Organizational Mission:

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) promotes justice for low-income immigrants by pursuing and defending their legal status. We focus on providing direct legal services, supported by our education and public policy work.

Background:

NWIRP is an exciting and dynamic nonprofit immigrant rights organization that has been in operation for more than 27 years. NWIRP provides services at four sites in Washington State: Seattle, Granger, Tacoma and Moses Lake.

Position Summary:

NWIRP seeks a committed, Spanish-speaking bilingual attorney to work with the Legal Orientation Program (LOP) at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. Under the LOP, which is funded by the Executive Office for Immigration Review and managed by the Vera Institute, private nonprofit agencies give detained individuals essential information about court procedures and available options for legal relief prior to their immigration hearing. The LOP consists of four primary components: (1) group orientations; (2) individual sessions; (3) self-help training in the form of pro se workshops; and (4) referral of cases to pro bono attorneys. NWIRP seeks an attorney to work with all aspects of the LOP program.

In addition to LOP work, roughly half of the attorney's time will be spent providing direct representation to detained persons in removal proceedings, including representation at the Tacoma or Seattle Immigration Courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Ninth Circuit court of appeals.

This position will be located at the NWIRP office in Tacoma, Washington. Tacoma is located approximately 35 miles south of Seattle. The attorney will also spend a significant amount of time working at the Northwest Detention Center, a regional immigration detention facility that houses 1200-1575 people from Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and overflow from other states.

Reports To:

Directing Attorney of the Tacoma Office

Primary Responsibilities:

• Conduct daily presentations, workshops and consultations in Spanish and English to persons detained at the immigration detention center in Tacoma, Washington;
• Conduct self-help workshops for unrepresented detainees seeking relief from removal;
• Communicate regularly with ICE, GEO, and EOIR;
• Perform administrative tasks related to LOP presentations;
• Provide direct representation to clients on the detained docket before the Department of Homeland Security and before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (NOTE: Time allocated towards direct representation is not covered under the LOP and is covered by funding that is separate and apart from federal funds);
• Maintain a working knowledge of significant policies, laws and trends in immigration law, particularly as it impacts low-income immigrants and refugees ; and
• Engage in outreach and education in the area of immigrant rights.

Professional Qualifications, Experience and Attributes:

• Law degree;
• Admission to the bar of any state in the U.S. (or a recent law graduate who has taken the bar in July 2011);
• Demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Commitment to working in a diverse and challenging working environment;
• Fluent in English and Spanish;
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently; and
• Proficiency in use of MS Word, MS Access, and MS Excel.

Beginning salary is $43k or DOE plus benefits.
To Apply:
Send cover letter, resume and references to: hr@nwirp.org with the subject "Tacoma Attorney". For full consideration, please submit application by August 26, 2011. Position is open until filled.

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity. It is the policy of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination. NWIRP is committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. NWIRP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, political ideology, age, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical handicap.

We encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, people with disabilities, members of the LGBT community and other minority groups.