SOUTHWESTERN LAW SCHOOL: The Legal Clinics at Southwestern Law School offer law students multiple opportunities to gain practical lawyering skills while providing quality legal representation to under-represented individuals and organizations.  The Legal Clinics are committed to training the next generation of lawyers while providing access to representation to those who otherwise would not have it. 

The Legal Clinics include the Appellate Litigation Clinic, Children’s Rights Clinic, Community Lawyering Clinic, the Immigration Law Clinic, Street Law Clinic and the Youth Offender Parole Hearing Clinic.  

Southwestern Law School is seeking applications for a Staff Attorney in the Legal Clinics in the newly created Immigration Removal Defense Program, which is supported by funding from the Los Angeles Justice Fund (LAJF).  The Staff Attorney will implement and manage a two-year program to build removal defense capacity amongst pro bono attorneys.  The program will recruit and train pro bono attorneys to represent Los Angeles residents in removal proceedings.  The staff attorney will also create and implement a Removal Defense Bootcamp to train LAJF summer law clerks.

In coordination with the Southwestern Immigration and Community Lawyering Clinics, the Staff Attorney may represent immigrants in both affirmative and defensive immigration cases.  In addition, the Staff Attorney will also be afforded the unique opportunity to develop and teach certain curriculum skills through related Legal Clinics. 

QUALIFICATIONS

·      J.D. required from an ABA accredited law school

·      Admission to California bar preferred (non-admitted candidates will be considered given DHS practice rules regarding law school graduates)

·      Knowledge of Immigration Law and Removal Defense

·      Immigration practice experience including U Visa, VAWA, T Visa, VAWA Cancellation, Removal proceedings, or detention experience (will consider experience obtained in clinical, externship setting, law school summer employment, or volunteer activities)

·      Excellent organization and time management skills

·      Ability to work collaboratively, but also work independently when necessary

·      Excellent written and verbal communication skills

·      Self-motivated, takes initiative, ability to learn quickly

·      Capacity for hard work

·      Ability to interact and engage with wide range of stakeholders, including fellow LAJF grantees, students, alumni, clients and advocacy organizations

·      Demonstrated commitment to serving immigrant communities and survivors of violence

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

·      Develop a two track MCLE series in removal defense for novice and expert immigration attorneys

·      Recruit expert MCLE faculty in removal defense; coordinate in the development of MCLE and program training materials

·      Build databases of attorneys who are new to immigration practice and one for those experienced immigration attorneys

·      Create and manage removal defense online resource bank for pro bono attorney and law clerks enrolled in our program

·      Outreach to immigration organizations, with preference to LAJF grantees, to build case list for pro bono placement

·      Develop a pro bono case pairing in conjunction with LAJF grantees.

·      Develop a mentor matching system to pair novice pro bono attorneys, who commit to a removal defense case, with an expert immigration attorney.

·      Design and implement a removal defense training program for LAJF summer law clerks prior to summer placements

·      Coordinate with other immigration organizations in the area through partner meetings to ensure appropriate and efficient coverage for trainings and assistance

·      Provide direct legal services for Immigration Law Clinic and Community Lawyering Clinic clients in removal proceedings

·      Comply with LAJF data and program reporting requirements

POSITION:                                   Staff Attorney/Program Manager

12 month position (Fixed-Term) with possible 1 year           renewal

LOCATION:                                  Southwestern Law School

SALARY:                            $50,000-$60,000 depending on experience + excellent benefits

AVAILABILITY:                                    Immediately

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications should be submitted as soon as possible.  Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis and the position may be filled before the deadline.

HOW TO APPLY – Please submit a resume and cover letter to Julie Waterstone, Associate Dean for Experiential Learning, Southwestern Law School at clinicstaffattorney@swlaw.edu