Staff Attorney, Seattle, WA

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND); Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 73,926 - 92,407; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Pre-tax flexible spending account (FSA)

Employer-paid life and disability insurance

Job summary

A nonprofit organization is seeking a Staff Attorney to provide expert legal services to unaccompanied children needing representation. The role includes mentoring pro bono attorneys, performing legal research, and appearing in courts. Candidates should have a J.D. and experience in immigration law, preferably with vulnerable populations like immigrant children. Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is required. This position offers an opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of children while being part of a dedicated team.

Qualifications

• Minimum of one year of experience practicing immigration law, including humanitarian immigration claims.
• Experience working with children, preferably immigrant and refugee children.
• Experience working with law firm attorneys and/or legal volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Provide mentoring to KIND pro bono attorneys and direct representation to KIND clients.
• Perform legal research, client interviews, and appear in immigration and state courts.
• Supervise interns and non-attorney staff as needed.

Skills

Fluent in English and Spanish

Strong communication skills

Excellent organizational skills

Ability to multitask

Education

J.D. and admitted to the local state bar

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) Provided Pay Range

This range is provided by Kids in Need of Defense (KIND). Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base Pay Range

$73,926.00/yr - $92,407.00/yr

About KIND

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied and separated children who are forcibly displaced from their countries of origin. Launched in 2008, KIND champions a world in which every child’s rights and well‑being are protected throughout their journey to safety. Building on its extensive programming and successful model in the United States, KIND is expanding in the Americas and Europe to либо bring its experience to bear in working with unaccompanied and separated children. Our work focuses on addressing the legal and mental health needs of_instance, building strong partnerships and engaging in training and capacity strengthening with governments, NGOs, and the private sector; and advocating for systemic and pragmatic reforms to advance the rights of unaccompanied and separated children.

Position Summary

KIND seeks a Staff Attorney to provide expert legal services to unaccompanied children needing legal representation through zealous direct representation as wellbranche series and pro bono facilಿಷ್ಠಣೆ. It includes robust consultation, training, and technical assistance to pro bono attorneys who have accepted KIND cases. As needed, supervise senior paralegals, paralegals, interns, and other non‑attorney staff. The Staff Attorney will report to the Supervising Attorney. This position is contingent upon continued funding.

Essential Functions

• Provide mentoring to KIND pro bono attorneys and direct legal representation to KIND clients.
• In the pro bono mentoring function, provide robust consultation and technical assistance to pro bono attorneys who have accepted a KIND case.
• In the direct representation function, perform ordinary functions of legal counsel including legal research and formulating the legal strategy for the case; conducting client interviews; appearing before immigration and/or state courts or agencies; and drafting and filing court pleadings and applications for benefits.
• Supervise interns and/or other non‑attorney staff as needed, including onboarding, skills training, daily support and coaching, review and quality assurance of filings, regular check‑ins and Alfred evaluations, and provision of consistent and effective supervision and oversight.
• Place cases with pro bono attorneys and actively build relationships between KIND and the pro bono community.
• In coordination with KIND’s Training and Technical Assistance Team and the local field office Senior Attorney/s, as needed, help develop pro bono training resources and local training curriculum, including sample filings and guidance packets. With supervision, present trainings to pro bono attorneys and community groups.
• Contribute to overall office functioning, including actively participating in field office and KIND‑wide calls and meetings, field office and KIND‑wide committees, and assisting with office events.
Ensure entry of timely, accurate, and detailed case data into KIND’s case management systems.
• Represent KIND at local coalitions, courts, and agencies.

Qualifications and Requirements

• J.D. and admitted to the local state bar. If not admitted to local state bar, must sit for bar exam or start waiver to be admitted within six months and be able to be admitted within approached employment year.
• Fluent in English and Spanish (required for direct communication with the children we serve and their caregivers, the majority of whom are Spanish‑speaking).
• Minimum of one year of experience practicing immigration law, which should include representation of clients in humanitarian immigration claims such as asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U visas, and T visas.
• Minimum of one year of experience working with children, preferably immigrant and refugee children, and/or working with vulnerable populations, survivors of abuse, human trafficking, or other trauma.
• Experience working with law firm attorneys and/or other legal volunteers extraterpretation as the majority of the caseload is working directly with pro bono attorneys.
• Strong communication skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (such as Teams, Excel, etc.).
• Ability to work collaboratively and multi‑task Electrified is environment, managing numerous priorities and emerging opportunities.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks and delegate as appropriate in a deadline‑oriented environment.
• Ability to multitask and work with a sense of urgency in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment.
• Committed to practicing and supporting wellbeing and a work‑home life balance.
• Experience working and communicating in a remote environment preferred but not required.

Our Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with KIND paying 100% of the employee only portion of the premium for one of the three medical plan options, dental, and vision.
• Pre‑tax flexible spending account (FSA) for both medical and dependent care.
• Pre‑tax transit and parking spending account.
• Employer‑paid life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
• Employer‑paid short and long‑term disability insurance.

For a complete list of benefits, please click here.

Our Focus on Wellness

KIND recognizes that our ability to help our clients starts with helping our team members. KIND has prioritized wellness for employees through Mindfulness and Wellness Trainings, Wellness Platforms, Employee Assistance and Resilience Programs, Time Away查询 and Office Wellness Activities.

Application Instructions

To be considered for this role, please submit an employment application at supportkind.org/join-the-team, along with your resume and cover letter.

Disclaimer: KIND is committed to an ethical recruitment and hiring process and maintains a firm “no fees” recruitment policy. We will never charge a fee or ask for money as part of the application process. KIND also conducts all interviews via telephone or video conference, and at no time will KIND engage in a text or mobile app‑based application or interview process. For more information, please visit the following website: https://supportkind.org/join-the-team/kind-employment-practices/.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our hiring team but do not replace human judgement. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.