Staff Attorney - Detained Minors Project

The Door is an unparalleled model for youth development, offering a comprehensive range of integrated services within a single site for nearly 11,000 New York City youth each year. Our mission is to empower young adults to reach their full potential by providing comprehensive youth development services in a diverse and caring environment. At The Door, youth can access health care and education, mental health counseling and crisis assistance, legal assistance, college preparation services, career development, housing supports, arts, sports and recreational activities, and nutritious meals all for free and under one roof. By providing participants with our suite of integrated services, we seek to provide any motivated young person with the tools, resources, and opportunities needed to successfully transition to adulthood.

The Door’s Legal Services Center advances the rights of youth by providing direct legal services in areas such as immigration, public benefits, family law, and housing. Situated within the larger Door community, the Center addresses legal problems in a holistic and client-driven manner. The Staff Attorney will focus on the Center’s immigration practice, in connection with the Center’s expansion to serve detained immigrant youth.

Responsibilities

• Oversee team of paralegals in providing legal orientations, such as Know Your Rights trainings, and completing intakes for unaccompanied children (UCs) in Office of Refugee Resettlement custody and providing these orientations and intakes as needed.
• Review intakes and make determinations regarding eligibility for immigration relief and conduct follow-up legal screenings as needed.
• Appear as counsel and Friend of Court before detained juvenile docket at immigration court
• Provide full representation to children as needed in immigration matters such as asylum, SIJS, U Visas, and T Visas.
• Facilitate internal and external referrals to education, health care, and other services
• Liaise with Office of Refugee Resettlement and local shelters to best serve UCs in their immigration proceedings
• Lead initiatives advancing the legal rights of youth and facilitate opportunities for youth engagement
• Assist with legal education efforts, including planning and providing of workshops, producing legal education materials, and conducting outreach to social service and community-based organizations
• Document and report service delivery to ensure compliance with funding requirements
• Supervise paralegals, interns and volunteers
• Other responsibilities as assigned by Managing Attorney and/or Director
  
  

Qualifications And Requirements

• J.D. degree and admission to New York State Bar
• At least 1 year of experience in immigration law, including removal defense, SIJS, asylum. U and T visas.
• Interest in a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of young people
• Creative thinker with superior communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills, time management and record keeping skills, including the ability to work independently, assess priorities, take initiative, handle multiple assignments and meet deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work collaboratively and to effectively interact with young people, management and program staff
• Experience working in a detained setting preferred
• Professional proficiency in Spanish required
• Traveling in the greater New York area is required
  
  

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm or 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, 35 hours a week

Salary: $67,000. - $76,000, commensurate with experience, plus a generous benefits package, which included 1199 union medical, dental & vision benefits in addition to generous paid time off.

We are currently offering a hybrid work schedule.

COVID -19 POLICY

The Door follows the CDC and NYS recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Door requires all new hires to be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they have a qualified exemption.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive community. We support a broadly diverse team who will contribute to our organization. We are an equal opportunity employer for all regardless of race, color, citizenship, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran or reservist status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.