Naturalization Project Staff Attorney

Naturalization Project Staff Attorney Position Open

Position Description

Title: Naturalization Project Staff Attorney

Status: Full-Time (40 hours/week)

Compensation: Salary based on experience and qualifications. Benefits include generous time-off and holiday package, health, life and dental insurance, 401k with 2% employer match.

Supervisor: Legal Director/Managing Attorney

Supervising: N/A

Location: Des Moines, IA (travel within and occasionally outside of the state)

How to apply: Email resume and cover letter by July 17th, 2024, to anaffier@iowammj.org

We especially encourage applicants who identify as Black, Latinx, Asian, Native American, and/or LGBTQ+ to apply for this position.

We understand that job requirements sometimes exclude historically marginalized groups, such as BIPOC individuals or those who identify as LGBTQ+, from applying to jobs for which they are qualified. Even if you don’t meet 100% of the specific requirements listed below, we encourage you to apply.

Organization Summary

Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (Iowa MMJ) is a statewide membership-based legal service and advocacy organization driven and led by immigrant and refugee voices and united with allies. Iowa MMJ’s mission is to build a movement for justice led by immigrants and refugees in Iowa by providing high-quality legal services and community empowerment through organizing. We envision an Iowa that is welcoming and inclusive, where the rights of immigrants and refugees are ensured through access to legal services, their voices are heard and the issues that impact them are addressed.

Summary of Position

The Staff Attorney is responsible for provision of direct immigration legal services, including counsel and representation, to immigrants and their families in Iowa.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

The key responsibilities of this position include the following:

● Maintaining a diverse caseload of immigration cases, with an area of specialization in naturalization and citizenship cases.

○ Represent clients, most in naturalization and citizenship cases, before USCIS.

○ Organize and schedule client appointments, including in-house clinics

○ Maintain client files and cases in the case management system.

○ Provide legal representation as needed at regional clinic site(s).

● Collaborating with grant partners to coordinate services to clients and to meet reporting requirements

● Overseeing/training volunteers for naturalization application assistance

● Work with other staff to represent the organization publicly to the media and with public education and participation in coalition efforts.

● Participate in regular meetings and trainings with other Iowa MMJ staff and networks.

● Provide regular written reports, including statistics, on work.

● Other duties as assigned. Collaborate with other staff on projects related to fundraising, communications and other projects as assigned.

● Promote justice within our United States system of immigration laws, policies and social practices.

Qualifications:

Basic Qualifications:

· Member licensed and in good standing of any state Bar.

· Strong commitment to Iowa MMJ’s mission, vision and values.

· Passionate about migrant justice with a familiarity with both the complexities and injustices of the U.S. immigration system.

· Demonstrated ability to work in collaboration with diverse groups of people (including people of diverse faiths and ethical/spiritual traditions, races, ethnicities, people with disabilities and LGBTQI people).

· Ability to be flexible and self-directed while working in a high-volume, fast moving work environment.

· Ability to work some evenings and weekends.

· Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

· Proven computer skills (Microsoft office platforms, Google Drive) and ability to learn new platforms.

· Demonstrated dedication to high quality and ethical work product.

· Competency with legal and policy research.

· Ability to maintain appropriate role boundaries and to maintain appropriate professional standards of confidentiality and conduct.

· Demonstrated organizational and problem solving skills, ability to maintain accurate records.

· Commitment to client confidentiality.

Preferred Qualifications:

· Ability to effectively communicate in languages in addition to English.

• Access to reliable transportation and ability to travel statewide and/or to out-of-state events.

· Demonstrated experience working with immigrant and refugee populations and/or people who are victims of crime, domestic violence and sexual assault.

· Demonstrated commitment to working in public interest in immigration or related areas.

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This job operates in a professional office environment, occasionally in a communal setting and requires some travel. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers and filing cabinets. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This is largely a sedentary role; however, some travel is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand as necessary.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $45,000.00 - $57,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person