Staff Attorney/Clinical Supervisor - Immigration

East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) is a non-profit legal services organization, the community-based clinical program for U.C. Berkeley Law School, and one of the Bay Area’s largest and most effective systems disrupters. With a dual service and teaching mission, EBCLC is a racial justice organization committed to building a culturally diverse workplace, centered on equity. With about 75 staff, 100 law students a year, and a nearly $10 million annual budget, EBCLC is the largest provider of free legal services in Alameda County, providing multimodal, collaborative, and holistic legal services to over 4,000 clients annually and engaging in legislative and policy advocacy at the state and local level.

The Opportunity

EBCLC is excited to recruit an experienced Staff Attorney and Clinical Supervisor to represent clients with a wide variety of immigration matters and teach law students. The ideal candidate is an excellent advocate with strong writing, interpersonal, and organizational skills who works well in a collaborative environment, has experience providing immigration services to clients with limited resources, and is committed to furthering EBCLC's mission for racial justice.

EBCLC’s Immigration team includes 7 attorneys, 4 paralegals/BIA Accredited Representatives, 1 program coordinator, and 1 social worker. Attorneys and advocates counsel and represent individuals in matters including family-based petitions, adjustment of status, DACA, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U-visas, immigration effects of criminal convictions, naturalization, asylum, deportation defense, public benefits eligibility, waivers, and T-visas. The program represents clients before the asylum office, the United States Citizenship, and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Immigration Court.

The Staff Attorney and Clinical Supervisor will be part of a team providing holistic legal services to clients referred through several long-standing medical-legal and community partnerships, including La Clinica de la Raza’s School-Based Health Centers in the East Bay, California community colleges, UC Berkeley’s Undocumented Students Program, and a collaboration with EBCLC’s Clean Slate program to eliminate and mitigate the consequences of criminal history on immigration outcomes. They also help train and supervise law students as part of EBCLC’s clinical legal education program. The team is also part of the Bay Area DACA Initiative to develop policy, infrastructure, and pathways for DACA recipients to transition to permanent legal status.  

Primary Responsibilities

• Represent low-income immigrants on a wide variety of immigration matters, including family-based petitions, adjustment of status, DACA, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U-visas, immigration effects of criminal convictions, naturalization, asylum, deportation defense, public benefits eligibility, waivers, and T-visas before the Immigration Court and USCIS. 

• Work on a holistic-oriented legal team providing direct representation and limited scope services to clients with limited resources in the East Bay, including students at UC Berkeley, local community colleges, and La Clinica de la Raza's school-based health centers.

• Collaborate with our social work team and other attorneys at EBCLC to provide holistic wrap-around services addressing the criminalization of immigrants and efforts to deny them access to critical supports and services.

• Co-supervise paralegals with unit’s Co-Directors.

• Teach, supervise, and mentor law students, including designing curriculum, providing highly interactive legal and skills training, and facilitating weekly individual and group supervision meetings.

• Conduct outreach, workshops, and presentations in the community.

• Participate in collaborative partnerships with other community and legal services organizations providing similar services.

• Complete administrative tasks such as those related to grant management and reporting.

• Additional tasks as assigned by the Immigration Program Co-Director.

Salary and Benefits

The starting salary for this exempt position is $85,000-$106,000, based on the law school graduation date, as dictated by the EBCLC salary scale.

Benefits include fully paid health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependents, life and disability insurance, and generous paid leave (vacation, sick, and holidays); EBCLC also offers flexible spending accounts for qualified health, dependent care, and commute expenditures; and retirement options.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• JD required;

• Member of California Bar in good standing or a registered legal services attorney;

• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice;

• 2 years of experience providing representation in immigration cases;

• Strong interest in law student supervision and clinical teaching;

• Ability to manage a demanding case-load;

• Excellent time management, priority-setting, and organizational skills;

• Strong interpersonal skills, flexibility, and demonstrated ability to work well independently and as part of a team;

• Excellent oral and written communication and advocacy skills;

• Ability to partner and work effectively with a diverse range of people, including people of color, people who are unhoused, immigrants, non-English speakers, people with mental disabilities, people who identify as LGBTQ+, people experiencing domestic violence, service providers, government employees, and community partners; and

• Fluency in Spanish required.

Workplace Expectations

Due to COVID-19, EBCLC has shifted its operations to a hybrid work environment. Staff may work from home or in the office, subject to safety protocols. Please note that the Staff Attorney and Clinical Supervisor is expected to work in the office about 3 days each week in order to attend in-person meetings, teach seminars, and/or engage in in-person fieldwork to support our clients, policy work, and the clinical education program. EBCLC will provide the necessary equipment to fulfill the job responsibilities of working from home.

Working at EBCLC

EBCLC is a unionized workplace and members of the bargaining unit are represented by the Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20, IFPTE. This position is part of the bargaining unit. EBCLC is strongly committed to advancing justice through education and advocacy, and the need to transform legal services and legal education. Please take time to review EBCLC’s mission, vision, programs, and website, and ensure that your cover letter reflects how your background, experience, and expertise have prepared you to be successful in performing the responsibilities of the position.

Additionally, EBCLC is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace centered on equity and providing an inclusive, welcoming, and culturally responsive environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients. To achieve this goal, EBCLC works actively to improve our office climate, systems and structures, communications, and community engagement to create an inclusive and respectful workplace where differences are acknowledged and valued. In your cover letter, please address how your personal background and experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to contribute to our commitment to cultural responsiveness and diversity amongst our staff.

We strongly encourage individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. EBCLC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior contact with the criminal legal system, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Application Process 

Interested applicants should submit an application by visiting: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/2582923/East-Bay-Community-Law-Center/Staff-AttorneyClinical-Supervisor---Immigration

The position will remain open until filled. EBCLC will review applications and interview applicants on a rolling basis and will only review complete applications. A complete application must include a cover letter, resume, short writing sample, and names/contact information for three professional references. Please submit your complete application as one single PDF file by uploading it under “Upload your Resume.”