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Staff Attorney - Immigration Law
NH Legal Assistance
About NHLA: Recognized nationally for our achievements, NHLA has a proud history of aggressive, creative advocacy for low-income and elderly clients in federal and state courts, as well as legislative and administrative forums. Because NHLA does not receive federal Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funding, we are not subject to LSC’s restrictions on lobbying, class action litigation or welfare reform work. NHLA’s resources are primarily focused on housing, health, income benefits, elder law, domestic violence, and public utilities. NHLA operates five branch law offices and a number of statewide projects.
NHLA receives generous support from a broad spectrum of the New Hampshire community and beyond. Its largest funding sources are the State of New Hampshire and the Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA) program of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation. It has received grants from numerous local, state and national foundations, United Ways, and municipal, state and federal agencies. Also important is the ongoing support of local law firms, individual lawyers and others in the business community through the annual Campaign for Legal Services.
NHLA has been a pioneer in in promoting salary improvements, law school loan assistance, and other measures that enhance staff recruitment and retention in order to provide its clients with creative and skillful advocacy.
NHLA carries out its work in partnership with the Legal Advice and Referral Center (LARC), which provides legal advice by telephone and online intake. NHLA and LARC have integrated boards of directors which meet together and function as one policy-making and oversight body to unify the direction and vision of the two organizations. A third key partner is the Pro Bono Referral Program of the New Hampshire Bar Association which recruits and trains private attorneys to assist low income families and individuals with basic legal issues. NHLA’s advocates collaborate with a range of community agencies and allies in the legal system and in the social service network.
NHLA is a cornerstone New Hampshire nonprofit, marking its 50th anniversary in 2021.
For more information visit www.nhla.org
Position Summary
New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA) seeks an experienced Immigration Law Staff Attorney to launch a new Removal Defense Project. All applications received by 5:00 PM on Friday, January 29, 2021 will be considered. NHLA expects to conduct video interviews during the week of February 8, 2021. The anticipated start date for the selected candidate is no later than April 5, 2021.
The Removal Defense Project will assist low-income people detained at the Strafford County House of Corrections and facing removal from the United States. The Immigration Law Staff Attorney will represent people facing removal, including at hearings to contest removability and Individual Merits Hearings on the client’s application for relief from removal. The Immigration Law Staff Attorney will partner closely with immigration legal services providers in the northern New England region to maximize the reach and effectiveness of the Removal Defense Project. The Immigration Law Staff Attorney will be fully integrated in NHLA’s poverty law practice, allowing for holistic representation of Removal Defense Project clients and family members by NHLA advocates specializing in areas such as housing and public benefits.
The Immigration Law Staff Attorney will be based in NHLA’s Manchester or Portsmouth office. Regular travel to the Strafford County House of Corrections in Dover, NH and the Boston Immigration Court in Boston, MA is anticipated, as well as occasional travel throughout New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont. Mileage reimbursement is provided. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NHLA is operating primarily through remote work, with a comprehensive, phased plan for returning to office-based work. Staff members are provided with the necessary equipment (such as laptop computers) to work from their homes.
Salary/Benefits:
This position is considered exempt for the purpose of federal wage/hour law. Salary DOE, expected to be approximately $64,000 to $75,000 per year, plus benefits package including medical/dental insurance, retirement plan, and generous paid time off.
Requirements:
Qualifications and Competencies:
- Law degree and license to practice in at least one United States jurisdiction; admission to the New Hampshire Bar or eligibility for admission on motion a plus.
- At least five years’ experience practicing immigration law.
- Removal defense experience a plus.
- Experience handling or identifying issues for appeals a plus.
- Experience working alongside low-income clients and communities a plus.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with other practitioners, advocates, and organizations.
- Ability to speak Spanish or another language in addition to English a plus.
- Commitment to and interest in expanding knowledge about access to justice and poverty.
Responsibilities:
Duties:
- Participate actively in network of immigration legal services providers and immigration advocates in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts
- Collaborate with nonprofit and academic immigration legal services providers in the region to develop screening, referral, and intake protocols, as well as initial Removal Defense Project case acceptance priorities
- Represent low-income clients detained at the Strafford County House of Corrections and facing removal from the United States, in partnership with other immigration legal services providers in the region as appropriate
- Integrate Removal Defense Project with other poverty law practice areas at NHLA, including other immigration law work
- Implement NHLA’s holistic, client-centered approach to civil legal aid, including language access, cultural competency, and trauma-informed practices
How to Apply:
Applications: Send a cover letter and resume to officemanager@nhla.org by January 29, 2021. In your cover email or cover letter, please tell us in which office you would prefer to work (Manchester, or Portsmouth). Please also feel free to tell us anything that will help us communicate respectfully with you, including your preferred pronouns, the pronunciation of your name, or anything else you want us to know.
NHLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse staff that reflects the communities of low-income and older (age 60 plus) people NHLA works alongside, and we value equity and inclusion in our workplace. NHLA actively seeks applications from Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, people of diverse national origin, the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, older adults, veterans, people who have lived experience with poverty, and other people belonging to communities that have historically experienced injustice.
Salary Range:
Job Location: DOE
Manchester or Portsmouth
Date Added: January 12, 2021
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