Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney, Immigrant Rights

Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney, Immigrant Rights

Type: Regular, Exempt, Full-time. This position is part of a collective bargaining unit represented by CWA Local 9410.
Location: San Francisco or Oakland, CA. This is a hybrid role that is required to work in the office 2 days a week.
Deadline: Applications are due by January 31, 2025. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until filled.
Compensation and Benefits: The Staff Attorney's salary range is $87,550 - $137,620. The Senior Staff Attorney’s salary range is $113,912 - $148,629. This position is eligible for language premiums for demonstrated proficiency in a language other than English that is regularly used in their job duties. The annual premium is $1,500 for oral proficiency and $1,500 for written proficiency in each language. ALC’s comprehensive benefits package includes generous vacation and paid holidays; medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage (ALC pays 100% of premiums for employees and 75% for qualified dependents); a flexible spending account (FSA); and 401(k) retirement plan with employer non-elective contribution and match.

The Opportunity

Asian Law Caucus (ALC) seeks a Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney at a crucial time for immigrant worker protections. As we anticipate rollbacks of federal workplace rights and increased vulnerabilities for immigrant workers, we are expanding our legal team to strengthen worker power and defend labor protections for Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Join our dynamic team in advocating for economic justice through a combination of community-centered legal advocacy, strategic litigation, and support for worker organizing. Our attorneys work closely with worker centers and community partners to build lasting power for low-income immigrant workers.

Core Responsibilities

• Providing legal consultation and representation in high-stakes removal and bond proceedings, and appeals before the BIA and 9th circuit;
• Filing complex motions to reopen, habeas petitions seeking release from ICE detention, and constitutional challenges to ICE enforcement practices and detention conditions;
• Collaborating with grassroots partners to support organizing efforts, policy advocacy and community empowerment work.

The position reflects our commitment to integrating legal advocacy with movement building to create systemic change. You’ll work within a supportive environment that values innovation, collaboration, and community partnership, under the guidance of our Immigrant Rights Program Director.

Responsibilities

• Conduct interviews and provide legal advice to individuals facing immigration consequences based on criminal convictions, including those who are incarcerated or detained.
• Manage caseload of crim-imm removal cases, providing high-quality legal representation to clients in removal proceedings, petitions for review, bond proceedings, and motions to reopen.
• Identify systemic problems through direct services work and participate in resulting litigation, policy advocacy, and community-led campaign efforts.
• Engage in habeas litigation in federal court to secure clients’ release from immigration detention.
• Build and maintain relationships with community partners, including providing immigration legal support as capacity allows.
• Represent ALC in coalitions as needed.
• Collaborate with Communications staff to develop stories with ALC clients and their communities and execute narrative-shifting strategies.
• Collaborate with other staff in the IR Program to perform other duties as needed.
• Attend regular check-ins with supervisors, as well as staff, team, cross-program team, and organization-wide meetings and training sessions, as required.

An attorney hired at the Senior Staff Attorney level will exercise a greater degree of independence and initiative.

Desired Qualifications

• B.A./B.S. and J.D. degrees. California bar membership required.
• Two (2) or more years of immigration law practice required, preferably in one or more of the following areas: crim-imm removal defense, habeas petitions, and/or impact litigation; five (5) or more years of relevant experience is required for a Senior Staff Attorney and highly desired.
• Prior experience in prison, criminal justice, or immigrant rights advocacy, including coalition-building, policy work, and/or post-conviction relief is desired.
• Excellent legal research, analysis, and writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team and manage multiple tasks in a timely manner.
• Demonstrated commitment to building power with and for people directly impacted by the immigration and carceral system.
• Experience working directly with incarcerated and formerly-incarcerated individuals and API and AMEMSA community members impacted by the immigration legal system is highly desired.
• Familiarity with the intersection of immigration status and other issues, such as national security, employment and housing, is a plus.
• Proficiency in an Asian or Middle Eastern language, or Spanish is a plus.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit the following:

1. A cover letter
2. Resume
3. Writing sample (no more than 10 pages)
4. Three professional references (including one direct supervisor reference)

Asian Law Caucus is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply, regardless of race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including HIV, cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital or domestic partner status, reproductive health decision-making, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender (including gender identity and gender expression), age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim and survivor status, political affiliation, height, weight, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.