Staff Attorney

About Safe Passage Project

Safe Passage Project (SPP) is a highly focused nonprofit immigration legal services organization that provides free lawyers to immigrant children facing deportation. Founded in 2013, SPP has grown to include 50+ employees, two offices, and an annual budget of over $6 million. It manages over 1,400 open cases a year.

To date, SPP has supported more than 3,000 young people in NYC and Long Island. The New York Immigration Courts, some of the busiest immigration courts in the US, have more than 15,000 juveniles on their dockets, many of whom are fleeing trauma in their countries of origin such as gang violence and recruitment, abuse, and sexual assault. Immigrant children are not afforded free legal representation by the government, regardless of their age. As a result, more than half of immigrant children in immigration proceedings must go to court without the aid of a lawyer. Among unaccompanied children with legal representation, immigration court data shows that 90% are allowed to remain in the United States, whereas less than 15% of unrepresented children are allowed to stay. This is where Safe Passage Project steps in, both through providing immigrant youth with direct representation by staff attorneys and through a robust network of pro bono attorneys who SPP attorneys train, mentor, and supervise.

About the Role

The Staff Attorney will be joining a group of exceptional public interest attorneys to directly impact the lives of immigrant children looking for safety and security. The Staff Attorney will directly represent children in immigration and other related proceedings, including cases involving asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and other forms of immigration relief. The Staff Attorney will also guide pro bono attorneys through Family Court and Immigration Court proceedings, and through representation at the Asylum Office. This position will be based in our Long Island office in Farmingdale, New York.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct representation to Safe Passage Project clients
• Supervise and mentor pro bono attorneys with the Safe Passage Project.
• Screen immigrant children and assist in the organization of the Safe Passage Project's legal screenings.
• Provide detailed reporting statistics on each case mentored and represented directly.

Qualifications

The strongest candidates for this position will have most, though likely not all, of the following qualifications and characteristics:

• J.D. degree and admission to the New York State Bar;
• Two (2) years of family law or immigration law experience;
• Excellent written, analytical, oral, organizational, and time management skills;
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively on an interdisciplinary team in a
• fast-paced, high-intensity environment;
• Fluency in Spanish
• An understanding of how to work with vulnerable populations using trauma-centered practices or willingness to learn and incorporate such practices in your work.
• A demonstrated ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures, as well as sensitivity to and knowledge of the various dimensions of diversity, including gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, and socioeconomic status.
• A commitment to the work of Safe Passage Project and readiness to grow and learn with the Safe Passage Project team.

Compensation and Benefits

Safe Passage Project offers a competitive salary in the range of $83,498 - $98,573 annually and offers the following benefits:

• A hybrid work environment, staff currently work from our office 1 day a week.
• Open Paid Time Off
• Medical plans (which includes 1 plan that has 100% premium coverage).
• Dental plans, Vision plans, and telehealth services.
• Employer-sponsored retirement savings plan- we provide up to 6% employer match of your 401(k) contributions
• Leave of Absence Programs
• 12 weeks of Paid Family Leave along with Unpaid Leave of Absence
• Short-term disability (STD) & Long-term disability (LTD) Coverage
• Flexible spending accounts (FSA) and Health savings accounts (HSA)
• Commuter benefits (Transit & Parking)
• Voluntary Life Insurance plan
• Health Advocate to aid employees and their covered family members in navigating healthcare and insurance-related issues
• Yearly Professional Development Stipend
• Time off from December 24th to January 1st
• Home Office Stipend
• Paid Holidays
• Flexible work schedule
• Loan Forgiveness: Safe Passage Project is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness

The team works on a beautiful campus at a terrific office location in Tribeca and in our Long

Island office in Farmingdale, NY (near LIRR). Safe Passage Project is proud to have a top-down, bottom-up commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Safe Passage Project is an equal-opportunity employer. Women, people of color, LGBTQ people, veterans, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

For more information on Safe Passage Project, please visit www.safepassageproject.org (http://www.safepassageproject.org).