Immigration Attorney

Durham, NC
US Programs – Legal /
Regular, Full-time /
Hybrid
ORGANIZATION SUMMARY:
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that is fighting for change that lasts, right here in the U.S. and across the globe. We bring sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. The organization is approximately 75 years old and has worked in over 100 countries around the world since its founding.
 
In the United States, we come alongside local churches, community organizations and hundreds of individual volunteers to support newly arriving refugee and other immigrant families. Today, we are proud to partner with over 6,000 local churches, and 95,000 volunteers globally to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.

POSITION SUMMARY:
Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten?  Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?

If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.

World Relief Durham, Immigration Legal Services (WRD-ILS) seeks an Immigration Attorney for our Unaccompanied Children cases. WRD-ILS provides low- bono immigration legal counseling and representation to the immigrant community in our area and is looking to expand its legal team. As a licensed attorney this position will provide direct legal counseling and representation to undocumented children seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and other immigration benefits and/or relief from removal. This may include conducting new client intakes and/or providing representation, advocating on behalf of children in removal proceedings, and submitting applications to the government for benefits and/or relief. 

Role & Responsibilities

    • Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
    • This role is responsible for supervising others and includes responsibilities consistent with supervising employees including but not limited to monitoring daily work activities, tracking and approving timesheets including approving time off, monitoring performance including entering goals, progress check-ins, and weekly or bi-weekly check-ins, documenting performance concerns, entering staff promotions, transitions, and separations in HRIS within required time frame. Managers at World Relief are also considered spiritual leaders and are expected to lead staff in a manner consistent with our Christian values including but not limited to praying with staff, leading devotionals, and fostering a Christian environment in interactions with staff throughout World Relief.
    •  Immigration Legal Counsel and Representation
    • Conduct legal consultations, legal screening and advising for unaccompanied children regarding immigration benefits and remedies available under the INA, CFR, and relevant government agency policies
    • Contact and represent unaccompanied children recently released from ORR custody at the USCIS and EOIR for their immigration cases including initial interview, Master Calendar Hearings, Individual Hearing, Motion to Change Venue, Terminate and Suppress, preparing and submission of briefs to the BIA and other related immigration services.
    • Zealously advocate for clients with relevant government actors via telephone and correspondence
    • Manage caseloads of pending immigration cases
    • Comply with WRD-ILS best practice case management rules, policies and procedures under the supervision of the WRD-ILS Program Manager
    • Work in a team and collaborate with other WRD team members to provide immigration legal services to the community and collect data required by grantor
    • Immediately report any challenges, changes, issues or complaints to the program manager and work with the supervisor to resolve the issues.
    • Occasional weekend and evening events may be required
    • Other duties as assigned by the ILS manager  Legal Supervision and Coordination of Pro Bono Services
    • Provide legal supervision of ILS staff and volunteers working on unaccompanied children cases 
    • Recruit, train, and assign cases to pro bono attorneys
    • Maintain regular communication with pro bono attorneys to provide assistance and resources Immigration Legal Training
    • Actively engage in ongoing immigration legal training, conferences, webinars, roundtables, and research in order to maintain the necessary knowledge and experience 
    • Complete training on Equifax Immigration Case Management system (Law Logix) and internal case management protocols of the ILS department of World Relief
    • Participate in routine ILS and Staff meetings 
    • Community Speaking Engagements/Networking/Forums
    • Support the ILS Program Manager in providing immigration-related trainings and outreach to key community partners and/or immigrant communities
    • Participate in practitioner forums as assigned by the ILS Program Manager
    • Actively communicate with other WRD-ILS departments for the furtherment of WR services

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

    • Cross-cultural experience including cross-cultural communication skills
    • Excellent problem-solving skills and flexibility to work in a frequently changing environment
    • Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, and organizational skills
    • Strong self-starter skills and a desire to learn and grow
    • Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in an adjudicatory setting and in writing
    • Minimum of 1-year experience working in SIJS cases is preferred 
    • Experience supervising staff or volunteers preferred

Requirements

    • Mature and personal Christian faith
    • Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
    • Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities
    • Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Evangelicals For the Health of The Nation document
    • Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish is desired
    • Active member of the North Carolina Bar and/or licensed to practice in another state. In good standing in all jurisdictions were admitted to practice law.
    • Commitment to attend CLEs as required by state bar. 
    • Valid driver’s license and/or access to alternative means of transportation and active insurance policy
    • Ability to travel domestically up to 25%. 
World Relief offers a competitive benefits package (25 hours + per week):
 
World Relief contributes to monthly premiums:
-Medical
-Dental
 
Additional Benefits:
-Offer 16 Paid Holidays!
-Vision
- Paid Sick and Vacation Time
- Paid Parental Leave (12 weeks for qualified employees)
-FSAs: Medical & Dependent Care, & Commuter Funding
-Supplemental Life Insurance (employee, spouse, and children)
-Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, and Accident insurance policies
 
World Relief pays 100% for eligible employees:
-Group Term Life (employee, spouse, and children)
-Long Term & Short-term Disability
-Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)
-Long Distance Travel Insurance
-Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
 
World Relief - Retirement:
-401K & Roth
-WR matches up to 4%, then an additional quarter percent up to 10%
-Eligibility: Full Time is eligible after 3 months of employment. Part time is eligible after 1000 hours in a year. 
 
World Relief Discounts (Immediately Eligible):
-Verizon
-Pet Insurance through Nationwide
-Home and Auto insurance through Liberty Mutual
-Working Advantage Discount Program
 
World Relief is honored to be recognized with the Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation, Silver Level for meeting or exceeding the core components of our well-being program including leadership and culture, program foundations, program execution, and whole person health.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 
 
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
 
·         While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to have ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations
·         The ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of 10-15 pounds.
·         Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read application information.
·         The employee frequently is required to sit, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear.
 
WORK ENVIRONMENT: 
 
·         General office setting. World Relief also offers hybrid and remote schedules for limited positions.
·         Great lengths of time working on computer, reading from computer screen, entering information, standing at copier or fax machine, and some time on the phone or in virtual meetings may be required.
·         Year-end archiving activities involve repeated lifting and bending.
·         Physical, emotional and intellectual demands
·         Equipment used: Employee computer (desktop or laptop), printer, and copier.
·         All of the above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Individuals may be required to perform any other job-related instructions as requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation. This position description is not all-inclusive and is always under review.
 
We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V.
 
For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
 
Legal Background in the United States
World Relief is both an equal opportunity employer and a faith-based religious organization. World Relief strictly prohibits and does not tolerate unlawful discrimination against employees on the basis of person’s race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law, which does not conflict with the protections afforded World Relief as a faith-based employer.  
 
In addition, physical or mental limitations will not be a factor in the application of World Relief's employment policies or employee practices, except for those situations in which occupational requirement make consideration of such factors necessary.
  
Pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 702 (42 U.S.C. 2000e 1(a) World Relief has the right to, and does, hire only candidates who agree with World Relief’s Statement of Faith.