Managing Attorney

Immigration Law & Justice of Northern Illinois; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Immigration Law and Justice of Northern Illinois (ILJNI) in Chicago seeks a Managing Attorney to oversee legal services and supervise staff across clinics in Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Buffalo Grove, and Crystal Lake. The role reports to the executive director and requires J.D.

with Illinois licensure preferred, and at least 6 years in immigration law, including removal defense. The position is in person at the Chicago office with evening/weekend hours, a full benefits package, and opportunities

Qualifications

• J.D. and license to practice law in any U.S. jurisdiction required; Illinois licensure preferred.
• Minimum of 6 years of immigration and nationality law experience, including experience preparing and filing immigration applications and cases.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience supervising legal staff and managing attorney caseloads.
• A minimum of 2 years of removal defense experience; detained experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Represent individuals in immigration and related cases before USCIS, EOIR, the BIA, the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and other related entities.
• Supervise legal staff in the representation of individuals in immigration cases before USCIS, EOIR, the BIA, the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and other related entities
• Oversee the delivery of immigration legal services including family-based petitions, asylum, removal defense, deportation defense, U visas, VAWA, SIJS, naturalization, and other forms of relief.
• Ensure compliance with ILJ Network practice standards and policies; EOIR Rules of Professional Conduct; Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct; and the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
• Oversee the administration of legal operations of the agency.
• Supervise, develop, and motivate legal staff, including attorneys, paralegals, coordinators, and interns; coordinate and run weekly attorney meetings; stay current on developments in immigration law and convey updates to staff.
• Supervise the agency caseload; manage own caseload commensurate with supervisory responsibilities.
• Set caseload and case management standards and work with legal staff to maintain caseload balance.
• Manage relationships with project stakeholders on substantive legal issues, including funders, government agencies, and community organizations.
• Collaborate with the executive director and board of directors to carry out ILJNI's mission and goals; advise the executive director on legal programmatic delivery.
• Develop and implement a strategic plan for the direction of legal work.
• Supervise clinics and manage volunteer collaboration alongside legal staff.
• Ensure all legal materials used by legal staff remain current.
• Assist the executive director in the preparation of grant reports.
• Ensure the case management system is used properly and consistently by all legal staff.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Communication skills

Staff supervision

Education

J.D.

Job description

Managing Attorney (Full Time)

Immigration Law and Justice of Northern Illinois (ILJNI)

Immigration Law and Justice of Northern Illinois (ILJNI), formerly Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors
(NIJFON), is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing free, high-quality
immigration legal services, education, and advocacy on immigrant rights throughout Northern Illinois. ILJNI
serves individuals and families at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Job Description

In partnership with the executive director, the managing attorney will oversee all legal services and supervise,
train, and motivate legal staff. The position is based in Chicago and supports clinics and outreach in Chicago,
Aurora, Rockford, Buffalo Grove, and Crystal Lake. The managing attorney reports to the executive director.
Immigration Legal Services

• Represent individuals in immigration and related cases before USCIS, EOIR, the BIA, the US District
  Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and other related entities.
• Supervise legal staff in the representation of individuals in immigration cases before USCIS, EOIR, the
  BIA, the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and other related entities
• Oversee the delivery of immigration legal services including family-based petitions, asylum, removal
  defense, deportation defense, U and T visas, VAWA, SIJS, naturalization, and other forms of relief.
• Ensure compliance with ILJ Network practice standards and policies; EOIR Rules of Professional
  Conduct (8 C.F.R. § 1003.102) governing practice before the Immigration Courts and BIA; Illinois Rules
  of Professional Conduct; and the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct.

Operations and Staffing

• Oversee the administration of legal operations of the agency.
• Supervise, develop, and motivate legal staff, including attorneys, paralegals, coordinators, and interns;
  coordinate and run weekly attorney meetings; stay current on developments in immigration law and
  convey updates to staff.
• Supervise the agency caseload; manage own caseload commensurate with supervisory responsibilities.
• Set caseload and case management standards and work with legal staff to maintain caseload balance.
• Manage relationships with project stakeholders on substantive legal issues, including funders, government
  agencies, and community organizations.
• Collaborate with the executive director and board of directors to carry out ILJNI's mission and goals;
  advise the executive director on legal programmatic delivery.
• Develop and implement a strategic plan for the direction of legal work.
• Supervise clinics and manage volunteer collaboration alongside legal staff.
• Ensure all legal materials used by legal staff remain current.
• Assist the executive director in the preparation of grant reports.
• Ensure the case management system is used properly and consistently by all legal staff.

Community Representation and Advocacy

• Conduct outreach presentations on immigration legal issues.
• Serve as an ILJNI representative on immigration legal services matters and provide training and outreach
  with community-based organizations, colleague agencies, elected officials, and advocacy networks.
• Participate in meetings with other legal service providers and stakeholders.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary: $90,000–$100,000, commensurate with experience.
• A full benefits package, including health insurance and pension, is provided. Generous PTO, including
  vacation, sick time, holidays, personal days, and a two-week winter break.

This position requires some evening and weekend hours. A valid driver's license and access to reliable personal
transportation are required. The position is in person at the Chicago based office.

ILJNI is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of ILJNI to recruit, employ, promote, compensate, and
train staff without discrimination based on race, color, age, sex, disability (including HIV status), sexual
orientation, citizenship status, ancestry, religion, gender identity, or marital status, in compliance with all
applicable federal, state, and local laws.

ILJNI is a member of the ILJ Network, a national network of nonprofit immigration legal services organizations.
For more information, visit https://iljni.org/

General Requirements

Commitment to public interest legal service and to the empowerment of immigrant communities.
A commitment to the spiritual values of dignity, justice, and service that inspire our mission and guide our
work.
Ability to work sensitively with volunteers and clients of diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives and
faith.
Proficiency in Spanish is strongly preferred.

Professional and Educational Requirements

J.D. and license to practice law in any U.S. jurisdiction required; Illinois licensure preferred.
A minimum of 6 years of immigration and nationality law experience, including experience preparing and
filing immigration applications and cases.
A minimum of 3 years of experience supervising legal staff and managing attorney caseloads.
A minimum of 2 years of removal defense experience; detained experience is a plus.
Strong legal research, writing, and communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, mission-driven nonprofit environment.