Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) fights poverty and seeks racial, social and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. For over 50 years, we have challenged systemic injustices that trap people in poverty and provided legal services that help our clients meet basic needs for housing, income and economic security, family and immigration stability, education, and health care. LSNYC is the largest civil legal services provider in the country; our staff of more than 600 people in neighborhood-based offices and outreach sites across all five boroughs helps hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers annually. We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations, elected officials, public agencies, pro bono lawyers, and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equity for all low-income New Yorkers.
LSNYC employees have numerous opportunities for growth and professional development, including access to our internal Justice Learning Center, which provides opportunities to earn free CLEs and gain experience as a trainer.
Immigration Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney
New York, NY
LSNYC’s Pro Bono Program
LSNYC’s Pro Bono Program engages a range of private partners on behalf of thousands of low-income New Yorkers across multiple practice areas. Managed by a director, two deputy directors, three other immigration attorneys, a bankruptcy attorney, three housing and public benefits attorneys, and five paralegals, the Pro Bono Program works with LSNYC staff and pro bono partners to create and manage pro bono projects, place cases, run clinics, train and mentor volunteers, access in-kind resources, and match individual volunteers with appropriate LSNYC offices. LSNYC’s private partners include nearly 125 law firms and corporations, along with law schools, bar associations, and individual volunteers. Last year we worked with more than 5,000 volunteers and secured donated time valued at nearly $100 million.
Immigration makes up about half of our pro bono work. We conduct more than 100 pro bono immigration clinics and study groups each year, which are primarily the launch of full representation engagements for volunteers. Collectively, our pro bono immigration initiatives serve more than one thousand low-income New Yorkers. This work compliments a dozen other non-immigration pro bono initiatives focused on housing, public benefits, transgender name changes, and more. We operate a high-volume practice, with more than 5,000 pro bono cases annually at law firms, impacting thousands of New Yorkers each year.
Opportunity
As immigration enforcement has intensified—including increased detention of our current clients—our program is expanding its capacity to respond. We are seeking an experienced immigration attorney to mentor pro bono attorneys in detained and removal cases, and to provide training and mentorship on cases in our longstanding pro bono immigration work: LGBTQ+ asylum, VAWA Self-Petition & Battered Spouse Waiver, U visa, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, adjustment of status, family preparedness, and naturalizations. The ideal candidate will also bring federal litigation skills, including habeas corpus petitions, to our practice.
The Immigration Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney will work with the Pro Bono Director, Pro Bono Deputy Director, and other Immigration Pro Bono Coordinating Attorneys and paralegals to expand and operate pro bono immigration clinics, trainings, mentoring, and case placements.
We are searching for an applicant who is innovative, highly organized, responsive, skilled at public speaking, experienced with leading teams and managing a high volume of pro bono cases, and a problem-solver with strong interpersonal skills.
Under the supervision of the Pro Bono Deputy Director, the Immigration Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney’s duties will include:
• Provide expert legal support for pro bono attorneys who are representing clients on immigration matters, including removal proceedings, habeas petitions, affirmative asylum, VAWA, U visa, SIJS, adjustment of status, family preparedness and naturalization.
• Provide expert legal support for pro bono attorneys who file habeas corpus petitions in federal district court on behalf of clients who are unlawfully detained
• Administer frequent (primarily virtual) pro bono clinics with law firms
• Conduct regular trainings for pro bono attorneys and other volunteers
• Develop and improve training materials for pro bono attorneys
• Coordinate first and second-level screening of prospective clients
• Draft case descriptions to pitch to pro bono attorneys
• Coordinate with volunteers to place and follow up on cases
• Research and assist with outreach and policy updates to law firms and corporations
• Assist with program evaluation
• Assist with development of new immigration pro bono programs to expand services
• Participate in and assist with pro bono events
• Maintain databases and case tracking, with support from other members of the pro bono team
• Oversee regular reporting to the key funder for this position
• Maintain a small direct representation caseload
Applicants must have the following qualifications:
• At least 5 years of experience as an immigration attorney
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in removal defense (including asylum and VAWA cancellation), bond hearings, and detained docket matters
• Experience with federal litigation, including drafting court briefs and motions, and habeas corpus petitions
• Experience with affirmative asylum, VAWA Self-Petitions, Battered Spouse Waivers, U-visas, adjustment of status, and naturalizations
• Track record of coordinating a high volume of clients and/or volunteers
• Collaborative mindset and team player
• Highly self-motivated
• Strong writing and analytical skills
• Demonstrated excellent organizational skills
• Consistent ability to pay close attention to details
• Excellent communication skills
• Demonstrated communication habits that are consistently prompt and highly responsive
• Ability to work with people from a range of backgrounds – including clients who are low-income, LSNYC staff, and attorneys from law firms and corporations
• Skilled presenter, with experience providing trainings on substantive legal issues
• Applicants must have a J.D. from an accredited law school and be admitted to the New York Bar
Preferred qualifications:
• Experience as a pro bono attorney at a large law firm or corporation
• Experience working with a pro bono program at a nonprofit
• Experience working with survivors of intimate partner violence and/or sexual assault
• Experience working with trans and gender nonconforming clients
• Experience implementing and operationalizing new initiatives/programs
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we hope to fill this position as soon as possible. Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply quickly.
Salary and benefits determined by the LSNYC Collective Bargaining Agreement.
LSNYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40 and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are welcome and encouraged to apply.
Dependent on work history and experience.
All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.
Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are strongly encouraged to apply.
Skills Required
- At least 5 years of experience as an immigration attorney
- Expertise in removal defense, including asylum, VAWA cancellation, bond hearings, and detained docket matters
- Experience with federal litigation, court briefs, motions, and habeas corpus petitions
- Experience with affirmative asylum, VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, U visas, adjustment of status, and naturalizations
- Experience coordinating a high volume of clients and/or volunteers
- Collaborative mindset and ability to work as part of a team
- Highly self-motivated
- Strong writing and analytical skills
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
- Excellent communication skills and prompt responsiveness
- Ability to work with low-income clients, staff, law firms, and corporations
- Skilled presenter with experience providing substantive legal training
- J.D. from an accredited law school
- Admission to the New York Bar
- Experience as a pro bono attorney at a large law firm or corporation
- Experience working with a nonprofit pro bono program
- Experience with survivors of intimate partner violence and/or sexual assault
- Experience with transgender and gender nonconforming clients
- Experience implementing and operationalizing new initiatives or programs
What We Do
Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) is a civil legal services organization serving low-income New Yorkers across all five boroughs. It provides free legal assistance and advocacy addressing housing, economic security, family and immigration stability, education, and health care. LSNYC also challenges systemic injustices, partners with community organizations and pro bono providers, and works to advance racial, social, and economic justice for all.
