PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Management 

Oversee provision of free legal services by Legal Services Program (LSP), which includes primarily affirmative and defensive asylum cases; and related cases for asylum seekers and asylees such as work permits, asylee adjustment of status, asylee relative petitions, and appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Services may include other humanitarian and family-based immigration legal services for survivors who are seeking/have sought asylum, including but not limited to TPS, VAWA, T visas, U visas, and family-based adjustment of status. 

• Maintain, review, update/improve as needed, and ensure programmatic goals, policies, procedures, and best practices for the provision of legal services are followed by LSP.
• This includes policies and practices on: intakes, criteria for case acceptance, case placement, case opening, retainer content, case flow process and steps for each case type, client meetings, declaration writing, evidence gathering, standards for submissions for each case type, motions practice, communication with agency and court officials, standards for legal briefs, interview and hearing preparation and representation, client communication, and case closure. 
• Ensure best practices and standards are followed for our electronic case management system, master client data list, physical file maintenance, and all internal LSP organizational systems to track mail, calls, evaluations, intakes, etc. Review and update these practices as needed.
• Manage team cooperation and communication processes within LSP and with other teams.
• Ensure legal ethical rules are understood and followed.
• Continue developing and updating training programs for interns and staff. 
• Coordinate LSP services with other TASSC staff and teams, which may include a Clinical Services Program (CSP) comprising case managers and therapists. Work with the CSP Manager to coordinate and provide trauma-informed interdisciplinary services. With the CSP Manager, lead regular interdisciplinary meetings with all LSP and CSP staff to coordinate the best trauma-informed interdisciplinary care for clients. With CSP Manager, continue reviewing, implementing, and improving interdisciplinary best practices, meeting both professions’ goals and ethical requirements.
• Lead with LSP team the coordination of forensic medical and psychological evaluations with our external partners.
• Coordinate with CSP Manager to coordinate forensic evaluations.
• Work with LSP to determine case priorities for evaluations. Maintain internal spreadsheets for evaluation coordination and prioritization.
• In coordination with Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney, continue to grow Pro Bono Program, review and update policies and best practices, and increase case assignments to partner firms.
• Prepare and submit regular grant reports documenting compliance with requirements under the various grants that fund LSP.
• Identify, analyze, and respond to legal and/or procedural changes that affect survivors of torture and other asylum seekers, including statutory changes, executive orders, proposed regulations, and decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals or the federal courts;
• Ensure provision of regular Know Your Rights presentations for survivors, with a frequency determined by grant requirements.
• Identify need for staff positions; advertise for, onboard, and train new staff.
• Hire at least one legal intern per semester and ensure a variety of legal work and training opportunities.
• Provide guidance and updates on developments in immigration law to all survivors and TASSC staff, volunteers, and interns.
• Monitor and address LSP staff needs.

 Supervision 

• Provide supervision and advice on all cases to LSP staff, including attorneys, legal interns, fellows, and in coordination with Pro Bono Coordinating attorney, pro bono attorneys.
• This includes reviewing and editing draft declarations, briefs, motions, evidence, and final submissions; strategizing on individual cases, and providing feedback on overall work with clients.
• Hold regular meetings with each staff member to review work, discuss process and case strategy, and update work plan.
• Ensure all staff and interns receive thorough training and continuing legal education. 
• Hold periodic performance reviews and help staff identify and achieve goals.

Direct Representation 

• Provide representation to caseload of affirmative and defensive asylum cases, as well as other related cases.

Benefits 

TASSC provides a competitive benefits package which includes 80% covered medical and dental, 403B, Ruth 403B options, 120 hours vacation in the first year, 96 hours personal/sick time, 13 paid holidays, and a week off between Christmas and New Year’s.  

Requirements

• Law degree (JD or LLM) from an ABA-accredited US institution and admission to any state bar;
• Five years of experience in direct representation of asylum seekers, preferably survivors of torture or serious trauma, before USCIS Asylum Offices and EOIR Immigration Court. Experience before the Board of Immigration Appeals or Federal Court a plus;
• Two years of management experience in immigration legal services, or similar experience;
• Commitment to working with survivors of torture and/or trauma, and commitment to client-centered, trauma-informed, zealous advocacy;
• Commitment to well-being of staff, and commitment to understand and try to prevent vicarious trauma and burnout;
• Commitment to the interdisciplinary process;
• Ability to communicate patiently, respectfully, and empathetically with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including survivors coming from many different countries;
• Ability to manage numerous tasks simultaneously, work under pressure, and identify and properly analyze legal issues, all while meeting deadlines;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills characterized by clarity and accuracy;
• A commitment to learning about the effects of torture on survivors, their families, and their communities;
• Experience working with interpreters and translators desired.

Level of Language Proficiency 

• Fluency in a second language a plus (particularly Amharic, French, or Arabic)