THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC MCGEORGE SCHOOL OF LAW seeks a staff attorney for its Immigration Clinic.
Primary Purpose: The Staff Attorney I will work under the supervision of the Immigration Clinic Director and reports to the Director, Legal Clinics. The Immigration Clinic represents residents of Sacramento County in a variety of immigration matters, including ancillary family and probate law matters. The clinic is part of Community Legal Services at McGeorge School of Law.
The Staff Attorney I will work directly with law students and assist in case management, direct representation, and program development to include expanding community lawyering and outreach in the area of Immigration Law.
Essential Functions:
1. Work closely with clinic students on client cases and matters, including pre-intake, intake, case management, client interviewing and counseling, fact investigation, oral and written advocacy, supervision at court appearances, and other aspects of client representation. The Immigration Clinic generally represents low income residents of Sacramento County in a range of matters including U and T visas, VAWA applications, SIJS petitions, asylum, family based petitions and removal defense.
2. Mentor clinic students on a broad range of lawyering skills including problem-solving, law and policy analysis, legal research and writing, oral communication, and leadership.
3. Direct representation: manage all aspects of administrative and civil litigation, case and file management, legal research and writing, court appearances, and all other client-related services.
4. Along with the Immigration Clinic Director, responsible for case management during clinic student breaks and vacations.
5. Design and participate in community outreach activities and use a broad range of strategies, including public advocacy and policy-related research, to advance the interests of the clinic’s clients and mission.
6. Prepare presentations on legal issues facing vulnerable and underserved residents of Sacramento County with the assistance of clinic students and under the supervision of the Legal Clinic Director and Clinic Directing Attorney. Outreach activities take place in diverse locations such as local community centers, service provider locations, and local faith groups such as Sacramento ACT. Outreach activities will be done with the active participation of students enrolled in the legal clinics.
7. Assist Clinic Directing Attorney in class planning.
8. Assist with and attend clinic seminars.
9. Assist with other experiential learning programs at McGeorge.
10. Assist in planning, development, and implementation of annual campus immigration fair.
11. Write and edit brochures, newsletters, website content and other community education, marketing and efforts.
12. Develop practice guides and other resources for use in the Legal Clinics.
13. Participate in other clinic projects including orientation, recruitment, trainings, and community events.
14. Assist with other experiential learning and pro bono programs at McGeorge.
15. Expand relationships with various government entities, bar associations and community partners to co-sponsor to educate service providers and the community. This will also lead to increased educational and job opportunities for our students by increasing our community involvement and image.
16. Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Juris Doctorate (J.D.) Degree.
- Admittance to the California Bar.
- Two (2) years of experience as a practicing attorney in California.
- Experience in immigration law.
- Experience in public service and/or pro bono legal work.
- Experience working both collaboratively and independently.
- Legal research, writing, and editing experience.
- Word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and internet research experience.
- Electronic case management system and computerized legal research experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working with diverse populations.
- Experience promoting diversity and inclusion.
- Prior enrollment in a law school clinic for at least a semester.
- Knowledge of a foreign Language such as Spanish fluently.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative but not definitive 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.
Some lifting of materials (20 lbs or less). Bending, stretching, reaching required. Sitting for long periods of time.
Work Environment/Work Week/Travel:
Work performed during standard business hours.
Valid driver’s license required. Incumbent must also be able to meet the University’s fleet rules and be eligible to drive for University business. The University and its insurance carrier reserves the right to exclude applicants based on their driving record.
Hiring Range Commensurate with experience, exempt
Background Check Statement
All applicants who receive a conditional offer of employment are required to execute a release and authorization for a background screening.
AA/EEO Policy Statement
University of the Pacific is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer dedicated to workforce diversity. In compliance with applicable law and its own policy, Pacific is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty and staff and does not discriminate in its hiring of faculty and staff, or in the provision of its employment benefits to its faculty and staff on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, sex/gender, marital status, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, medical condition, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, or mental or physical disability.