Background:

Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, a program of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc., is a nonprofit law firm which provides community education and legal representation to Southern California’s most vulnerable immigrant communities. Esperanza provides legal representation to immigrants who are in detention and/or removal proceedings, and focuses on particularly complex immigration cases which may involve unaccompanied minors, adults with mental health issues, and cases with past criminal or gang history. Esperanza also provides community education programming and pro se assistance to immigrants in removal proceedings both in detained and non-detained settings. Esperanza has proudly provided legal services to immigrants and their families in Southern California for over 10 years. More information can be found about Esperanza at www.esperanza-la.org

Responsibilities:

Esperanza seeks a full-time Managing Attorney to oversee Esperanza’s Legal Orientation Program for Released Youth under our Community Education program and to carry a small caseload of unaccompanied minor cases under our Representation program.

The Managing Attorney for Released Youth will engage in both substantive and operational tasks, which include

• Serving as a source of substantive knowledge on all legal aspects related to unaccompanied minors for a diverse staff, including attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants, as well as volunteers and interns
• Coordinating the training, staffing, and oversight of legal orientation presentations for unaccompanied minors in office and at Los Angeles-area immigration courts
• Overseeing the operation of our Unaccompanied Minor Self-Help Centers
• Supervising legal aspects of our Call Center for Released Youth
• Managing intake clinics for unaccompanied minors
• Developing and updating innovative legal educational materials
• Expanding access to counsel for unaccompanied minors through pro bono program and our Universal Referral System
• Leading capacity development and self-care opportunities for staff, including attorneys, paralegals, and administrative personnel
• Training, mentoring, and supervising legal interns, fellows, and volunteers
• Maintaining and developing relationships with stakeholders that work with unaccompanied minors
• Carrying a small and focused caseload of unaccompanied minor cases

The Managing Attorney will be under the direct supervision of the Program Director and work closely with the Program Manager for Released Youth.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate;
• Active, California State Bar License, or license from another jurisdiction AND commitment to sitting for next available CA Bar Exam
• Minimum of three years of experience (including internships) in the practice of law, preferably in immigration and/or public interest law;
• Strong organizational, case management, legal research, and legal writing skills required;
• Experience working with vulnerable client populations, particularly with children, families, or clients with mental health issues is a huge plus;
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to take on challenging and novel legal issues and a readiness to pursue “outside-the-box” legal theories;
• Teaching experience and/or group presentation experience, highly desirable.
• Spanish-language proficiency required and will be tested at time of interview;
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work under pressure required;
• Willingness to be a team-player with an attitude and aptitude for collaboration;
• Passion for social justice for immigrants and vulnerable communities required.

Location:

Our office is located at 1530 James M. Wood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015. This position may require frequent regional travel, up to several times per week. We represent clients throughout the region, including Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange County and even Kern County. Mileage is reimbursed.

Employment Type:

Full Time, Exempt. The work week is generally 40 hours per week on a year round basis; however the position requires a willingness and flexibility in work hours when necessary to fulfill job responsibilities.

Salary:

Depends on experience (D.O.E.) + generous benefits package, including health, dental, vision, sick and vacation time, and 10 paid holidays/year. All new hires are subject to a 6-month probationary period.

How to apply:

Simultaneously email cover letter, resume, at least 2 references, and a brief writing sample (5 pages or less) to:

(1) hrjobs@ccharities.org Catholic Charities of Los Angeles Human Resources Department; P.O. Box 15095, Los Angeles, CA 90015, and

(2) Mercedes Nunez Roldan, Program Manager for the Released Youth Program, Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, mnunezroldan@ccharities.org. In email subject line please place your full name, and the position you are applying for. 1530 James M. Wood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015.

Only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls please. Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer.