Staff Attorney - Immigrants & Workers Rights; TSAP

Overview

Legal Aid Chicago provides free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago is committed to quality civil legal representation for all individuals, regardless of income, and works to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. The office is located in downtown Chicago, ADA accessible, with convenient access to public transportation and local expressways. This position may require travel to court or other outreach events.

Position:
Legal Aid Chicago seeks a full-time Staff Attorney to work in the Trafficking Survivor Assistance Project (TSAP) within the Immigrants & Workers’ Rights Practice Group (IWR). IWR includes employment, immigration, migrant farm worker, and human trafficking law. IWR’s four teams work independently and in an interdisciplinary manner when areas of law intersect. The role works collaboratively within a supportive team of attorneys and paralegals and reports to an experienced Supervisory Attorney.

This role provides the opportunity to collaborate with survivors of human trafficking, focusing on labor trafficking, immigration law, and victim advocacy. TSAP emphasizes trauma-informed, client-led, wrap-around advocacy; advice, brief services, full and limited scope representation to individuals and families applying for affirmative relief before USCIS, the U.S. Department of State, and defensive relief before EOIR and the Board of Immigration Appeals;

and victim advocacy for survivors. Areas of primary practice include T visas and T visa-based adjustment of status applications; the position also includes representation in a diversity of immigration applications and advocacy for collateral needs, such as victim representation, social work and public benefits.

• Manage a caseload and provide full and limited scope legal representation
• Interview eligible clients on immigration issues and provide advice and brief services for eligible immigrants with a focus on identifying trafficking
• Participate in advocacy to address systemic issues
• Participate in weekly team meetings to present new cases and reach team consensus on representation
• Represent clients in applications before USCIS, DOS, and EOIR in detained and non-detained proceedings
• Represent and advocate for victims
• Work collaboratively with Legal Aid Chicago staff, students, and volunteers to provide comprehensive legal services
• Work with other IWR staff members in any interdisciplinary work
• Make appropriate referrals inside the organization and to external partners
• Maintain accurate case files and timely record timekeeping in electronic case management system
• Assist with grant reporting, as appropriate and applicable
• Conduct community education outreach and build relationships with community partners
• Participate in training agencies, advocates, clients, or community groups about legal services and rights impacting vulnerable people
• Participate in other activities related to poverty law including publication, permissible legislative and administrative advocacy, media relations, and fundraising as needed
• Manage other duties as determined by the Supervisory Attorney and the Director

This position is part of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. The Collective Bargaining Agreement sets employment terms, and compensation is determined by the CBA salary scale, based on paid experience. The budgeted salary range for this position is $69,433-$77,090, which reflects 0-10 years of paid, credited experience.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bilingual Staff Attorneys are eligible for an additional stipend
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 15 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of…