Immigration Attorney

Longwood University; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement savings with agency contributions

Paid Time Off (PTO) increases with tenure

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Eleven paid holidays

Job summary

A nonprofit organization in Virginia seeks an Immigration Attorney to provide legal services for unaccompanied children. This role involves case coordination, client communication, and advocacy, requiring a Juris Doctor degree and Virginia Bar license. The position offers a $2,000 bonus after the probationary period and competitive benefits, including retirement savings, medical insurance, and PTO. Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is favored.

Qualifications

• Minimum of one year of experience practicing family-based and/or humanitarian immigration law.
• Must be licensed and in good standing with the Virginia Bar or accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Trained on relevant contract requirements.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate all aspects of a minor's case, including client communication.
• Conduct regular visits with children in ORR custody.
• Assist in supervision of volunteers and interns.
• Hold biweekly meetings with the legal team.
• Participate in naturalization workshops.

Skills

Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish

Interpersonal skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

Juris Doctor degree

Admission to the VA Bar

Job description

Since 1923, Commonwealth Catholic Charities (CCC) has provided life-changing human services to vulnerable individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. CCC offers quality and compassionate human services to all people, especially the most vulnerable, regardless of faith. We are passionate about the work we do in our communities, providing 31 critical services at 11 locations throughout Virginia.

SUMMARY

You will be eligible to receive a one-time bonus of $2,000, payable upon successful completion of your 120‑day probationary period, contingent on your continued employment in good standing at that time. This bonus is not guaranteed and is subject to company discretion.

The Immigration Attorney will carry out all key contract activities related to legal services for unaccompanied children. The attorney will prepare cases for children in or recently released from ORR custody, up to age 18. Representation includes all immigration‑related matters, such as state court proceedings for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), removal defense, appeals, Know Your Rights presentations, and legal screenings. Other legal assistance for unrepresented children may include legal referrals or referrals to supportive services (e.g., child advocates or social services); individual or group preparation for immigration court appearances; assistance with immigration‑related custody or placement matters (such as release requests for children aging out of ORR custody); and support with filing immigration paperwork, including Change of Venue, Change of Address, employment authorization documents (EADs), or I‑94 corrections.

The position is based out of the Newport News office and requires frequent travel throughout Hampton Roads, Richmond, and to the Immigration Court (EOIR) in Arlington.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate all aspects of a minor’s case, including client communication, relevant research, drafting personal statements, preparing immigration forms, writing briefs, drafting court motions and orders, and advocacy with law enforcement and other agencies.
• Conduct regular visits with children in ORR custody and maintain documentation of contact.
• Assist in the supervision of volunteers and student interns, solicit support from volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and others to assist with the provision of services when necessary.
• Supervise the work of the legal fellow, ensuring the quality and ethical handling of their cases.
• Hold biweekly supervisory meetings with legal team to discuss cases and ensure high‑quality service provision.
• Submit reports and invoices on time and with accuracy.
• Maintain organized case files using a combination of physical and digital file management strategies.
• Participate as needed in agency and program‑wide data collection and strategic planning.
• Participate in meetings with immigration legal service community‑based organizations.
• Participate on a periodic basis in naturalization workshops.
• Ensure client fees are assessed and collected per retainer agreements.
• Maintain client database and files in accordance with program/legal requirements and CCC guidelines.
• Comply with all legal and ethical standards.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively to manage a substantial workload with deadline pressures.
• Competence in communicating and interacting with others of diverse cultural, geographic, and economic backgrounds in a professional and compassionate manner, including interacting with individuals experiencing substantial levels of emotional, physical, financial, or other hardship.
• Familiar with and/or committed to trauma‑informed legal services.
• Represents the Agency in the community and workplace in a professional and ethical manner.
• Demonstrates sensitivity to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal, decision‑making, problem‑solving, oral, and written skills.
• Utilizes a basic knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education and/or Experience: Juris Doctor degree and admission to the VA Bar. Maintain bar membership through continuing education. Minimum of one year of experience practicing family‑based and/or humanitarian immigration law.
• The candidate must be:
  • Licensed and in good standing with the Virginia Bar; or
  • Accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice; or
  • A law graduate working under attorney supervision in accordance with requirements to appear before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Because the contract requires Legal Service Providers (LSPs) to comply with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.204‑25, staff must perform all contract‑related work from within the United States.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is strongly preferred.
• Candidates must be trained on relevant contract requirements, including local practice norms and stakeholder expectations. A background check, as required by ORR policy, must be completed prior to unsupervised direct service with children.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish strongly preferred. Spanish Immersion language courses, online courses, tutoring and other Spanish resources are available to improve the overall capacity of the program to serve Spanish speaking clients.

Full‑time Employee Benefits

• Retirement savings – After one year of employment, the agency contributes 4% of your plan year earnings into a savings account for you and will match dollar‑for‑dollar up to 4% of salary if an employee makes contributions to the plan. That’s an 8% annual contribution to your retirement savings!
• PTO – Earn 16 days off for vacation, sick, or personal time in your first year. This goes up to 22 days in your second year and keeps climbing every five years.
• Holidays – Enjoy eleven paid holidays.
• Other paid leave at no cost to employees – Bereavement, short‑term disability, long‑term disability, paid parental leave.
• Virginia Credit Union memberships
• Employee Assistance Program – Free services including five free confidential consultations with a mental health professional.
• Medical Insurance – A choice of 4 PPO plans for employee, employee + spouse, employee + child(ren), or family coverage. A portion of premiums subsidized by the agency.
• Dental Insurance – A choice of two dental plans for employee, employee + spouse, employee + child(ren), or family coverage. A portion of premiums subsidized by the agency.
• Vision Insurance
• Life insurance – Paid by agency with option to purchase additional coverage.
• Other insurance benefits – Flexible spending accounts including dependent care, health savings account (for qualified HDHP participants), legal resources.

Turn your passion for helping others into a meaningful career with CCC. Apply now at https://www.cccofva.org/careers. Commonwealth Catholic Charities is an equal opportunity employer and a drug free workplace.