Job Title: Supervising Attorney

Classification & FLSA Status:  Full time | Exempt

Salary: Depending on experience and qualifications

Department: Legal Department | Deportation Defense Unit

Reports to: Managing Attorney

Location: Hybrid- Telecommute and CARECEN’s Los Angeles Office

Job Summary: The Supervising Attorney will be responsible for supervising the day-to-day operations, personnel, and legal service provision at CARECEN’s Los Angeles in the Deportation Defense Unit. The Supervising Attorney works directly under the Managing Attorney and with the partnership of the DDU Managing and Supervising Attorney in CARECEN’s San Bernardino office. The Supervising Attorney is also responsible for supporting CARECEN’s policy advocacy efforts.

Job Requirements/Essential Functions

• Supervise and direct DDU staff in the Los Angeles and San Bernardino offices, including assigning cases, monitoring timesheets, managing caseloads, planning and conducting legal case review, as well as organizing trainings and other professional development activities for staff, and handling the process of discipline and grievance adjustment
• Conduct trainings and facilitate ongoing legal education for team
• Conduct regular individual case review with legal staff
• Conduct periodic written & performance evaluation for legal staff
• Recruit, hire, and evaluate team staff
• Provide individual consultations, prepare cases, represent applicants before USCIS, the Immigration Court, the California State Court, and on appeal
• Manage own caseload of complex cases for ongoing legal development and review of staff complex cases
• Responsible for presentations, outreach and community education activities
• Respond to media requests on relevant immigration issues
• Develop relationships with local CBOs, law schools, foundations, government and other organizations
• Participate in grant writing, including the planning of grant proposals, reviewing drafts by development staff, and conducting primary grant writing duties when necessary
• Monitor team goals and deliverables and facilitate reporting to various grants
• Participate in policy advocacy on immigration issues relevant to CARECEN’s mission, including conducting primary writing duties on policy pieces and public comments when necessary
• Facilitate and/ or conduct team meetings
• Facilitate legal staff meetings when Managing Attorney or Legal Director is unavailable
• Conduct team bonding activities and retreat for ongoing staff support and team morale
• Other duties as assigned by the Managing Attorney

Required Skills/Qualifications

• Law degree and active admission to the bar of California
• Excellent legal skills and broad knowledge of immigration law
• 3-4 years of substantive immigration law experience strongly preferred
• 3-4 years of experience in removal defense, including detained and released removal defense strongly preferred
• Bilingual fluency in spoken and written (English/Spanish) required
• Experience supervising support staff
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills required
• Ability to work independently
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission and goals of CARECEN
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Commitment to working in a diverse working environment
• Ability to develop and implement innovative models of service delivery with limited resources and leverage other community resources
• Ability to effectively work and communicate with diverse groups of individuals, including representatives of government, foundations, English/Spanish media, and other grassroots organizations

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Supervising Attorney directly supervises a team of attorneys, accredited representatives, legal assistants, and support staff and carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the employer’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

This job operates in a professional office environment. The position requires the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand as necessary. Flexible work-from-home schedule may be offered.  Work is performed in a variety of work settings, including a hybrid office and work-from-home model depending on COVID-19 office policy, CARECEN’s offices, workspace provided by others including community libraries and other government facilities, among others.

Classification & Work Schedule

Office hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday during which time staff is required to be available for clients, additional work hours are required based on the needs of the organization. This is a full-time, exempt position. The normal office hours for this position is 35 hours, but a greater emphasis of hours is placed on meeting the responsibilities assigned to the position. Responsibilities may require working evenings and some weekends. Exempt employees do not receive overtime compensation, compensatory time off, or additional compensation beyond the salary assigned to the position. 

Travel Requirements

This position is based out of CARECEN’s Los Angeles office and requires occasional travel to CARECEN’s San Bernardino office and Van Nuys office. The position also requires occasional travel to Immigration Courts in Adelanto, Los Angeles, Van Nuys, and Santa Ana, State Courts around the Southern California region, and the Adelanto ICE Processing Center and Desert View Annex. The position may comprise up to 50% of travel time. Mileage reimbursement is available. Ability to drive with a valid CA license and a registered vehicle is preferred.

Benefits

CARECEN offers a generous benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. Supplemental insurance and a 403(b) retirement savings plan are also available. Paid time off is also provided.

Application Deadline

Candidates are encouraged to apply immediately.

To Apply:

Please email cover letter, resume, three references, and brief writing sample (maximum 10 pages) to Lilit Melkonyan ([email protected]). Candidates are urged to be specific regarding the level of Spanish fluency in their resume or cover letter. Only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. CARECEN will not consider applications through legal recruiting/staffing agencies. No inquiries or phone calls from applicants or legal recruiters, please.

CARECEN is an Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants shall receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ethnic group identification, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, political affiliation, condition of physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation, in accordance with requirements of Federal and State laws.