Asian Counseling and Referral Office, Employment and Citizenship Services - Immigration Attorney


Asian Counseling and Referral Service, a non-profit organization, promotes social justice and the
well-being and empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities - including immigrants, refugees, and American-born - by developing, providing and advocating for innovative, effective and efficient community-based multilingual and multicultural services.

Position:
To provide legal consultation and direct representation to individuals in removal proceedings at the Northwest Detention Center, and also to non- detained individuals at Seattle Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Responsibilities:

  • Prepares applications for all types of immigration relief, including drafting, declarations, legal briefs, motions, and pleadings; gathering evidence; and conducting country conditions research.
  • Provides direct representation to clients in removal proceedings in Immigration Court, as well as appellate work before the Board of Immigration Appeals and Ninth Circuit, and affirmative applications before the Department of Homeland Security.
  • Conducts eligibility screenings and legal consultations.
  • Works closely with agency staff and/or other mental health providers to ensure that clients receive comprehensive services addressing their needs beyond legal representation.
  • Develops materials to aid clients and pro se respondents as they endeavor to navigate the complex immigration system.
  • Supervises and mentors pro-bono attorneys and dedicated program staff, including paralegal/intern/AmeriCorps staff.
  • Provides legal support to ACRS’ Citizenship team, including DOJ-accredited representatives and other dedicated program staff through regular meetings, consultation, case assistance, and mentorship.
  • Conducts outreach related to immigration issues faced by members of the low-income immigrant communities that ACRS serves, including coordinating ad-hoc legal clinics,
    participating in the Legal Orientation Program (LOP), and conducting know-your-rights workshops.
  • Serves as ACRS’ representative within the Seattle-King County Expanded Legal Defense Network, a role which includes participation in quarterly meetings, regular phone calls, and corresponding program development efforts.
  • Performs administrative tasks related to grant reporting and other requirements.
  • Maintains a working knowledge of significant policies, laws and trends in immigration law, particularly as they impact low-income immigrants and those impacted by the criminal
    justice system.

Qualifications: 

  • Juris Doctorate degree with membership in good standing in the bar of any state and/or the District of Columbia.
  • Minimum of three to five years’ experience practicing immigration law, with a strong preference for three or more years of experience in removal defense work, including detained and non-detained cases, criminal/immigration, bond hearings, etc.
  • Experience working with people from diverse backgrounds, including low-income populations,
  • people who are marginally housed, immigrants, LGBTQ individuals, people of color and/or
  • persons with disabilities.
  • Sensitivity working with refugees and other survivors of trauma.
  • Must have valid driver’s license as position will require some in-state travel
  • Fluency in an Asian language preferred

How to Apply:
To apply, please click here.