Managing Attorney-Temporary

Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, a program of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc., is a non-profit law firm which provides community education and legal representation to immigrant adults, families, unaccompanied minors, individuals with mental health issues, and in cases involving crimmigration. Esperanza has proudly provided legal services to immigrants and their families in Southern California for over 15 years. The immigration court system does not provide court-appointed counsel to individuals facing deportation who cannot afford an attorney, so this vulnerable population relies on our community education programs to obtain critical information about the process, understand their legal options and access assistance. Esperanza’s community education programs were established to more effectively meet this need and to guide pro se immigrants through the increasingly complicated and strained immigration system. Core services of the programs include legal orientations regarding removal proceedings and legal relief; intake and follow-up services; self-help workshops; and referrals for pro bono assistance or social services. More information can be found about Esperanza at www.esperanza-la.org

The Managing Attorney will work under the supervision of the Directing Attorney for Representation to provide supervision of legal representation to immigrants in removal proceedings and related state court proceedings, focusing particularly on cases involving detained adults,

detained unaccompanied minors and minors released to sponsors in the LA Immigration Court jurisdiction.  The Managing Attorney will also be expected to carry a caseload of their own, consisting of a variety of affirmative and defensive immigration cases for both adults and children.  The Managing Attorney will directly supervise staff attorneys and support staff.  The Managing Attorney will additionally assist with quality control, contract compliance, and data gathering and reporting.  The Managing Attorney will further help develop and maintain uniform internal polices and procedures for representation of Esperanza’s clients.  The Managing Attorney will report directly to the Directing Attorney for Representation Program.  May supervise the work of employees and/or volunteers.

Responsibilities:

• Supervise staff attorneys and support staff in providing zealous representation to all of Esperanza’s clients in front of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, the Board of Immigration Appeals, Citizenship & Immigration Services, and various California state courts as needed.
• Represent clients zealously before all courts cited above.
• Work with Directing Attorney for Representation to fairly and adequately assign new cases to staff attorneys.
• Work with Directing Attorney to ensure contract compliance, data management, and reporting.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate degree; 
• Active, California State Bar License, or license from another jurisdiction and commitment to sitting for next available CA Bar Exam;
• Minimum 3 years of experience in the practice of law, preferably in immigration law; 
•  Immigration court litigation experience strongly preferred; 
• Experience litigating cases in state dependency, family, criminal or probate courts preferred; 
• Strong case management, legal research, and legal writing skills required; 
• Interest in working with and strong ability to relate to young, newly arrived immigrants and those suffering from mental illness is required; 
• Interest in working with and strong ability to relate to clients with long criminal histories or past gang affiliation required; 
• Experience supervising lawyers and/or law students preferred; 
• Spanish fluency required; 

Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work under pressure with limited supervision required.

This is a hybrid position.