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Immigration Staff Attorney

Reports to

Legal Director

Location

Phoenix, AZ (Hybrid)

Salary

$85,000-$100,000

The Role

Who We Are

The Phoenix Legal Action Network (PLAN) promotes justice in Arizona by partnering with immigrant-led organizations to advance the rights of immigrants and their families in Phoenix. We are a small and growing nonprofit organization with three staff. Our staff is supported by a dedicated and engaged Board of Directors, the majority of who are women of color and identify with the immigrant experience. PLAN has been providing free immigration legal services to low income, non-detained immigrants since 2018. We also understand that legal services, while important, do not change the laws and systems that oppress and exclude immigrant communities, nor do they shift access to justice from attorneys to the people. In recognition of these limitations, PLAN incorporates social movement and systems change strategies in its work to transfer power away from systems and lawyers and to immigrant communities. Currently, we partner with local immigrant-led organizations to provide free immigration legal services, build community power, and use storytelling to push back against anti-immigrant narratives. In the next 1-3 years, we also hope to expand to provide other free civil legal services to immigrants and engage in systems advocacy efforts. Learn more about us at www.planphx.org.

About this position

PLAN is looking for a strong immigration advocate for our Immigration Legal Services including direct representation and rapid response efforts. The ideal candidate is committed to equity and justice and centering the experiences of the immigrant clients and communities we work with. This is a one-year funded position, and PLAN is committed to working proactively to secure ongoing funding and transition this into a permanent role.

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Primary Responsibilities ‍

  • Provide free legal representation to low income, non-detained immigrants in Maricopa County facing imminent deportation. Includes representation before the Phoenix Immigration Court, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), and at times before the Board of Immigration Appeals.
  • Conduct legal screenings and consultations to assess legal issues and develop case strategies grounded in client goals.
  • Oversee and provide limited scope advice and brief services for rapid response efforts including community legal clinic. Oversee and coordinate weekly legal clinics one night a week with community partners.
  • Recruit, train, and manage legal volunteers for the legal clinics.
  • Build community trust with immigrant-led organizations. This includes participating in PLAN's immigration coalition work and rapid response planning and growing legal knowledge within the immigrant community through legal education and outreach.
  • Collaborate with local immigrant-led organizations to grow legal knowledge within the immigrant community. This includes, but is not limited to, providing community legal education, creating new frameworks for attorney accountability, and hosting legal clinics.
  • Support with gathering immigration legal services data for grant reporting.

Qualifications

We welcome and encourage people of all experiences and backgrounds to apply, but because one of our values is centering immigrant voices, we will prioritize applicants who:

  • Identify as immigrants, including but not limited to, DACAmented immigrants, formerly undocumented immigrants, immigrants with only work authorization, U.S. citizens in mixed status families, immigrants with status, individuals impacted by the immigration deportation machine, and first-generation immigrants;

  • and/or are involved in the local immigrant community.

Required Qualifications

  • Passion for PLAN’s mission, vision, and values and interest in acting as PLAN’s ambassador in the community.
  • Professional proficiency in English AND Spanish. A person with professional proficiency can speak at a normal speed in the language and has a fairly extensive vocabulary but may require help understanding subtle and nuanced phrasing.
  • Reside in the Phoenix-metro area or willing to relocate there. • J.D. degree and license to practice law in any U.S. state or jurisdiction (if awaiting bar results, may also apply).
  • At least 1 year experience of direct representation (includes law school clinical/intern experience), or 1 year post-law school experience in related area (e.g. public defense, civil legal services, etc.)
  • Strong legal research and writing skills.
  • Highly organized, detail-oriented, with ability to work in high-volume settings with limited resources.
  • Proven understanding of office applications including Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, and other similar applications.
  • Travel to court, community events, and other locations will be required; must have valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
  • Independent problem-solver with strong professional ethics.
  • Demonstrated commitment to immigrant justice and/or racial equity.
  • Good team player. PLAN is a small organization and staff wear multiple hats to meet the needs of our community.

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Desired Qualifications

  • First-hand experience with the immigration system and involvement with immigrant-led organizations and/or movements locally (preferred) or nationally.
  • Prior experience working with trauma survivors and/or individuals affected by the criminal punishment system.
  • Experience with and/or interest in learning about movement lawyering and other areas of law to support our local immigrant community.
  • Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to work with diverse populations.

Application Process & Timeline

This is an immediate opening. Applications will be accepted & reviewed on an ongoing basis. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to hiring@planphx.org. The cover letter should be no longer than one page and outline your commitment and passion to PLAN’s mission and highlight the specific skills and experiences you possess that directly relate to the job requirements.
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What to Expect After Submitting Your Application?

  1. Screening Interview: We will contact qualified applicants to schedule an initial screening interview.
  2. Interview with Hiring Committee: We will invite top applicants to an interview with the hiring committee.
  3. References & Writing Sample: To better assess the quality and style of an applicant’s work, we will invite a final short list of applicants to submit references and a writing sample.
  4. Final Decision: Finalists will be notified of PLAN’s decision promptly thereafter.

Non-Discrimination Statement & Policy

The Phoenix Legal Action Network is enriched by the many experiences and perspectives of its board members, staff, volunteers, partner organizations, and other stakeholders.  We are committed in policy, principle, and practice to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for people with diverse identities, providing an equal opportunity for all persons, and prohibiting discriminatory behavior.The Phoenix Legal Action Network prohibits discrimination in any of its activities or operations on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex or gender (including pregnancy, sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct), age, marital status, national or ethnic origin or ancestry, mental or physical disability, political belief or affiliation, veteran status, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression (including transgender or non-binary identity), genetic information, and any other characteristic protected under applicable local, state, or federal law.  These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of Board members, volunteers and partner organizations, and provision of services.  Retaliation for reporting any such acts of discrimination is also prohibited.

Questions

Please do not hesitate to contact PLAN’s Executive Director, Golden McCarthy, at golden@planphx.org.