Title: Staff Attorney

Department: Immigration

Position Type: Full-time

Salary: $62,000

Benefits: Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance Plans; 9 paid holidays; 10 days PTO; Paid Sick Time; Bereavement-leave

The West African Community Council:

The West African Community Council’s (WACC) mission is to advocate, organize, assist, educate and support West African community members while preserving our traditions, culture, social, religious and moral beliefs.

In keeping with this agency-wide mission, the Immigration Program seeks to provide the highest quality immigration services to our community in a culturally competent manner that promotes empowerment, accessibility, and success for our clients.

The Position:

The WACC Immigration Program seeks a Staff Attorney to join its team in representing clients in immigration proceedings before the immigration courts system, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the US State Department. The ideal candidate will possess a demonstrated commitment to immigration advocacy and ties to or skills applicable to serving members of the West African community. The Staff Attorney will report to the Legal Director.

Duties:

• Conduct and/or oversee screenings, legal intakes and interview clients & potential clients to gather or clarify information;
• Provide direct representation to individual clients in removal proceedings before EOIR;
• Provide direct representation to individual clients before USCIS;
• Maintain up-to-date case files, case notes, and client database information;
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of immigration laws and procedures;
• Work collaboratively with the Executive Director, Legal Director, Staff Attorneys, and support staff as part of the immigration team;
• Provide support to other staff members as needed, both within and outside of the unit;
• Participate in outreach and community education;
• Participate in meetings on behalf of our program with funders or partner-organizations; and
• Perform general office duties, as needed;

Desired Qualifications:

· A juris doctor degree (or equivalent) from an accredited law school and admission in good standing to any US bar;

· At least one year experience in immigration law with experience directly representing individuals in court proceedings is preferred(experience from school clinic or externship opportunities considered);

· A demonstrated ability to manage case loads in an organized, effective manner, to set priorities, to manage deadlines, and to independently move cases forward;

· A demonstrated ability to work with a diverse range of clients, including non-English speakers and those who may have experienced trauma or be dealing with crisis; and

· Fluency in French or other languages spoken in West Africa is preferred

Nondiscrimination Policy:

We strongly encourage applicants from traditionally underrepresented communities, particularly the West African community, to apply. The WACC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment opportunities at the WACC are based upon one's qualifications and capabilities to perform the essential functions of a particular job. All employment opportunities are provided without regard to: Race; Creed; Color; Religion; Sex; Pregnancy or maternity; National origin; Age; HIV, AIDS, and Hepatitis C status; Marital status; Sexual orientation; Gender identity; Honorably discharged veteran or military status; Genetic information; The presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability; Any other characteristic protected by law.

This Equal Employment Opportunity policy governs all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, selection, job assignment, promotions, transfers, compensation, discipline, termination, layoff, access to benefits and training, and all other conditions and privileges of employment.

The WACC strongly urges the reporting of all instances of discrimination and harassment, and prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports discrimination, harassment, or participates in an investigation of such report. The WACC will take appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination, against any employee who violates this policy. To that end, the Board of Directors and all directors and officials of the Organization will not discriminate against any employee or applicant in a manner that violates the law.

Terms of Employment:

Employment with the WACC is "at-will." This means employees are free to resign at any time, with or without cause, and the WACC may terminate the employment relations hip at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. As an at-will employee, it is not guaranteed, in any manner, that you will be employed with the WACC for any set period of time.

Privacy Policy:

The WACC takes the protection of Confidential Information very seriously. “Confidential Information” includes, but is not limited to, computer processes, computer programs and codes, customer lists, customer preferences, customers’ personal information, company financial data, marketing strategies, proprietary production processes, research and development strategies, pricing information, business and marketing plans, vendor information, software, databases, and information concerning the creation, acquisition or disposition of

products and services.

Confidential Information also includes the Organization’s intellectual property and information that is not otherwise public. Intellectual property includes, but is not limited to, trade secrets, ideas, discoveries, writings, trademarks, and inventions developed through the course of your employment with the WACC and as a direct result of your job responsibilities with the WACC. Wages and other conditions of employment are not considered to be Confidential Information.

To protect such information, employees may not disclose any confidential or nonpublic proprietary information about the Organization to any unauthorized individual. If you receive a request for Confidential Information, you should immediately refer the request to your supervisor. The unauthorized disclosure of Confidential Information belonging to the Organization, and not otherwise available to persons or companies outside of the WACC, may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. If you leave the Organization, you may not disclose or misuse any Confidential Information.

This policy is not intended to restrict an employee’s right to discuss, or act together to improve, wages, benefits and working conditions with co-workers or in any way restrict employees’ rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

How to Apply:

To apply please send (1) a resume (2) brief cover letter explaining your interest in the position (3) a legal writing sample (no more than 5 pages) and (4) two professional references to immigration@waccofseattle.orgwith the subject line “2022 Staff Attorney Position Application.”