Attorney at Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement – Omaha, Nebraska

POSITION TITLE: Attorney
REPORTS TO: Lead Attorney
WORKSITE: Omaha or Lincoln, Nebraska
COMPENSATION​​​​

• Salary range of $70,000 – $80,000, commensurate with experience
• Excellent benefits including:
  • Unlimited paid time off (including employee birthday); 9 paid holidays with year-end holiday break
  • Medical, dental, vision, life, and AD&D insurance; 403b retirement plan with an automatic 5% contribution; and FMLA
  • Employee Wellness Program (including enriching snacks, support groups, and engaging activities)
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (includes life event referral program, 5 free counseling sessions, financial and legal resources, and employee discount/savings program)
  • Yearly stipends for employee development opportunities
  • Relocation assistance; travel and expense reimbursement

ORGANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION

In 2022, Immigrant Legal Center and Refugee Empowerment Center merged, and the combined nonprofit organization is now the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement (CIRA).  CIRA’s mission is to empower immigrants and refugees to live confidently through high-quality legal representation, resettlement, and social work and to create welcoming communities through education and advocacy.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Each Attorney is an integral part of CIRA’s Legal Department. The core functions of this position, described in more detail below, are: (1) direct representation; (2) client communication; and (3) education and advocacy. This attorney position is housed within the Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) Team, which specializes in seeking SIJ predicate findings before Nebraska state courts and representing noncitizen youth in SIJ, asylum, and removal defense, but also handles other humanitarian and family-based immigration matters for children and adults. CIRA is a recognized leader in SIJ practice in Nebraska; we continuously advocate for broader access to SIJ status through necessary legislative reforms, appellate litigation, and training and mentorship for the bench, the bar, and other stakeholders.

CORE FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION
Direct Representation

• Work with and maintain collaborative communication with attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives, and staff who contribute to serving clients who may qualify for immigration relief
• Represent adult and child clients before Nebraska County and District Courts, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Omaha Immigration Court, Board of Immigration Appeals, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• Manage a caseload of Special Immigrant Juvenile cases in state courts and before federal agencies, affirmative and defensive asylum cases, and other humanitarian and family-based case types for which SIJ-eligible youth and their immediate family members may also qualify.
• Collaborate with CIRA’s social work department to ensure that “Unaccompanied Child” clients receive supportive case management services
• Contribute to targeted legal service delivery (such as relief-specific legal clinics) to represent particularly vulnerable populations in seeking specific forms of immigration relief
• Maintain complete and accurate client records in physical files and on CIRA’s case management software, including but not limited to logging all new activities, filing receipts, correspondence, and filings in the case file, tracking reminders and deadlines, meeting those deadlines, etc., as described in detail in CIRA’s Legal Procedures Manual
• Effectively and efficiently track open and closed cases using CIRA’s case management software

Client Communication

• Maintain regular contact with clients and promptly return calls in accordance with the Legal Procedures Manual
• Keep clients aware of the status of their case
• Inform clients of the risks and benefits of applying for immigration relief
• Maintain an accurate record of every client communication within CIRA’s case management system

Education and Advocacy

• Contribute to outreach and education programs related to Special Immigrant Juvenile status, other forms of humanitarian protection, and the rights of noncitizens under U.S. law
• Engage in community education and advocacy to promote an accurate understanding of immigration law and policy and to advocate for changes that will positively benefit humanitarian and family-based immigrants

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must have a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited school of law in the United States
• Licensed to practice law in Nebraska or able to obtain a license to practice law in Nebraska
• A minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience practicing immigration law in the United States preferred
• Knowledge of immigration and nationality law or Nebraska family or juvenile law is required
• Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred but not required
• Exceptional legal research and writing ability and impeccable organizational skills
• Ability to manage confidential documents and communications in a professional manner
• Strong interpersonal communication and people skills
• Commitment to CIRA’s mission and values in serving immigrants, refugees, and newcomers, and a demonstrated commitment to public interest law
• Deep understanding of and ability to work sensitively and well with people of diverse national, ethnic, cultural, religious, and gender identities, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Fluency in using Office 365 applications (ex. Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, etc.) and the ability to learn new data management software
• Exhibits responsibility through consistent attendance, effective time management, dependability, self-discipline, flexibility, and working independently
• Ability to work in a team and handle multiple tasks in an organized and timely manner
• Impeccable integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed
• Ability to think strategically, problem-solve, exercise good judgment, and lead change
• Openly supports departmental and organizational changes and demonstrates comfort working in a rapidly growing and evolving organization
• Ability to take initiative and make difficult decisions when necessary
• Ability to pass all required background checks
• Must be authorized to work in the United States

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This job consists of regularly sitting at a desk and using a computer and phone
• This is not a remote position
• Workdays pertain to a Monday – Friday schedule, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, with occasional flexibility required

TO APPLY
Please upload a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three professional references all in PDF format to the job application link.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities associated with it.

INCLUSION & EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement (CIRA) makes all employment decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We evaluate candidates exclusively on their ability to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Selection criteria are applied uniformly to all candidates regardless of protected characteristics.
CIRA is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity. We do not discriminate based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, military service, or any characteristics prohibited by law. This policy governs all aspects of employment at CIRA, including recruiting, hiring, assignments, training, promotions, compensation, employee benefits, employee discipline and discharge, and all other terms and conditions of employment.