POSITION TITLE: Staff Attorney    

HOURS: Full-time (36-40 hours per week)

Compensation: $65,000 annual salary (plus health insurance and benefits)

Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates (LIA) is a nonprofit in West Michigan offering low-cost immigration legal services to community members. The organizational model includes a three-pronged approach to service: holistic case management, community education and advocacy. As the only nonprofit organization on the Lakeshore in West Michigan offering immigration services, LIA has grown rapidly in the last ten years. 

LIA believes that Michigan’s large immigrant population adds to our communities’ vibrant cultural and ethnic diversity, generating forward momentum in our communities and economy. The key to that work is supporting services that welcome, include and aid immigrant communities. 

As it is a relatively young organization, employment with LIA is exciting and enriching. Furthermore, LIA is a family-friendly organization, understanding family obligations must come before work obligations (within reason). LIA offers flexible scheduling and does not discourage employees from bringing their children to the office when necessary. 

BROAD STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide high-quality legal representation before the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Department of State in immigration matters to community members in need.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

• Provide legal representation and general consultations on family-based and humanitarian immigration matters, including but not limited to citizenship, petitions for relatives, permanent residence for family, waivers, consular processing, refugee and asylee petitions, VAWA, U visas, TPS, and DACA. 

• Coordinate all aspects of a client's case, including client communication, preparing immigration forms, conducting relevant research, drafting personal statements, writing briefs and compiling evidence.  

• Utilize case management and office systems to manage substantial caseload.

• Utilize government websites (such as, but not limited to, the National Visa Center or USCIS FOIA website) for submitting applications, entering data and making payments.

• Provide consultations weekly to new clients.

• Meet with existing clients on non-intake days to continue their immigration processes. 

• Communicate with clients by phone, email, video call and in-person meetings.

• Participate in program outreach and public education about immigration law and policy, including assisting with preparing educational presentations and working with Legal Outreach Teams to coordinate education and outreach to hard-to-reach immigrant communities.

• Provide assistance as necessary to the Renewal Clinic and Citizenship Clinic. 

• Provide assistance as necessary to the Hotline intake system and triaging of cases.

• Serve on community committees or coalitions such as the Michigan Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights or local coalitions and initiatives.

• Serve on one committee with the board of directors.

• Engage in limited supervision of interns, support staff, and DOJ Accredited Reps who are engaged in similar duties with the Legal Services Program.

• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• The qualified candidate will have a J.D. and must have active license to practice law in any U.S. state (Michigan preferred). 

  • (We will not accept applications from recent law graduates who have not already passed their bar exam.)

• Must be bilingual in English and Spanish.  

• Preferred minimum of two years previous experience in a professional context with family-based and/or humanitarian-based immigration matters preferred.

• Must be committed to the mission and goals of Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates. 

• Possess strong organizational and information management skills, have excellent time management skills, the ability to prioritize and work with minimal supervision.

• Possess strong client service skills, including, but not limited to, timely and effective written, phone, and in-person communication skills and knowledge and practice of trauma-informed communication methods.

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite, Google Drive, and other computer applications.  

• Must have competence in communicating and interacting with others of diverse cultural, geographic, and economic backgrounds in a professional and compassionate manner, including the ability to interact with individuals experiencing substantial levels of emotional, physical, financial, or other hardship. 

• Must be committed to diversity, equity and inclusion work both within the organization and within the community. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions in the work environment provided.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; occasionally walk and stand; travel from building to other sites.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

• The employee is required to be able to hear conversations in quiet environments.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works inside. The employee must be able to meet deadlines with inflexible time constraints. The employee may be asked to work irregular or extended work hours while performing the duties of this job.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT

This organization is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against staff or applicants for employment on the basis of an individual’s race, religion, creed, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, compensation, promotion, discipline, and termination. Whenever possible, the organization makes reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities to the extent required by law. Applicants who would like to request a reasonable accommodation should contact the Program Director, Maggie Haveman-Gould.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit applications or inquiries about this position via email to careers@lia-michigan.org with the subject line “Staff Attorney Application”, including the following:  Applications will be reviewed as received.

• Current resume

• Cover letter

• Three professional references and their contact information

• A brief academic writing sample (2-5 pages)

All materials may be addressed to:

Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates

Re: Staff Attorney Application

PO Box 2144 | Holland, MI 49422-2144