Kids in Need of Defense Law Fellow at Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project in Los Angeles

Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles specializes in providing free legal services to detained and low-income immigrants in removal proceedings. The Kids in Need of Defense (“KIND”) Law Fellow works in Esperanza’s Youth Program, which provides legal education, direct representation, and pro bono placement for unaccompanied immigrant children – both detained and “released” children – facing deportation without the guarantee of legal counsel.

Responsibilities:

Esperanza seeks a full-time KIND Law Fellow, for a salaried position with benefits. Please note: This position is funded by Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) as a Fellowship with the expectation that funding will be renewed annually by contract, subject to agreement between Esperanza and KIND. The Fellow is solely responsible for managing a large case load of primarily Asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases, as well as some other forms of immigration relief. Many cases involve novel, complex, and/or difficult legal issues to be presented in state court, immigration court, and at the Asylum Office. The position requires a great deal of initiative, creativity, determination, and hard work, but offers the opportunity to have a profound impact in the lives of large numbers of immigrant and refugee children. Responsibilities include:

-Managing large caseload of detained and “released” immigrant juveniles in removal proceedings

-Preparing and presenting applications for relief (primarily but not exclusively SIJS and Asylum), including novel, complex, and difficult legal claims

-Making frequent appearances on behalf of clients in state court, immigration court, and at the Asylum Office (an average of 2-3 appearance per week).

-Providing frequent and ongoing education and advocacy to court staff and social service agencies, as necessary

-Gathering and maintaining up-to-date client case information

Qualifications:

Immigration Law experience – At least 1 year experience in immigration legal practice is required. Experience with immigrant children is strongly preferred. Experience in direct legal services and/or deportation defense is strongly preferred.

Juris Doctor Degree and California Bar Membership – The majority of Esperanza’s juvenile clients qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), which requires regular California state court appearances; thus, the Fellow must be a member in good standing of the California Bar.

Organizational skills an absolute must – The Fellow must carry a large caseload of complex cases such that advanced organizational skills are an absolute necessity. Children’s immigration cases generally involve a number of key dates and deadlines, including frequent state court, immigration court, and asylum office appearances and filing deadlines. Many cases can hinge on a client’s all-important 18th birthday, at which point eligibility for certain forms of legal relief and benefits expires. In order to manage a constantly proliferating series of dates and deadlines the Fellow must be highly self-motivated and organized.

Tireless advocacy and strong communication skills – In addition to frequent court appearances, the Fellow must interact with an array of federal, state, and non-profit bureaucracies and their representatives, and present novel or disfavored theories of relief. A key component of the Fellow’s responsibilities is to patiently and persistently monitor and correspond with these various stakeholders to ensure that a given case is being properly and timely handled. It is no exaggeration to say that in many cases, the difference between winning and losing can come down to whether or not the attorney is willing to take “no” for an answer. Generally, work days are manageable, but when short deadlines or emergencies arise, longer hours will be required.

Sensitivity to clients’ needs – Child advocacy of all kinds requires a keen sensitivity to the needs and concerns of an especially vulnerable population. The Fellow should be comfortable working with child and teenage clients, all of whom are low-income, many of whom suffer from PTSD, and some of whom have juvenile delinquency convictions. The Fellow must be willing and able to establish a good working relationship with these clients and to explain complex legal concepts in an understandable way.

Oral advocacy, research and writing skills – The Fellow will be making frequent court appearances, and at least some of the Fellow’s workload will consist of marginal or novel legal claims, including difficult Asylum cases, as well as introducing SIJS cases to state courts unfamiliar with SIJS. Thus, in addition to solid persuasive and oral advocacy skills, excellent legal research and writing skills are required.

Spanish language proficiency – Most but not all clients are from Central America and Mexico; therefore, Spanish proficiency is required and will be tested during the interview process.

Vehicle – Because of frequent court appearances in a range of jurisdictions, the Fellow must be able to provide his or her own vehicle. Mileage and parking is reimbursed.

How To Apply: Please mail, email or fax your resume, cover letter, three references, and a legal writing sample (4 -5 pages and unedited by others) to both (1) Catholic Charities of Los Angeles Human Resources Department; P.O. Box 15095, Los Angeles, CA 90015, hrjobs@ccharities.org. Fax: (213) 251-3402, EEO; and (2) Julianne Donnelly, Program Director, Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, jdonnelly@ccharities.org. PO Box 15095, Los Angeles, CA 90015, Fax: (213) 487-0986. Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc., is an equal-opportunity employer.