Academic

Houston, TX, United States

Immigration - General Attorney in Houston, TX

Attorney

Min 2 yrs required

No

Public Interest Attorney, Immigration - Reputed Firm in Houston, Texas

Tracking Code
CBurnett
Job Description

SUMMARY

Reputed Firm in Houston, Texas is seeking a highly skilled public interest attorney with experience in Immigration Law. The firm's client base is primarily drawn from Harris County and contiguous counties, consisting of indigent and economically disadvantaged individuals. The successful candidate will provide high quality immigration legal representation and community service to the firm's client base, while also utilizing student intern involvement to enhance their education experience.



ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Public Interest Attorney, Immigration will be responsible for:

- Performing, attending, and participating in immigration legal services through the firm's clinics, both onsite and offsite, including case/file development and follow-up, factual investigations, immigration court appearances, and interviews before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
- Observing and monitoring student interns in the performance of their duties, providing feedback and guidance to enhance their skills in client interviewing and counseling, factual investigation, document drafting, case/hearing preparation, and post-hearing follow-up.
- Providing access to legal services for clients at various community outreach programs, such as Boat People SOS, Catholic Charities, and YMCA International Services, by educating them on their rights and procedures.
- Practicing and promoting ethical and professional approaches to the practice of law, ensuring high quality student education experience, client representation, and community service.
- Developing legal education programs, providing in-service and continuing legal education to clinic staff, and educating the community through public speaking engagements.
- Assisting with client intake, screening, and document gathering.
- Setting appointments, organizing and tracking cases, and communicating with clients.
- Occasionally traveling to off-site locations to fulfill job duties.
- Collaborating with the firm's faculty, coordinators, and other public interest attorneys to assist student interns with client interactions.
- Providing legal representation to eligible applicants in immigration law.
- Attending partnership or collaborative meetings as a representative of the firm.
- Conducting information sessions or presentations at outreach events, occasionally in the evenings or on weekends.
- Observing and monitoring student/graduate interns, as needed, in the performance of their duties and providing timely feedback.
- Utilizing case management and data aggregation software to maintain program reports, surveys, and statistics, as well as assist with client intake, screening, and document gathering.
- Performing other duties as assigned.



SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

The Public Interest Attorney, Immigration may be required to monitor and supervise the work of student/graduate interns, pro bono attorneys, and paralegals as directed by the Senior Director, Legal Services.



QUALIFICATIONS

To be considered for this position, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Required:

- Licensed to practice law in any state or territory of the United States.
- At least two (2) years of legal experience.
- Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish.
- Experience with Immigration and Nationality Law.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with all levels of constituencies.
- High level of business and professional ethics.
- Flexibility and adaptability in meeting the needs of the firm's client base, student interns, faculty, and staff.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Reliable transportation.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Windows and Office, telephone, fax, and copying/scanning.

Preferred:

- Licensed to practice law in Texas.
- Prior public interest or volunteer experience serving low-income individuals.
- Fluency in a language other than English and Spanish.
- Experience with veterans legal or social services.
- Prior experience in teaching, training, or mentoring others.
- Experience with case management software.



EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate will have graduated from an ABA accredited law school with a Doctor of Jurisprudence.



REASONING ABILITY

The Public Interest Attorney, Immigration must possess the ability to define routine problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions to solve routine problems and/or deal with a variety of variables in situations, especially when the department head may be unavailable. They must also be able to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.



CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

The Public Interest Attorney, Immigration must be licensed to practice law in any state or territory of the United States.



PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands of this job include sitting, talking, and hearing regularly, as well as standing and walking occasionally. The employee may also be required to do light to moderate lifting from floor level, at waist level, and above shoulder level, as well as occasional bending and stooping. Specific vision abilities required include close vision for accurate data input and proofreading, and distance vision for recognizing and assisting visitors to the department.



WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment for the Public Interest Attorney, Immigration is fast-paced, multitasking, and non-smoking. The employee must be able to work the general business schedule of the firm, which may include occasional evenings and weekends as necessary.



Application Instructions

To apply for this position, please submit a CV or resume and a cover letter describing your interest in public interest law and clinical legal education.

Competitive Benefits Package for Full-time Staff:

- Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage effective on date of hire.
- Medical and prescription coverage through CIGNA Plus (employee only semi-monthly ).
- Dental and vision coverage through CIGNA (employee only semi-monthly ).
- HSA

Legal