Managing Attorney

Job Posting Organization:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian organization that helps people affected by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and rebuild their lives. Established in 1933, the IRC operates in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities, providing assistance to refugees and displaced persons. The organization is committed to empowering individuals and communities to regain control of their lives and achieve self-sufficiency. With a workforce of more than 14,000 employees, the IRC focuses on various sectors including health, education, economic wellbeing, and protection, ensuring that the most vulnerable populations receive the support they need.

Job Overview:
The Managing Attorney will play a pivotal role in overseeing immigration legal services at IRC-NY. This includes managing the NY Pro Se Assistance Program, which offers comprehensive legal consultations, immigration court preparation, asylum application support, and other pro se filing assistance to individuals facing removal proceedings. Additionally, the Managing Attorney will lead IRC's longstanding immigration legal services program, which provides low-cost legal services to refugees, immigrants, and community members seeking family reunification, adjustment of status, naturalization, and other immigration benefits before USCIS. The ideal candidate will possess not only legal expertise but also the ability to motivate and mentor a team of legal professionals in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. The position requires close collaboration with community partners, local IRC-NY leadership, and the Legal Services Technical Unit at IRC’s headquarters, which oversees IRC’s 24 legal service programs across the U.S., including four offices that have removal defense programs. The Managing Attorney will also strategize on funding for sustainable legal services and bring enthusiasm and vision for shaping legal design" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">program design.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Managing Attorney will oversee legal strategy through daily direct supervision of a team of legal practitioners, including attorneys and Department of Justice-accredited representatives. Responsibilities include employing adaptive management techniques to provide regular individual supervision and support, mentoring staff, setting clear performance expectations and goals, providing regular performance feedback, helping prioritize workloads, troubleshooting challenges, and maintaining appropriate professional development plans. The Managing Attorney will develop and monitor intake procedures, case acceptance policies, and caseload targets and limits. They will provide direct legal representation to a limited caseload of clients before USCIS, including on complex cases. The role involves actively co-facilitating and supporting grant opening, grant review, and grant closing meetings, leading all aspects of the grant cycle, including developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation plans. The Managing Attorney will ensure program data is collected consistently, managed appropriately, and reported timely, using IRC’s legal case management database and other relevant case management systems. They will ensure effective integration of internships and volunteers within programs, collaborate with other IRC program areas to ensure client-centered services, and establish, maintain, and periodically refresh legal services program policies and procedures in collaboration with IRC’s Legal Services Technical Unit. Regular case file reviews will be conducted to ensure compliance with legal case management procedures. The Managing Attorney will also create and maintain a viable outreach strategy to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with community-based organizations, the private bar, and nonprofit legal providers, pursuing program initiatives with partners that further goals and address unmet demand. Finally, they will serve as a strong advocate for humanitarian immigrants.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a law degree (JD or LLM) from an ABA-accredited U.S. institution and be a member in good standing of any state bar. A minimum of 5 to 7 years’ experience providing direct representation to refugees and other humanitarian migrants in affirmative applications such as adjustment of status, naturalization, family petitions, and consular processing is required. Experience representing asylum seekers before the immigration court and the Board of Immigration Appeals is essential. At least 2 years of experience providing supervision to attorneys and/or DOJ accredited representatives in a legal services context is necessary, along with program management experience preferred. Candidates should have experience managing and administering private and public grants, including grant proposals, budgeting, and reporting, with fundraising experience preferred. Strong legal supervision skills and superb legal judgment are critical, as is the ability to oversee and provide supervision on a reasonably high case volume and work under time pressure. Experience organizing and facilitating immigration workshops and immigration information sessions is also beneficial. Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills are essential, as is the ability to work collaboratively with local leadership and the HQ Legal Services Technical Unit.

Educational Background:
The position requires a law degree (JD or LLM) from an ABA-accredited U.S. institution. Candidates must also be a member in good standing of any state bar, ensuring that they have met the necessary educational and professional standards to practice law in the United States.

Experience:
The Managing Attorney should have a minimum of 5 to 7 years of experience in providing direct legal representation to refugees and other humanitarian migrants. This experience should include working on affirmative applications such as adjustment of status, naturalization, family petitions, and consular processing. Additionally, candidates should have experience representing asylum seekers before the immigration court and the Board of Immigration Appeals. At least 2 years of supervisory experience in a legal services context is required, along with program management experience preferred.

Languages:
Bilingual proficiency in one or more languages is preferred, with Spanish, French, and Arabic being particularly valuable. This language capability will enhance communication with clients and community partners, ensuring that services are accessible to a diverse population of immigrants and refugees.

Additional Notes:
The position offers a competitive compensation package with a pay rate ranging from $95,000 to $109,00

• These ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers will be calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience, and skills relative to the defined job requirements. The role is full-time and may require frequent travel in and around the service area to engage with clients and community partners.