Director, Immigration Legal Services

Overview

The Director of IINE’s Immigration Legal Services program is an expert in Immigration Law, a skilled administrator with experience managing public and private grants that fund immigration legal services work, and a thought leader who keeps up to date on immigration policy matters that impact IINE’s clients. The Director manages a legal team that provides immigration services to families and individuals and is expected to draw on their experience to identify and implement ways to grow IINE’s Immigration Legal Services program to meet the changing needs of the region’s immigrant population.

The position is responsible for the management of the immigration legal services program and staff and any interns and volunteers who support the department as well as the department’s budget. The Director is further responsible for ensuring that the immigration legal services team is current in policy and practice related to immigration law.

Responsibilities

Program Management

• Direct the IINE immigration legal services program, ensuring that it meets goals for clients served, achieves revenue targets, grows its client base, and operates with maximum efficiency.
• Develop policies and procedures for all sub-programs within the legal department based on funding opportunities and global migration. Examples include legal services to Afghan evacuees; Ukrainians fleeing war; Haitians, and others.
• Responsible for the quality of immigration legal services delivered to clients at each IINE site – Boston, Lowell, and Manchester.
• Serve as an entrepreneurial thought leader of the IINE legal services team, analyzing the team’s productivity and seeking ways to deliver services more effectively.
• Hire, supervise, and evaluate IINE legal services staff and administrative staff, including attorneys, paralegals, Department of Justice (DOJ) accredited representatives, and administrative staff.
• Provide training, supervision, and evaluation to all IINE immigration legal services staff.
• Develop best practices, policies, and procedures for various legal sub-programs/projects and provide training to legal staff on the same.
• Collaborate with the advancement staff to design and implement immigration legal services programming that aligns with public and private funding opportunities.
• Serve as the point of contact for all public and private funding opportunities and reporting for IINE’s immigration legal services program.
• Seek funding opportunities in conjunction with Development department and serve as point person on all RFPs, grants, etc.
• Provide legal data when requested by executive leadership, grants, development, etc.
• Collaborate with the Managing Attorney to explore opportunities to expand IINE’s immigration legal services to refugees and immigrants in our region who would benefit from IINE’s services.
• Oversee the continued development of the Immigration Legal Services Department, Policy and Procedure Manual to ensure all legal SOPs are documented and catalogued.
• Ensure that the legal services staff participates in continuing legal education programs as appropriate.
• Participate in community and networking activities as needed to recruit clients and educate the public about our services.
• Develop partnerships and serve as point person with other legal services providers, community groups, and private law firms interested in providing pro bono services.
• Coordinate and develop Clinic module for TPS clinics and possibly citizenship clinics in the future.
• Ensure all programmatic reporting to funders is accurate and submitted in a timely manner.
• Make presentations on immigration relief to community groups in the region.
• Develop and manage the IINE legal services budget, working closely with the Chief Financial Officer to ensure that the program stays within budget.
• Serve as point person from legal at Managing Directors meetings and communicate updates/changes to legal programming as needed.
• Work closely with Chief Program Officer to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and training for all IINE program staff.

Personnel Management

• Monitor caseloads and case assignments for all legal staff; ensure knowledge of what the team is working on at all times to ensure fairness in caseloads.
• Serve as a mentor and provide guidance and collaboration to develop case strategies and best practices for client representation.
• Assist with difficult cases or clients when legal staff need support.
• Ensure proper documentation and case notes are made for all cases IINE provides representation on.
• Ensure case files are properly closed by staff and stored according to the rules of professional conduct in in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
• Conduct weekly check-ins with each legal team member to review caseload/coursework and ensure all deadlines are met.
• Conduct regular (minimum of bi-weekly) legal team meetings to review changes in immigration policy and procedure; check on goal completion and review any issues.

Client Services

• Provide legal representation on a variety of cases before various government agencies, including but not limited to: naturalization, adjustment of status, marriage-based green cards, fiancée visas, family reunification petitions, consular processing, temporary protected status, DACA, employment authorization documents, travel documents, FOIAs, SIJS, I-601a waivers, humanitarian parole work, VAWA, T visas, U visas, business cases, and other benefits
• Maintain proper client files and documentary evidence required to prove eligibility for immigration relief.
• Represent immigrants in the full spectrum of legal proceedings.
• Conduct legal research as necessary.
• Work closely with partner community-based organizations to ensure that clients receive holistic service addressing their many needs beyond legal representation.
• Remain current in best practices in immigration legal services, participating in continuing legal education (CLEs) programs as appropriate.
• All other duties assigned by supervisor/manager.

Required Skills/Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to provide high-quality legal assistance to low- and moderate-income immigrant populations
• Ability to act independently and exercise sound judgment
• Commitment to advancing human rights and humanitarian work
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills
• Excellent presentation and analytical skills
• Excellent leadership, management, and supervision skills
• High levels of discretion and professionalism in dealing with confidential information
• Demonstrated interest in immigrant, refugee, and asylee issues
• Ability to provide leadership and long-range strategic planning compatible with the mission of the International Institute of New England
• Demonstrated interest in immigrant, refugee, and asylee issues

Education & Experience

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school or international equivalent, and a current Bar Membership in good standing
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in immigration law assisting clients with a range of immigration relief
  • Extensive knowledge of immigration policies and regulations
  • Advanced legal research and writing skills
• Experience building an immigration law practice in a private or public non-profit setting
• Experience in a multi-cultural/multi-lingual workplace
• Prior experience managing immigration law professionals
• Prior experience managing public and private grants that support immigration legal services work

Work Environment Conditions

• Occasional travel to all three IINE locations as needed, with a particular focus on the Lowell office, where many IINE clients receive services; the position requires access to a vehicle
• Exposure to bright, overhead office lighting, use of office technology such as laptops, printers, mail machines, and other in-office equipment.
• Requires occasional night and weekend events and work

Physical Demands

• Seldomly lifting, pushing, and pulling materials (boxes, equipment) of 50 pounds or more.
• Continuous sitting (or standing) at a desk for long periods of time.
• Occasional driving to and from IINE offices as needed.
• Frequent bending, reaching overhead, and reaching at or below shoulder level required.
• Requires driving to and from USCIS offices for client interviews as needed

Approving Signatures

Supervisor Name

Supervisor Signature

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Department Head Name

Department Head Signature

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