoma and Wenatchee), but the impact of our work is felt nationwide.
NWIRP’s Community Outreach Unit is an organization-wide unit that provides accessible resources, education, and training through outreach events geared towards community members, service providers, and community partners across Washington State. In addition to outreach, the Community Outreach Unit provides assistance through brief services, workshops, and legal clinics to immigrant community members who have recently arrived in Washington State and are facing deportation. NWIRP’s brief services include intakes and consultations, submitting applications for immigration protections before USCIS and immigration court, such as asylum, temporary protected status, employment authorization, change of venue, and change of address.
SUMMARY
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) seeks a full-time bilingual attorney to join a NWIRP office in Granger, Seattle, Tacoma, or Wenatchee. Applicants must be fluent in English and Spanish. Additional languages are encouraged. The selected applicant must be able to start their position by December 1, 2024 or sooner. A minimum two-year commitment to the position is expected.
As a staff attorney, you will be joining NWIRP’s Community Outreach Unit, which focuses on providing legal assistance through brief services to immigrant community members who have recently arrived in Washington State and are facing deportation proceedings. You will also be required to provide direct representation, individual consultations, and community outreach and education to immigrant community members seeking immigration protections before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the immigration courts. The staff attorney may also be assigned work relating to other immigration matters, including cases of people in immigration detention.
RESPONSIBILITIES
All NWIRP staff attorneys are expected to:
- Provide direct representation to individuals in removal proceedings before the Immigration Court, on appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals or before the federal courts, and before the Department of Homeland Security;
- Provide direct representation to persons submitting affirmative applications with USCIS and the Department of State;
- Conduct intakes, by phone and in person, and interview clients to gather or clarify information;
- Conduct case analysis to determine eligibility for immigration protections/status under the immigration laws;
- Maintain a working knowledge of significant policies, laws, practices, and trends in immigration law, particularly as it impacts low-income immigrants and those impacted by the criminal justice system;
- Establish, organize, and maintain up-to-date files;
- Perform administrative tasks related to grant reporting such as timekeeping, submitting timesheets, tracking training, and other duties in a timely manner;
- Participate in NWIRP’s outreach, community education, and development efforts; and
- Perform other tasks and responsibilities assigned by supervisory staff depending upon NWIRP’s needs.
Specific to this position:
- Provide intake to community members referred to NWIRP through the Washington Migrant and Asylum-Seeker Services (WA MASS) Project Hub or who connect directly through NWIRP;
- Provide brief legal services (Pro se assistance);
- Provide referrals to other legal services organizations; and
- Provide quarterly training on relevant immigration law topics to legal services providers that receive direct referrals from NWIRP to provide brief legal services.
Reports to:
Supervising Attorney
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
- Law degree;
- Admission to the bar of any state in the U.S. or be signed up for the February 2025 bar exam of any state;
- Demonstrated commitment to advancing and defending the rights of immigrants and willingness to support NWIRP’s mission, vision and values;
- Oral and written fluency in English and a second language (Spanish language is preferred) (additional languages are encouraged);
- Excellent written and oral communication, and presentation skills, and the ability to present information clearly and concisely (verbally and in writing);
- Commitment to working with a diverse community and in a challenging working environment;
- Commitment to creating a welcoming and professional inclusive environment for staff and clients;
- Ability to provide trauma-informed and culturally inclusive legal representation;
- Prior experience representing immigrant survivors of trafficking before USCIS, the Department of State, and the Immigration Court is strongly preferred;
- Prior experience working with survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault is preferred;
- Ability to work independently (with competing deadlines) as well as in a team environment;
- Sound judgment and decision-making skills;
- Strong organizational skills;
- Ability to take on a substantive caseload;
- Proficiency in use of web-based software, Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel, and web peer-to-peer communication platforms. Familiarity with G-suite tools like Google Docs, Google Sheet and Gmail.
- The applicant must have a valid driver’s license as the position involves some travel.
Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, and walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear; utilize a phone, computer, keyboard, pen and paper. Occasional work on evening and weekend hours. Travel may be required. Travel reimbursements apply.
Emotional demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to discuss topics including, but not limited, to discrimination; child abuse, neglect, abandonment; sexual assault; domestic abuse; violence, and psychological trauma.
Under NWIRP’s current COVID policies, new staff members must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination (unless eligible for an exemption). Staff may choose to wear a face mask in the workplace, but it is not currently required. At the time of this posting, NWIRP staff is operating in a hybrid model, and some in-office work will be expected of this position (at least two full days per week).
BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION
This is an exempt, salaried position. The minimum annual salary offered is $78,132.50 for candidates not-yet-admitted to practice, and rises to $80,771.93 with admission to the bar, and continues to rise with specific types of experience. For example, for someone with 20 years of directly relevant experience, the annual salary would be $117,936.58; the current salary maximum is based on 40 years of experience, equaling $143,504.81.
NWIRP is proud to be a unionized employer, and this full-time position is covered by NWIRP’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). NWIRP offers a generous benefits package, which currently includes:
- Fully paid health, vision and dental plans for employee-level coverage with employer-funded HRA and HSA options;
- FSA and Dependent Care accounts;
- Automatic, employer contribution of 3% to 403(b) retirement plan;
- Generous paid health-related leave (12 days per year);
- Generous paid vacation (16 days during your first year);
- 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 6 months of employment, plus the ability to extend with State-paid leave;
- 14 paid Holidays with the ability to float 5 holidays;
- Employer-paid disability, life, AD&D and long-term care insurance;
- 4 weeks of paid sabbatical after every five years of employment at NWIRP;
- Eligibility to earn compensatory time;
- Opportunities for paid professional development; and
- New employees may be eligible for a relocation bonus, per the CBA.
- Subsidized transit pass is available for Seattle, Tacoma offices; or
- Free onsite office parking for the Granger, Tacoma and Wenatchee offices.
NWIRP is an eligible employer under the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY, EQUITY AND REPRESENTATION
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is an equal opportunity employer committed to having a diverse staff, board, and volunteer base reflective of the communities we serve and that enhances our ability to create a vibrant environment where all members of the NWIRP community thrive. We strongly encourage applications from individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), immigrants (including people who were formerly detained, undocumented, or who have navigated the immigration legal system), women, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds and language abilities.
NWIRP is committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. NWIRP does not discriminate on the basis of class, race, color, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, political ideology, age, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability. Excepting any undue hardship, NWIRP will provide reasonable accommodations upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please contact HR@nwirp.org.
TO APPLY:
Please upload a single-file document on our Careers Page containing your cover letter, resume, and a list of (3) references.
In your cover letter, please address:
1. How your personal or professional experiences qualify you for this role, and;
2. What challenges you recognize as barriers to providing legal advocacy to immigrant community members (with a focus on rural communities).
Full consideration will be given to those who apply by November 6th, 2024, but applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.