Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE), a non-profit law firm with a long history of representing people living on low incomes in Ohio in achieving equal justice and opportunity, seeks Supervising Attorneys for the Agricultural Worker and Immigrant Rights (AIR) Practice Group. These positions will be based out of the Dayton and Toledo offices.
About ABLE
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE) is a nonprofit law firm established over 50 years ago to ensure that the most vulnerable people in our communities have the same access to justice as people and companies that can afford to retain an attorney. ABLE and its partner law firm, Legal Aid of Western Ohio (LAWO), are the only law firms available for comprehensive legal representation in non-criminal matters for more than 425,000 people living, working, and raising their families in poverty in Northwest and West Central Ohio. ABLE advocates for – and with – financially disadvantaged individuals and communities to effectuate just and equitable policy changes that address the structural causes of poverty and to protect their right to fairness and justice in the legal system.
The Opportunity
The AIR Practice Group’s advocacy focuses on keeping families together, empowering vulnerable populations, such as crime survivors and unaccompanied children, and building a stronger community for agricultural workers, immigrants, and refugees throughout Ohio. We address racial and ethnic profiling, champion farmworker rights, and address housing, workplace safety, and employment violations. We secure language access and access to public benefits and education and address due process violations in administrative proceedings. We provide direct representation to clients applying for humanitarian relief before USCIS, EOIR, and in federal court, and host pro se clinics to advise and provide limited representation for clients in a number of immigration matters. As an unrestricted legal services organization, ABLE also advocates for changes in local, state, and federal policies and laws to achieve justice for immigrants and refugees. ABLE engages client communities and stakeholders to amplify our advocacy efforts and center impacted voices.
The Supervising Attorney will:
•Assist the Managing attorney in supervising team members and legal work within the practice group including overseeing teamwork, systems, and processes that advance organizational goals; managing impact and growing team members’ skills; directly supervising members of the team including directing individual work plans and conducting case and performance reviews.
•Take an active role in working towards achieving racial equity in our advocacy and creating an environment that has a diverse and inclusive culture.
•Work with practice group members and the Managing Attorney to develop and drive a comprehensive legal strategy designed to have a lasting impact on and create equity and justice for agricultural worker and immigrant rights through a combination of community outreach, impact litigation, policy advocacy, legal clinics, and individual representation.
•Engage in public education and communications, which may include representing ABLE in public settings including public speaking engagements, conferences, media appearances, blog posts, op-eds, conferences, and media interviews.
•Undertake projects in the following areas in addition to their primary roles of supervising legal work and representing clients: community relations, and office administration and oversight.
•Manage certain aspects of grant writing and grant reporting to funders supporting the practice group’s work, including grant and contract drafting, implementation, compliance, and reporting.
•Promote the improvement and effectiveness of the program and implemented initiatives
Compensation, Benefits, and Work Location
ABLE is committed to providing an equitable work environment, including a commitment to pay equity. We are updating our salary scales, with expected completion by Fall 2024. The starting annual salary range for this position will likely fall between $81,000 and $101,300 depending on experience; comprehensive fringe benefits, including health insurance and student loan repayment assistance up to $6,000 per year through the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation; Hybrid work is likely, but in-office supervision, court hearings, meetings with community partners, and client-based work in person is required.
Experience and Qualifications:
•Licensed attorney who is admitted to the Ohio Bar or able to be admitted by motion or passage of the next available bar examination
•Minimum of five (5) years of legal experience preferred
•Ability to communicate fluently in Spanish is required, as well as experience working with interpreters
•Litigation and immigration legal experience required, particularly in removal proceedings and humanitarian forms of relief
•Knowledge of agricultural worker legal rights preferred
•An understanding of and commitment to community lawyering
•Personable and dependable, competent, loyal, and trustworthy
•Possess demonstrated leadership, supervisory, and administrative abilities
•Able to exercise sound judgment and initiative
•Must have excellent legal skills and excellent written and oral communication skills, including strong computer skills
•Must be able to provide constructive contributions to the overall management and administration of the program with a demonstrated commitment to racial equity, diversity and an inclusive work environment
•Skilled in the substance of poverty law as well as advocacy skills and strategies
•Commitment to ABLE’s mission and to ABLE’s clients and client communities
•Ability to mentor, coach, encourage, motivate, and work effectively with staff in both remote and in-office environments
•Supportive of and ability to work with diverse staff in an inclusive, collaborative environment, while promoting racial equity
•Ability to deal with clients in a professional and friendly manner
•Ability to work effectively in a team oriented, collaborative decision-making environment, solve problems, and resolve conflicts
•Enthusiasm for challenging work and opportunities
•Ability to adapt to changing environment whether working remote or in an office environment
Please visit https://www.ablelaw.org/careers-with-able/ to submit your application. The position will remain open until filled.
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