Immigration Staff Attorney - Individual Rights & Social Justice

Metropolitan Family Services empowers families to learn, to earn, to heal, to thrive. Part mentor, part motivator, part advocate, since 1857, Metropolitan Family Services has been the engine of change that empowers families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities. Metropolitan is Illinois’ first comprehensive human services agency and reaches more than 117,000 individuals and families in Chicago, Evanston/Skokie, the southwest suburbs and DuPage County with services promoting education, economic stability, emotional wellness and empowerment. For 100 years, LAS and Metropolitan Family Services have partnered to provide the most comprehensive legal and social services to the most vulnerable people in our communities.

We are now hiring for a full-time Staff Attorney to join the Individual Rights & Social Justice Practice Group in our Legal Aid Society team!

The attorney will be working to provide legal services to recent immigrant arrivals, including conducting legal assessment, know your rights or pro se workshops, and representing clients in immigration proceedings or through filing asylum or other forms of eligible relief. This position will require travel within the city of Chicago to meet immigrants either in current shelters or other locations in community.

The Individual Rights & Social Justice Practice Group provides legal representation to victims of crime and currently has projects that focus specifically on services to victims of human trafficking and immigrant victims of crime. In addition, Individual Rights & Social Justice Practice Group engages in numerous direct outreach, training, and technical assistance throughout Illinois. As part of a trauma informed practice we believe in reducing barriers to assist clients, which includes being willing to meet with clients in safe locations outside the attorneys main location.

Please submit cover letter and resume. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Using client centered trauma informed techniques, provide high quality legal services to clients in all aspects of representation, from interviewing to litigation.
• Engage in and develop material for outreach, training, and technical assistance as requested.
• Supervise law students, paralegals, and volunteers as assigned.
• Actively collaborate with staff and leadership to support community investment, engagement, in a climate that is culturally relevant, restorative, and collaborative.
• Handle a full caseload of varying complexity.
• Support the mission of the agency through active engagement, participation, and leadership opportunities.
• Identifies and brings to supervisor’s attention, systemic issues affecting client population served.
• Prepare materials and conduct community-focused presentations on the many areas of law we cover, including safety planning.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Maintains client files and tracks and records additional activities and data as requested.
• Represents clients in state and federal court cases and administrative proceedings.
• Provides consultation and support to agency staff in area of specialization.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Knowledge and experience in immigration law strongly preferred.
• Employment with MFS requires proof of vaccination or an approved Medical exemption, required.
• Must be able to work independently.
• Highly developed work management skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and groups.
• Law Degree and admission to Illinois Bar required.
• Must have ability to travel throughout the city of Chicago to perform essential job functions.
• Must be able to respond to large numbers of clients in a professional and empathetic manner.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• OR admission to another State with ability to obtain admission in Illinois.
• Ability to learn and use technology and software programs used by LAS.
• Fluency in second language beyond English, strongly preferred.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• MFS staff are required to provide proof of vaccination or have an approved Medical exemption prior to starting employment. If an approved Medical exemption is obtained, weekly testing is required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is required to sit and stand for sustained periods of time, frequently talk, hear, use hands and fingers to feel, handle and operate objects or controls, and occasionally stand, bend, stretch, stoop, kneel and crouch.
• The employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing and viewing a computer terminal.
• The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

SALARY:

• Compensation is commensurate with years of related experience, position requirements, and candidate qualifications. The average salary for the position is $62,905.

Metropolitan Family Services offers a very generous benefits packet to our professionals:

• Dental and Vision Insurance Options
• 401K Plan
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medical Coverage: HMO, Traditional PPO, or PPO w/ HSA contributions.
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Training and Professional Development Plan with E- Learning
• 12 paid Holidays
• Wellness Initiative Program
• Employee Assistance Network

Skills

Required

Preferred

Required