Staff Attorney- DMV Habeas Project, Immigration Impact Lab

Who We Are

The Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition is now Amica Center for Immigrant Rights (“Amica Center”). Since our founding in 1999 we have grown significantly and added new services to support immigrants in detention. Amica Center has outgrown our original, expanding beyond our initial services and geographic boundaries. “Amica” is the Latin word for “friend,” reflecting the way we approach what we do and the way we stand with our clients to achieve the safety, stability, and opportunity we all deserve.

We are the only non‑profit organization in the Washington, D.C. area that is exclusively focused on providing legal assistance to adult and child immigrants detained by the government in the Capital Region and beyond. Our highly collaborative work environment is committed to high‑quality, trauma‑informed legal and social services and a culture of professional growth and support for staff. The Immigration Impact Lab (“the Lab”) is Amica Center’s impact litigation shop, responding to the failings of the immigration system by strategically appealing cases, developing impact litigation, and launching advocacy efforts that have the potential to transform the system and establish new legal precedents for immigrants nationwide.

We are seeking a Staff Attorney to expand the Lab’s detention‑related district court litigation, focusing on habeas petitions challenging prolonged immigration detention among other matters. The Staff Attorney will represent individuals in district court actions, mentor external pro‑bono attorneys and non‑profit attorneys in district court litigation, and contribute to building the Lab’s DMV Habeas Project.

• Litigating Detention‑Related District Court cases (≈80%) – Litigate strategic cases in district court, primarily habeas petitions, on behalf of detained immigrants nationwide; identify potential cases and maintain relationships with referral channels; mentor pro‑bono attorneys on detention‑related district court litigation; develop and refine training programs and materials for the Lab team and external pro‑bono and non‑profit attorneys.
• Helping to Build the DMV Habeas Project (≈15%) – Collaborate with the Lab Program Director, Deputy Program Director, Managing Attorney, and Development/Communications team to raise awareness of the DMV Habeas Project and its potential impact; establish and maintain collaborative relationships with key stakeholders and partner organizations for the Project.
• Organizational Services (≈5%) – Participate in Amica Center stakeholder relation activities; coordinate across teams on case strategy and to ensure Programs are kept abreast of developments in detention‑related litigation effort and the DMV Habeas Project.

• Position Type – Exempt, Full‑Time
• Reports To – Managing Attorney
• Supervisory Responsibility – This role is not expected to involve supervision in at least the first year but may evolve to include supervision over time, depending on programmatic changes.
• Hiring Timeline – Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Salary – The salary range for this position is $61,500–$67,500 depending on experience.
• Location – This position is remote‑friendly; candidates based in or near Washington, DC, Maryland, or Virginia are preferred.
• Travel – Occasional travel to other states is expected for court hearings and important stakeholder meetings.
• Telework – Hybrid work environment with at least one day per week in‑office, but fully remote is possible for the right candidate.
• COVID‑19 Vaccination – All employees are required to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID‑19.

• Free gym access located in Washington, D.C.
• Flexible working hours after successful completion of training and with supervisor approval.
• Pre‑tax commuter benefits for those living in the DMV.
• Amica Center pays a very high rate for health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life insurance valued at $50,000, long‑term and short‑term disability.
• Flexible Spending Account and 403(b) savings account with annual matching after one year of continuous employment.
• High‑Deductible Health…