Staff Attorney - MRS

Promote and support the mission of Catholic Charities by providing competent and reliable legal advice and counsel to immigrants in our service area.

Essential Functions:

Benefits:

Health Insurance starting your first day 401k plan including employer match Competitive Time Off Benefits Pay range: $56,849.15

• $69,000.

00 annually

Staff Attorney Responsibilities:

• Ensure that the activities of this position and relevant programs are consistent with the mission, vision and values of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland.
• Interview and screen clients for legal services and provide brief advice and legal counsel when appropriate.
• Prepare cases for submission to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
• Represent clients in Immigration Court, before USIS District Office and Asylum Officers, and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).
• Assist in the development of a variety of grant-funded programs and fee-based legal initiatives.
• Work collaboratively with community agencies and attorneys in serving the needs of immigrants.
• Assist with public education in the community and in collaborating with other partner agencies.
• Assist volunteers working in the immigration program.
• Keep up-to-date client files (both paper files and electronic files in the case management system) for the submission of monthly and annual statistical and grant reports.
• Participate in meetings with immigration legal service community-based organizations as required.
• Assist in the development and expansion of services and resources for immigration program.
• Maintain an environment of confidentiality regarding clients and related paperwork and/or electronic files.
• Maintain current knowledge about legal, regulatory, policy, and procedure requirements as it relates to immigration law.
• Continue to foster relationships with volunteers, clients, community agencies, related Catholic Charities organizations and fellow employees of Catholic Charities.
• Assist with special projects as assigned or as needed.
• Travel to the detention facilities, parishes, community groups and other locations as required in order to meet with clients and members of the community.
• Perform other duties as assigned to accomplish objectives.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands:

• Normal office environment;
• Travel throughout service area required;
• Frequent sitting, talking, listening/hearing;
• Reading, writing and finger dexterity to manage correspondence, faxing, copying, answering phones, forms/documents, computer and client files required on a frequent basis;
• Tasks require visual perception and discrimination;
• Organizing and coordinating schedules;
• Analyzing and interpreting data;
• Communicating with the public;
• Frequent use of computer and telephone/cell phone.

Requirements:

• Graduate of accredited law school (JD).
• Must be at least 21 years of age at the time of hire.
• Fluency in a foreign language strongly preferred.
• Experience working in immigration law preferred (law school experience will be considered).
• Experience working cross-culturally. Must be comfortable working with language barriers.
• Maintain an active status law license in the State of Ohio in good standing or have taken the July, 2015 Ohio bar exam with admission pending.
• Must be admitted to the Ohio State Bar in good standing during the first 90 days of employment.
• Must have strong organizational skills and the ability to organize and manage multiple projects.
• Must have excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills. Must be able to present verbal and written complex data in an understandable format.
• Must be self-directed and self-motivated and be able to work independently.
• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule that includes evenings, holidays and weekends.
• Ability to effectively and productively work with people of very diverse economic, cultural and administrative backgrounds, both professional and volunteers, as well as organizations and systems of service.
• Must have a valid Ohio Driver's License, provide copy of driver's license, and are subject to a Moving Vehicle Report (MVR) check through the Department of Motor Vehicles annually.
• Must have a good working knowledge of computers and familiarity with Microsoft Office software.
• Final applicant is required to be fingerprinted to complete background check.