AROC IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Position:
Salary:
Benefits:
Deadline:
Full Time Immigration Attorney
$48,000-55,000 depending on experience
Excellent health benefits, BAR membership, malpractice insurance
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
DESCRIPTION:
The Staff Attorney will be responsible for providing free immigration legal services to primarily
Arab and Muslim clients through AROC’s Arab American Legal Services (AALS), San Francisco's
first free immigration service for the Arab community. The Staff Attorney will also collaborate
with a network of organizations on community education trainings, and participate in coalition
and other collaborative activities aimed to educate, organize, and advocate on behalf of the
community.
BACKGROUND:
AALS is a program of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC), a grassroots
organization working to empower and organize our community towards justice and selfdetermination for all. AROC members build community power in the Bay Area by participating in
leadership development, political education, and campaigns.
The immigration legal program was started in 2007 in conjunction with the San Francisco
Immigrant Legal Education Network (SFILEN) a network of 13 multi-racial organizations working
in outreach, organizing, education and legal services to provide comprehensive support to San
Francisco's immigrant communities.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Minimum of one year experience working as an immigration attorney, with a
strong preference for two or more years of experience;
• Member in good standing of any state bar;
• Bilingual in English and Arabic;
• Comfortable working without supervision and able to work as part of a team;
• Experience with family-based petitions, citizenship, asylum, VAWA, and U visa
applications, in addition to a broad knowledge of all immigration laws in order to
effectively issue spot in consultations;
• Ability to advocate on behalf of Arab and Muslim immigrants in the media,
community forums, and other venues;
• Ability to train and engage in leadership development with clients and volunteers;
• Experience in workshop facilitation, public speaking, or teaching/education;
• Ability to handle high volume of cases and ability to serve clients in mental health
setting;
• Experience in organizing, political advocacy or activism (preferred);
• Commitment to working with multi-racial coalitions;
• Commitment to racial and economic justice, and immigrant rights; and,
• Ability to make a two-year commitment.
CASEWORK AND SUPERVISION RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Serve as legal resource to clients and community members;
• Manage a high volume caseload in addition to supervising support staff and
volunteers;
• Prepare applications and supporting documentation that include family-based
petitions, citizenship, asylum, VAWA, and U visa applications;
• Interview clients and evaluate eligibility for immigration benefits;
• Occasional representation of clients before DHS and in Immigration Court;
• Draft declarations, legal briefs, motions and pleadings;
• Maintain accurate, complete and confidential case files;
• Supervise administrative personnel, interns, and volunteers; and,
• Manage administrative components of the legal services program.
COLLABORATION RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Maintain collaborative relationships with sister non-profits to strengthen coalitions
and referral networks;
• Participate in the SFILEN network and corresponding meetings and events;
• Educate and empower immigrant community members regarding immigration
laws and immigrant rights;
• Participate and engage clients in community organizing efforts in partnership with
other staff; and,
• Actively participate in AROC meetings, programs, and activities.
TO APPLY:
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Send resume and cover letter detailing experience to info@araborganizing.org.
Qualified applicants will be asked to submit references.
Deadline for applications is September 10, 2013 (please submit as soon as
possible, we will be interviewing candidates on a rolling basis).
Applicants are welcome to email or call with questions.
The Arab Resource and Organizing Center, a project of Tides Center, is an equal opportunity
employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, including
bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race,
religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation,
gender identity, color, marital status, medical condition (cancer-related) or conditions Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions (ARC). Reasonable
accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the
application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.