Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) seeks a full-time bilingual legal advocate to be placed in NWIRP’s Seattle office. This position will primarily be working with clients in the Unaccompanied Children Program, with the possibility of working with other individuals seeking NWIRP services. A minimum two-year commitment to the position is expected.
As a legal advocate, you will help provide legal assistance and advocacy under attorney supervision to unaccompanied children and youth facing removal (deportation) proceedings. In addition to working on the cases of NWIRP’s children and youth clients in immigration court, this position will also involve collaborating with attorneys in representing clients in applying for various forms of immigration protection, including Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification, asylum, VAWA self-petitions, U visas, T visas, and adjustment of status before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and in state court in order to obtain predicate SIJ findings for eligible clients. The legal advocate may also be assigned work relating to other immigration matters as needed.
ABOUT NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT:
Founded in 1984, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is a nationally-recognized legal services organization on the front lines of defending and advancing the rights of immigrants. Each year, NWIRP provides direct legal representation and assistance in immigration matters to thousands of people with low incomes who come from over 150 countries and speak over 60 different languages. NWIRP challenges unjust policies through high-impact lawsuits and advocates for laws and policies that respect the rights of immigrants. NWIRP is also a trusted provider of immigration-related community education for immigrant communities and social service providers. NWIRP has a staff of over 160 and an annual budget of over $20 million. NWIRP serves the community through four offices in Washington State (Granger, Seattle, Tacoma and Wenatchee), but the impact of our work is felt nationwide.
Unaccompanied Children Program
The Unaccompanied Children Program (UCP) is a statewide unit at NWIRP, with teams across NWIRP’s four offices assisting unaccompanied children and youth who are released from immigration custody and are facing removal (deportation) proceedings. Using a Universal Representation model, services are person-centered and zealous, cases are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and there are no eligibility criteria. The UCP team works collaboratively to meet the needs of children and youth clients in their pursuit of immigration protection.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Legal advocates are expected to:
Under attorney supervision:
Conduct intakes, by phone and in person, and interview children and youth to gather or clarify information;
Assist in conducting case analysis to determine eligibility for immigration protections/status under the immigration laws;
Assist in providing consultations and direct representation, preparing and submitting immigration forms and supporting documents to immigration courts, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), or other immigration agencies;
Provide pro se assistance to community members who do not qualify for services under the Unaccompanied Children Program;
Work directly with community partners to receive referrals and connect clients to appropriate resources;
Maintain a working knowledge of significant policies, laws, practices, and trends in immigration law, particularly as it impacts low-income immigrants and those impacted by the criminal justice system;
Establish, organize, and maintain files up to date;
Translate documents;
Perform data entry regarding the services provided to children and youth, including the preparation of monthly status reports;
Perform administrative tasks related to grant reporting, such as timekeeping, submitting timesheets, tracking training, and other duties in a timely manner;
Participate in NWIRP’s outreach, community education and development efforts; and
Perform other tasks and responsibilities assigned by supervisory staff depending upon NWIRP’s needs.
The anticipated hours of work are Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm, with a 30 – 60 minute unpaid lunch, but occasional evening and weekend work hours may be required.
BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION:
This is a non-exempt, hourly position and the minimum pay rate is $36.55 per hour (roughly $66,531.38 annually) and is higher depending on years of directly relevant experience. For example, if you have 10 years of directly relevant experience, the hourly compensation would be $42.83 per hour (roughly $77,950.77 annually); 20 years = $48.92 per hour (roughly $89,043.22 annually).
NWIRP is proud to be a unionized employer, and this full-time position is covered by NWIRP’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. NWIRP offers a generous benefits package, including:
Fully paid health, vision and dental plans for employee-level coverage with employer-funded HRA and HSA options
FSA and Dependent Care accounts
Automatic, employer contribution of 3% to 403(b) retirement plan
Generous paid health-related leave (12 days per year)
Generous paid vacation (16 days during your first year)
12 weeks of paid parental leave after 6 months of employment, plus the ability to extend with State-paid leave
14 paid Holidays with the ability to float 5 holidays
Employer-paid disability, life, AD&D and long-term care insurance
4 weeks of paid sabbatical after every five years of employment at NWIRP
Eligibility to earn compensatory time
Opportunities for paid professional development
New employees may be eligible for a relocation bonus, per the CBA
Subsidized transit pass is available for the Seattle office
NWIRP is an eligible employer under the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
REPORTS TO:
Supervising Attorney
Demonstrated commitment to advancing and defending the rights of immigrants and willingness to support NWIRP’s mission, vision, and values;
Fluent in English and another language (additional languages are encouraged);
Familiarity working with interpreters;
Demonstrated interest in advocating for youth (previous work experience working with children and youth is preferred);
Commitment to creating a welcoming and professional inclusive environment for staff and clients;
Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to organize information in a clear and concise manner, including strong problem-solving, research, and analytical skills;
Ability to assist in the provision of trauma-informed and culturally inclusive legal representation;
Ability to work independently (with competing deadlines) as well as in a team environment;
Have a strong sense of judgment and decision-making;
Strong organizational skills;
Previous work with remote legal assistance is encouraged;
Proficiency in the use of web-based software, Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel, and web peer-to-peer communication platforms; Familiarity with G-suite tools like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Gmail; and
The applicant must have a valid driver’s license as the position involves some travel.
Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear; utilize a phone, computer, keyboard, pen and paper. Occasional work on night and weekend hours. Travel may be required. Travel reimbursements apply.
Emotional demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to discuss topics including, but not limited to, discrimination; child abuse, neglect, abandonment; domestic abuse; violence, and psychological trauma.
Under NWIRP’s current COVID policies, new staff members must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination (unless eligible for an exemption). Staff may choose to wear a face mask in the workplace, but it is not currently required. At the time of this posting, NWIRP staff is operating in a hybrid model, and some in-office work will be expected of this position (at least two full days per week).
Please upload a single-file document on our Careers Page containing your cover letter, resume, and a list of (3) references.
In your cover letter, please address:
1. How your personal or professional experiences qualify you for this role;
2. What challenges you recognize as barriers to providing legal advocacy to immigrant community members (with a focus on rural communities).
Full consideration will be given to those who apply by September 4, 2024, but applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.
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