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Harlingen Staff Attorney
Harlingen, TX
Job Description
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights invites applications for the position of Staff Attorney in the Young Center’s Harlingen regional office. This position is a unique opportunity for an attorney to engage in written and oral advocacy on behalf of children in removal proceedings. The Staff Attorney will draft and submit best interest recommendations in immigration court, before asylum offices, to public interest attorneys, to the pro bono bar, and to the three federal agencies (DHS, HHS and DOJ) with responsibility for unaccompanied children in the United States.
In Harlingen, the Staff Attorney will work directly with detained children and children released to families or sponsors, to advocate for their best interests with respect to their custody, conditions of release, and their immigration proceedings. The Staff Attorney will help recruit, train and supervise bilingual and bicultural volunteer Child Advocates—teachers, law students, social workers, community members—who will work one-on-one with children. The Young Center team is a passionate and collegial group of professionals—attorneys, social workers, and administrative staff—committed to ensuring that children receive the full protection of federal immigration law, domestic child welfare law and international human rights law.
Duties and Responsibilities: The Staff Attorney’s primary responsibilities will be to:
• Supervise volunteers appointed as Child Advocate for unaccompanied and separated children in federal custody in Harlingen.
• Serve as Child Advocate for particularly complex cases.
• Visit children as needed, speak with parents, family members and stakeholders, draft case summaries.
• Draft and submit best interest briefs to immigration judges, asylum officers, attorneys, and federal agencies, applying federal, state and international law.
• Accompany children and their Child Advocates to immigration court, as well as state juvenile and family court.
• Help recruit, train and supervise volunteer Child Advocates for the Young Center Child Advocate program serving children in the Harlingen area.
• Develop relationships and coordinate with stakeholders serving unaccompanied children in the Harlingen area.
• Assist with monthly reporting, attend stakeholder meetings, participate in working groups, and take on other program responsibilities as needed
• Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Requirements:
• J.D., authorization to practice law
• Critical thinking skills and organizational skills
• Ability to work collaboratively
• Strong writing skills
• Aptitude and thoughtfulness in how to work with children
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office
• Proficient in Spanish (oral and written)
• Valid license and access to a car for driving to facilities
Preferred Qualifications:
• Prior experience working with children, trauma survivors, or immigrants/refugees
• Ability to take initiative and work independently
• Enthusiasm for working with volunteers and children
• Passion, tenacity and optimism for the issues affecting immigrant children, and their families
Physical Demands: Physical demands include regular attendance; keyboarding; sitting for long periods (at least 5 hours a day); driving. Ability to use computer, telephone, and copy machine. Ability to travel by plane, car and other conveyances within U.S.
Job offer is conditioned on clearance of fingerprint criminal background check, child abuse and neglect check (CANTS) and tuberculosis test.
The Young Center is an "at-will" and equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in and affirmatively factors diversity into its hiring practices. Young Center encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, marital or parental status, pregnancy, citizenship, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, genetic information, or veterans’ status. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process; no application will be penalized for requesting an accommodation. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.
In Harlingen, the Staff Attorney will work directly with detained children and children released to families or sponsors, to advocate for their best interests with respect to their custody, conditions of release, and their immigration proceedings. The Staff Attorney will help recruit, train and supervise bilingual and bicultural volunteer Child Advocates—teachers, law students, social workers, community members—who will work one-on-one with children. The Young Center team is a passionate and collegial group of professionals—attorneys, social workers, and administrative staff—committed to ensuring that children receive the full protection of federal immigration law, domestic child welfare law and international human rights law.
Duties and Responsibilities: The Staff Attorney’s primary responsibilities will be to:
• Supervise volunteers appointed as Child Advocate for unaccompanied and separated children in federal custody in Harlingen.
• Serve as Child Advocate for particularly complex cases.
• Visit children as needed, speak with parents, family members and stakeholders, draft case summaries.
• Draft and submit best interest briefs to immigration judges, asylum officers, attorneys, and federal agencies, applying federal, state and international law.
• Accompany children and their Child Advocates to immigration court, as well as state juvenile and family court.
• Help recruit, train and supervise volunteer Child Advocates for the Young Center Child Advocate program serving children in the Harlingen area.
• Develop relationships and coordinate with stakeholders serving unaccompanied children in the Harlingen area.
• Assist with monthly reporting, attend stakeholder meetings, participate in working groups, and take on other program responsibilities as needed
• Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Requirements:
• J.D., authorization to practice law
• Critical thinking skills and organizational skills
• Ability to work collaboratively
• Strong writing skills
• Aptitude and thoughtfulness in how to work with children
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office
• Proficient in Spanish (oral and written)
• Valid license and access to a car for driving to facilities
Preferred Qualifications:
• Prior experience working with children, trauma survivors, or immigrants/refugees
• Ability to take initiative and work independently
• Enthusiasm for working with volunteers and children
• Passion, tenacity and optimism for the issues affecting immigrant children, and their families
Physical Demands: Physical demands include regular attendance; keyboarding; sitting for long periods (at least 5 hours a day); driving. Ability to use computer, telephone, and copy machine. Ability to travel by plane, car and other conveyances within U.S.
Job offer is conditioned on clearance of fingerprint criminal background check, child abuse and neglect check (CANTS) and tuberculosis test.
The Young Center is an "at-will" and equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in and affirmatively factors diversity into its hiring practices. Young Center encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, marital or parental status, pregnancy, citizenship, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, genetic information, or veterans’ status. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process; no application will be penalized for requesting an accommodation. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.
Special Notes/Instructions
Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please
apply through our website at theyoungcenter.org/careers, including a cover letter, resume, three
references, and a writing sample. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Job Summary
Employment Term and Type
Regular, Full Time
Salary and Benefits
$61,000
Salary is commensurate with experience. For this position, salaries will start at $61,000 annually.
The Young Center provides an excellent benefits package, including health/dental/vision
insurance (employee & dependents) at no cost to the employee, paid vacation and sick time, and
a 401(k) plan with employer match
Required Education
Doctorate
Required Experience
Open
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