Website Volunteers of Legal Service

Immigration Project Director   

About the Role

Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) seeks an experienced and motivated attorney to lead our Immigration Project. This role will supervise the Immigration team which consists of two Staff Attorneys and two Legal Assistants. This role will report to the Legal Director and serve on VOLS’ Leadership Team.

Organizational Mission

For 40 years, VOLS has partnered with New York City’s leading law firms and companies as well as community-based organizations to help close the access to justice gap for low-income New Yorkers. VOLS provides free, civil legal services to New Yorkers with limited resources, including seniors, veterans, individuals entitled to public benefits, immigrant youth, children and their families, mothers in prison or jail, and small business owners. Last year, VOLS assisted clients on more than 4,000 legal matters, and our services benefited over 6,200 individual New Yorkers. VOLS’ staff of 21, including 15 attorneys and law graduates, works with volunteers from over 80 law firms/companies to exponentially increase our impact. We partner with 150 community groups to ensure that our services are accessible and address local needs. VOLS strives to build and retain a diverse and inclusive team, and we actively seek a diverse candidate pool. We strongly encourage candidates who have had lived experience in the communities we serve.

VOLS Immigration Project 

The VOLS Immigration Project offers immigration legal services support for immigrant students and young adults. The Immigration Project is a leader in building trusted relationships with educators and staff at public schools and college campuses by providing ongoing training to identify and address immigration-related legal issues.  The Project also works with community-based organizations, helping their constituents understand and resolve their immigration issues.  With the generous assistance of pro bono attorneys from New York City law firms and companies, the Immigration Project can leverage the work of its small legal team and provide assistance to clients seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile status (SIJS), TPS, asylum, DACA, and assistance with other immigration matters, protecting their right to remain in the United States and pursue their own “American dreams.”

Responsibilities:

· Oversee the Immigration Project’s daily activities

o Supervise staff attorneys and legal assistants which includes managing duties, schedules, and work output.

o Evaluate staff performance both formally and informally and regularly provide appropriate feedback.

o Monitor intakes, screen matters for pro bono placement and in-house advice and representation.

o Carry a small caseload of advice and full representation matters.

· Oversee the Immigration Project’s pro bono practice

o Develop, manage, and sustain the pro bono initiatives of the Immigration Project in collaboration with the Legal Director, Pro Bono Specialist, and VOLS’ pro bono partners.

o Provide supervision and training for immigration law matters being handled by volunteers in the VOLS Children’s Project.

o Recruit, train, and mentor volunteer lawyers on VOLS immigration matters.

o Design and conduct CLEs and workshops for the pro bono bar.

· Identify, establish, and maintain relationships with community partners, including schools, colleges and immigrant serving community-based organizations.

· Conduct trainings for community partners and speak on legal panels.

· Run and review data reports and manage case-management system protocols for data collection and grant reporting.

· Manage project budget in coordination with VOLS Operations team.

· Support the Development & Communications team in Project-related fundraising and communications activities

· Represent VOLS on local, regional, and national coalitions and collaborate with legal service providers on policies affecting clients.

· Represent VOLS on bar association committees and promote pro bono best practices.

· Serve as an active thought partner and strategic leader on VOLS’ Leadership Team to advance VOLS’ mission, promote strong and supportive organizational culture, and ensure effective operations.

Qualifications: 

· Juris Doctor and admission in good standing to the New York Bar.

· A minimum of 7+ years of experience working on immigration matters.

· A minimum of 2+ years of supervisory experience and a commitment to provide support and coaching to team members to enhance their skills, knowledge and their professional development.

· Demonstrated commitment to social justice, immigrants’ rights, and supporting pro bono.

Preferred Qualifications: 

· Team/department/unit leadership experience.

· Experience serving immigrant young people, specifically on SIJS cases.

· Experience mentoring pro bono attorneys.

· Public speaking experience.

· Bilingual fluency in one of the top five languages spoken in NYC.

This position will be hybrid, with the opportunity to telecommute up to 8 days per month. Local travel to meetings and other events is required to meet programmatic or client needs.

All candidates must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 including a Bivalent vaccine dose or latest 2023–2024 COVID vaccine formula, unless provided a reasonable accommodation pursuant to applicable federal, state and local statutes.

Compensation and Benefits:

The annual salary range for this position is $105,000 to $125,000 commensurate with experience. VOLS offers an excellent benefits package, including health, life and disability insurance, a retirement plan to which VOLS contributes and the option to contribute to a 403(b) plan.  We provide 25 days of paid vacation,12 days of paid sick leave, and 3 personal days annually.

How to apply:  

Please email a cover letter and resume to [email protected] with the subject line “Immigration Project Director.” Request for writing sample and 3 references to follow. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. No phone or email inquiries, please.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commitment:  

VOLS strives to build and maintain a diverse workplace that embraces staff with different backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We seek a diverse applicant pool and particularly welcome and encourage applicants from marginalized communities, including, but not limited to, those who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, disabled, immigrants, uniformed service, people from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those directly impacted by the legal system.

VOLS is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, creed, age, disability, sexual orientation, biological sex, gender identity/expression, family status, military service or any other status protected under the law.

To apply for this job email your details to apply@volsprobono.org