Staff Attorney, removal defense

Oasis Legal Services; Berkeley (CA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Health insurance

Simple IRA retirement plan

Relocation support

Job summary

Oasis Legal Services seeks a courageous advocate to represent LGBTQ+ immigrants facing removal proceedings in the United States. The role requires clear bilingual communication in Spanish and English and the ability to explain complex legal topics without an interpreter.

The successful candidate will handle a high-volume caseload and supervise interns. Based in Berkeley, CA, this exempt, full-time position involves community outreach, trainings, and collaboration with the Director of Programs &

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree (JD) and active US Bar membership required.
• Fluent in English and Spanish, both spoken and written.
• Experience providing immigration legal services is required.

Responsibilities

• Directly represent LGBTQ+ clients in removal and bond proceedings, EOIR appeals, and USCIS interviews.
• Supervise interns and coordinate with volunteers and staff on cases.
• Prepare immigration forms, maintain records, and manage caseload up to 18 clients.
• Engage in community outreach and provide trainings on asylum law and trauma-informed representation.

Skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Litigation experience

Strong communication

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

US bar admission

Tools

Google Suite

Microsoft Office

Zoom

Job description

Oasis Legal Services seeks a courageous advocate to represent low-income lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) clients who have been persecuted for their sexuality and gender identity and are seeking safety in the United States. The ideal candidate is self-aware, takes initiative, and is eager to engage in litigation on behalf of clients . We are excited to hire someone who is energized by the fast pace of removal-defense work during these challenging times, and is able to effectively communicate complex legal topics to clients in Spanish and English, without an interpreter or translator.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to Director of Programs & Advocacy in Berkeley CA. Supervises up to two temporary or part-time legal interns at a time. Oasis Specialists are expected to manage interns, consultants, and volunteers, should be able to supervise Associates or Coordinators, and may supervise other Managers or Specialists.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Representation of LGBTQ+ Immigrants

• Directly represent LGBTQ+ clients, primarily in removal and bond proceedings in front of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, ( EOIR); in appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals; in credible-fear and reasonable-fear interviews in front of USCIS and check-ins in front of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); in appeals before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; and in habeas and mandamus proceedings in front of federal district courts.

When the need arises, may be asked to directly represent LGBTQ+ clients in in affirmative immigration proceedings, including affirmative asylum cases, in front of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and in California State Court for the purposes of obtaining Special Immigrant Juvenile Status predicate orders

• Interview clients about sensitive topics, and communicate complex legal concepts to clients in Spanish and English, so they understand their options, can make informed decisions, and are prepared for hearings.
• Gather information and collect evidence to inform legal research, case investigation, and strategy. Prepare immigration forms, update databases and maintain accurate records.
• Conduct legal immigration screenings for community members interested in our services. Complete administrative tasks, such as those related to grant management and reporting and client caseload management.
• Manage an active caseload of up to 18 removal defense clients, including clients with related federal litigation or other ancillary immigration matters. Manage relationships with clients, witnesses, and experts; coordinate their efforts; and track case deadlines. Work with the Social Services Program to make referrals for collateral issues clients are facing. Respond to inquiries in a timely manner, including from clients whose cases have already been filed and remain pending.

Legal Supervision & People Management

• Supervise the legal work of legal advocates to ensure they are providing competent legal representation to clients and managing their caseloads effectively and efficiently. This may include co-counseling cases and other inventions as needed.
• Assign legal work and administrative tasks to paralegals, legal interns, pro bono attorneys and other volunteers, for cases under your name and license, in coordination with the Director of Programs & Advocacy and other colleagues responsible for managing volunteers. Review declarations, motions, and briefs, and observe intakes and hearings.
• Serve as the Oasis supervisor for up to two temporary full- or part-time legal interns at a time. Participate in weekly check-ins with these team members to provide ongoing feedback and support, and guide people in developing and executing appropriate advocacy strategies for their new and ongoing cases.
• Participate in Legal Team meetings. Support effective recruitment and orientation of Legal Team members, create the conditions for people to succeed at Oasis, support them in following Oasis policies and procedures in tandem with the Operations Team, and identify and facilitate training and other professional development opportunities.

Community Engagement & Advocacy

• Prepare and deliver training internally to Oasis colleagues, external partners and service providers on topics such as asylum law, trauma- informed representation, and serving LGBTQ+ immigrants, to increase the capacity of the legal community to serve LGBTQ+ immigrants. Develop new training content and resources as needed to help ensure materials anticipate emerging needs and reflect current law and practice.
• Engage in outreach to LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities , and speak persuasively about Oasis and our work to potential clients and to other organizations that serve them, so that all eligible community members are aware of Oasis services.
• Participate in Advocacy Team meetings and help create strategies to foster client empowerment and elevate LGBTQ+ immigrant voices.

Other Responsibilities

• Participate in staff, departmental, and team meetings, professional development activities and other required training, annual all-staff gathering, and performance review systems.
• Work collaboratively with all staff members to ensure effective, comprehensive support for clients and to coordinate best practices across teams, departments, and Oasis offices. Represent the organization internally and externally.
• All other duties assigned by their supervisor.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR (requirements)

• At least one year of experience providing immigration legal services as an attorney or a law student.
• Juris Doctor degree (J.D.), and member in good standing of a state bar and licensed to practice law in the United States.
• Proficient in both English and Spanish languages (spoken and written). Must be able to communicate to clients in Spanish and English, without an interpreter or translator.
• Facility with Google Suite, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Zoom, and macOS, with ability to learn how to navigate other platforms required for work.
• Able to communicate in person and via phone, email and video conference, to work at a computer for extended periods of time, and travel to meetings and events.
• Able to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, or participate in an interactive process for accommodations.

Oasis Competencies – How You’ll Do the Work

• Problem-Solving & Resourcefulness
• Communication
• Management

Bonus Qualifications

• Supervisory experience.
• A demonstrated commitment to the LGBTQ+ and/or immigrant communities, such as experience working with LGBTQ+ and/or immigrant clients.
• A demonstrated ability to build and manage an extensive and demanding caseload, including excellent time-management, priority-setting, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse range of groups, including people experiencing homelessness, trauma survivors, immigrants, non-English speakers, people with mental disabilities, people experiencing domestic violence, law students, government agencies, service providers, and community partners.
• Experience working with incarcerated and/or detained clients.
• Strong interpersonal skills, flexibility, and demonstrated ability to work well independently and as part of a team.
• Familiarity in working with clients in crisis or who are recent trauma survivors.
• Experience with federal litigation.
• Language profici ency in Amharic, Arabic, French, Mandarin, Portuguese, and/or Tigrinya, in addition to English and Spanish.

OTHER DETAILS

This is an exempt, full-time role (35 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) based at the Oasis Legal Services office in Berkeley CA, with the option to work from home up to two days per week. The work schedule is subject to change based on programmatic needs, and working some evenings, weekends or holidays may be required. Candidates must be located in the San Francisco Bay Area, and able to work in a shared-office environment where there may be ambient noise and overheard conversations. Occasional travel may be required.

COMPENSATION

Annual salary is commensurate with years of same-level experience in a similar role, either: $80,000 for a candidate with less than three years of experience as a licensed attorney, or $88,000 for three to five years of experience, or $98,000 for six to 10 years of experience, or$108,000 for 11+ years of experience.Benefits include:

• Paid Time Off: Flexible paid time off policy (approximately 25 days annually), winter office closure, and 14 holidays per year including quarterly Oasis wellness days. Sabbatical leave after six years.
• Employer contributions to health insurance coverage (medical, dental, vision), group life insurance, Simple IRA retirement account, and Oasis Family Leave.
• Pre-tax savings on commuter benefits and Flexible Spending Accounts for health care and dependent care expenses.
• Professional development funds (budget permitting).
• Relocation support for moving to the Bay Area from another California region, U.S. state or country.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and this position is open until filled. Our organizational policy is that active clients cannot also be Oasis employees; Oasis clients should not apply for this or any other Oasis job, in order to avoid conflicts of interest. At this time, Oasis Legal Services is not able to sponsor candidates in H-1B or other non-immigrant employment visa categories.