Background:
TakeRoot Justice provides legal, participatory research and policy support to strengthen the work of grassroots and community-based groups in New York City to dismantle racial, economic and social oppression. Applicants are encouraged to learn more about TakeRoot’s work by visiting our website: https://takerootjustice.org/
TakeRoot’s Immigrants’ Rights team works to protect individuals from detention and deportation, keep families together, and build power in immigrant communities. In addition to assisting with a wide range of immigration cases, we also support the development of immigrant community defense networks, legislative advocacy efforts, immigrant tenant’s rights organizing and the fight against immigration fraud.
Position:
TakeRoot Justice seeks applicants for the position of Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney to join our Immigrants’ Rights team. The Immigrants’ Rights team works to strengthen the organizing work of TakeRoot’s community-based partners by (1) providing legal clinics and direct immigration representation to members of partner group, (2) providing community education and strategy support in line with organizing goals.
Primary responsibilities include:
- Directly representing clients on a range of defensive and affirmative matters including SIJS, Asylum, VAWA, U/T visas, family-based petitions, SIJS and cancellation of removal, including representing individuals in immigration court, and family and federal district court;
- Developing and conducting community education presentations for partner organizations and their members, including sometimes on evenings and weekends;
- Supporting partner organizing groups’ members and campaigns through legislative advocacy, research, and action support; and
- Participating in TakeRoot’s self-governance structure, including collective staff decision-making, participation in governance circles or working groups, and assistance with grant reporting.
Ideal Candidates will:
- Be committed to economic and racial justice and the immigrant justice movement in New York City;
- Be passionate about working in partnership with community organizers, and about developing creative lawyering strategies to support immigrant organizing;
- Have a J.D. degree;
- Be admitted to the bar of any state in the U.S., with a preference for New York;
- Have at least two years of immigration law or related experience, including removal defense experience;
- Have fluency in a second language (Bengali, Haitian Creole, Nepali, or Spanish language strongly preferred);
- Have strong writing, analytical, and interpersonal skills;
- Be self-directed and enthusiastic about boundary-pushing immigration advocacy.
Salary and compensation:
A salary competitive in the NYC legal services community and excellent benefits package is available, including generous vacation, personal, and sick time, along with strong medical and dental coverage. This is a bargaining unit position represented for collective bargaining purposes by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW, Local 2230.
Application Instructions:
Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume and writing sample by e-mail only (no hard copies please) with the subject line “Immigrants’ Rights Staff Attorney” to nqurashi@takerootjustice.org, Attn: Nadia Qurashi. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
TakeRoot Justice is an equal opportunity employer. TakeRoot encourages applications from people with diverse backgrounds, including women, people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, people from low-income backgrounds, and people with personal experience with the criminal justice system. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experiences in the communities we serve.