Immigration Staff Attorney - African Communities Together

Position Location:  This position will be based in ACT’s New York City office.
Reports to: Director of Immigration Legal Services
FLSA Status: Salaried-Exempt
Employment Type: Full-time
Hours: Monday-Friday, hybrid position, requires a mix of remote work, work on site, and court appearances.
Salary: The baseline salary for this position is $85,000; additional compensation is negotiable based on experience.

About Us:  African Communities Together (ACT) is an organization of African immigrants fighting for civil rights, opportunity, and a better life for our families here in the U.S. and worldwide. ACT empowers African immigrants to integrate socially, get ahead economically, and engage civically. We develop our members as grassroots leaders who take action to make social change. Since its founding, ACT has supported thousands of African immigrants with direct services, trained hundreds of new leaders, and led successful policy campaigns at the federal, state, and local levels that have impacted hundreds of thousands of immigrants. ACT’s African immigrant membership comes from a diverse range of nationalities, cultures, and languages, is religiously diverse, and is predominantly working-class and low-income. We have offices in New York City and the Washington, D.C. metro area.

Position Description: ACT is seeking an experienced and dedicated staff attorney with demonstrated ability to work with diverse cultural groups to join our legal team. The Staff Attorney will provide a range of legal services to ACT members and African immigrant communities in New York City, including petitions for alien relatives, naturalization, adjustment of status and more. This position will report to the Director of Immigration Legal Services and collaborate with other legal and programmatic personnel to advance the Chapter's goals and objectives.

Key responsibilities include:

• Work closely with NY-based legal staff to conduct in-depth immigration legal screenings and provide application assistance to clients eligible for relief, including adjustments of status, TPS, naturalization, green card renewals, family-based visa petitions, and removal of conditions for eligible lawful permanent residents. 
• Draft, prepare, and submit immigration petitions and applications.
• Manage active caseload, ensuring timely updates and accurate records of client interactions and case progress.
• Retain individuals for representation before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) and possibly the Executive Office of Immigration Review (“EOIR”).
• Supervise administrative staff, including paralegals and interns.
• Work with the New York Legal Director to develop funding proposals and grant reports for legal services  as well as ensure completion of grant deliverables for both government and private grants.
• Refer prospective and/or current clients to appropriate partners or service organizations where necessary.
• Participate in community outreach and educational activities, including Know-Your-Rights presentations, citizenship, and legal clinics.
• Participate in team and department meetings.
• Stay informed on changes in immigration laws and policies by attending relevant training and professional development opportunities related to immigration law.
• Develop relationships with service organizations and other stakeholders who work with African immigrants.

Qualifications / Key Competencies:

• Juris Doctorate (JD) degree required, must be a licensed attorney admitted to the Bar (preferably in New York) ), active and in good standing.
• At least 2 years of experience with immigration law, preferably representing low-income immigrants.
• Knowledge of immigration law, policy, and procedure.
• Must reside in or around New York City.
• Experience with affirmative and defensive applications for humanitarian relief (particularly asylum), family-based applications, and naturalization applications is highly desirable.
• Strong case management, legal research, and legal writing skills.
• Demonstrated leadership and ability to work independently and in a collaborative community organization environment, including accountability to goals, managing across teams and prioritizing workload.
• Excellent interpersonal skills. You can build strong working relationships with members and external partners, organizations, and consultants.
• Excellent organizational skills. Able to manage multiple priorities, timelines, and attention to detail.
• Cultural competence and significant experience with African immigrant communities or within the social justice sector.
• Fluency in either French or a widely spoken African language highly desired
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, and other common business software.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and irregular hours, as needed.
• Alignment with ACT’s mission and values.

Employee Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including fully paid Medical, Dental, Vision, a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and a Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP-IRA). Additional benefits include paid time off, 10 paid holidays, parental leave, professional development opportunities, sabbatical leave, and wellness reimbursements.

Application Process:

To apply, please submit your resume along with a brief cover letter describing your interest in the position. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications by January 31st,2025; however, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role Studies have shown people of the global majority and female-identifying candidates in particular are likely to “count themselves out” of otherwise well-matched opportunities due to this fact. If much of this job description describes you, please apply for this role. 

ACT is an affirmative action employer and strongly supports the social goals of affirmative action. We therefore make special efforts to recruit individuals from groups that are historically under-represented in professional environments, or that suffer from broader societal discrimination.

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