Title: Supervising Attorney
Position Location: This position will be based in ACT’s Philadelphia office.
Reports to: National Legal Director
FLSA Status: Salaried-Exempt
Employment Type: Full-time
Hours: Full-time hybrid position, requires a mix of remote work, work on site, and court appearances.
Salary: $75,000
Organization: African Communities Together (ACT) is an organization of African immigrants fighting for civil rights, opportunity, and a better life for our families here in the U.S. and worldwide. ACT works to support and empower African immigrants to integrate socially, advance economically, and engage civically. ACT connects African immigrants to services, empowers our members to develop as grassroots leaders, and leads campaigns for social change. ACT’s African immigrant membership comes from a diverse range of nationalities, cultures, and languages, and is religiously diverse, majority women, and predominantly working-class and low income.
African Communities Together is seeking an experienced and dedicated staff attorney with demonstrated ability to work with diverse cultural groups to join our legal team. The Staff Attorney will provide direct legal services to ACT members and African immigrant communities in Philadelphia, including petitions for alien relatives, naturalization, adjustment of status and more. This position is essential for growing our Pennsylvania ACT branch. This position will report to the National Legal Director and collaborate with other legal and programmatic personnel to advance the Chapter's goals and objectives.
Key responsibilities include:
- Conduct intake meetings, assess for possible forms of relief and provide legal advice
- Draft, prepare and submit immigration petitions and applications
- Retain individuals for representation before USCIS and possibly EOIR
- Collect, maintain and organize physical and electronic client data and files, intake forms and other documentation pertaining to immigration legal services
- Supervise administrative staff including law students, and other interns
- Work with the National Legal Director to develop funding proposals and reports
for legal services.
- Refer prospective and or current clients to appropriate partners or service organizations where necessary.
- Provide Know Your Rights presentations, legal clinics, and other outreach activities to the immigrant community.
- Develop relationships with service organizations and other stakeholders who work with African immigrants.
Qualifications / Key Competencies:
- Juris Doctorate (JD) degree required, must be Pennsylvania bar member (active and in good standing)
- At least 2-3 years of experience with immigration law, preferably representing low-income immigrants.
- Knowledge of immigration law, policy, and procedure
- Must reside in or around Philadelphia.
- Experience with affirmative and defensive applications for humanitarian relief (particularly asylum), family-based applications, and naturalization applications is highly desirable.
- Strong case management, legal research, and legal writing skills.
- Demonstrated leadership and ability to work independently and in a collaborative community organization environment, including accountability to goals, managing across teams and prioritizing.
- Excellent interpersonal skills. You can build strong working relationships with members and external partners, organizations, and consultants.
- Excellent organizational skills. Able to manage multiple priorities, timelines, and attention to detail.
- Cultural competence and significant experience with African immigrant communities or within the social justice sector.
- Fluency in either French or a widely spoken African language highly desired
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, and other common business software.
- Ability to work evenings, weekends, and irregular hours when the work requires it.
- Alignment with ACT’s mission and values.
Employee Benefits
We offer a full comprehensive benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP-IRA). Additional benefits include professional development and a sabbatical/longevity bonus.
Paid Time and Holidays Off
African Communities Together (ACT) offers a generous benefits package to full-time employees. Benefits include two weeks of paid vacation and medical leave, a personal day for every two months worked, paid holidays throughout the calendar year (including federal holidays), and a year-end winter break from December 24th to January 1st.
Application Process
To apply, please submit your resume along with a brief cover letter describing your interest in the position here: https://africancommunitiestogether.applytojob.com/apply/FsGwy0V1OR/Super.... Applicants are encouraged to submit applications by August 21st, 2023; however, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role Studies have shown people of the global majority and female-identifying candidates in particular are likely to “count themselves out” of otherwise well-matched opportunities due to this fact. If much of this job description describes you, please apply for this role.
Equal Opportunity Employer
African Communities Together (ACT) believes that all persons are entitled to Equal Employment Opportunity, and we do not discriminate against our staff members or applicants for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender identity and expression, sex, age, disability, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, genetic information, or veteran or citizenship status provided they are qualified and meet the requirements for the position. ACT provides reasonable accommodation to candidates with disabilities.
ACT is an affirmative action employer, and strongly supports the social goals of affirmative action. We therefore make special efforts to recruit individuals from groups that are historically under-represented in professional environments, or that suffer from broader societal discrimination.