To apply for this position, please submit the following to careers@lia-michigan.org with the subject line

“Staff Attorney” of "DOJ Rep" and include the following PDF file attachments:

● Cover letter explaining why LIA’s work/mission is important to you

● Current résumé

● Three professional references and their contact information

● A brief writing sample (2-5 pages)

All materials may be addressed to: Maggie Haveman-Gould, Program Director, pronouns she/her.

BROAD STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide high-quality legal representation before the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S.

Department of State, and potentially the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) in immigration matters

to community members in need.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

● Provide legal representation and general consultations on family-based and humanitarian immigration

matters, including but not limited to citizenship, petitions for relatives, permanent residence for family,

waivers, consular processing, refugee and asylee petitions, VAWA, U visas, TPS, and DACA.

● Coordinate all aspects of a client's case, including client communication, preparing immigration forms,

conducting relevant research, drafting personal statements, writing briefs and compiling evidence.

● Utilize case management and office systems to manage substantial caseload.

● Utilize government websites (such as, but not limited to, the National Visa Center or USCIS FOIA website)

for submitting applications, entering data and making payments.

● Communicate with USCIS, the NVC, US Consulates, and government attorneys on behalf of clients as

case needs dictate.

● Provide consultations to new clients.

● potentially - Conduct initial screenings, intakes, and eligibility assessments for asylum and other

humanitarian protections (e.g., CAT, Withholding of Removal).

● potentially - Prepare asylum applications (Form I-589), supporting affidavits, legal briefs, and

documentation.

● potentially - Represent clients in affirmative asylum interviews before USCIS and in defensive asylum

proceedings before EOIR.

● Meet with existing clients to continue their immigration processes.

● Communicate with clients by phone, email, video call and in-person meetings.

● Assist clients in identification of documents required, and directs clients on how to obtain them.

● Participate in program outreach and public education about immigration law and policy, including

occasional speaking engagements, assisting with preparing educational presentations, and working with

Legal Outreach Teams to coordinate education and outreach to hard-to-reach immigrant communities.

● Provide assistance as necessary to in-house and mobile clinics at partner organizations.

● Provide telephonic general consultations on Immigration hotline.

● Serve on community committees or coalitions such as the Michigan Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee

Rights or local coalitions and initiatives as necessary.

● Serve on one committee with the board of directors.

● Engage in limited supervision of interns, volunteers, support staff, and potentially DOJ-accredited legal

representatives who are engaged in similar duties with the Legal Services Program as necessary.

● Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

● If Attorney - The qualified candidate will have a J.D. and must have an active license to practice law in

any U.S. state (Michigan preferred). We will not accept applications from recent law graduates who have

not already passed their bar exam.

○ Membership in good standing of State Bar required.

● If DOJ Representative - The qualified candidate will have prior experience working as a DOJ

Representative and be able to immediately take steps to be accredited for Lighthouse Immigrant

Advocates.

● IF DOJ Representative - Bachelor's Degree preferred but not required.

● Must be highly proficient in English and Spanish.

● Preferred minimum of two years previous experience in a professional context with family-based,

humanitarian-based, and/or asylum immigration matters preferred. [Pay commensurate with

experience.]

● Flexibility to travel throughout West Michigan, including occasional evenings and weekends if required,

for work purposes including but not limited to mobile clinics, speaking presentations, or community

outreach events.

● Must be committed to the mission and goals of Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates.

● Possess strong organizational and information management skills, have excellent time management

skills, the ability to prioritize and work with minimal supervision.

● Possess strong client service skills, including, but not limited to, timely and effective written, phone, and

in-person communication skills and knowledge and practice of trauma-informed communication

methods.

● Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite, Google Drive, and other computer applications.

● Must have competence in communicating and interacting with others of diverse cultural, geographic,

and economic backgrounds in a professional and compassionate manner, including the ability to interact

with individuals experiencing substantial levels of emotional, physical, financial, or other hardship.

● Must be committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion work both within the organization and within the

community.

SCHEDULE:

LIA is open Monday through Thursday to clients and Fridays is closed to the public. The Legal Representative’s

schedule is based on their start-time preference and the demands of the populations with whom they work.

Salaried employees are expected to work a minimum of 36 hours per week unless otherwise specified. Typically,

the Legal Representative will have in-person hours with one weekly work block day which can be done remotely.

Further remote days can happen as needed as long as approved by the Managing Attorney.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to

successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to

enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions in the work environment provided.

● While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; occasionally

walk and stand; travel from building to other sites.

● Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth

perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

● The employee is required to be able to hear conversations in quiet environments.

● While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works inside. The employee

must be able to meet deadlines with inflexible time constraints. The employee may be asked to

work irregular or extended work hours while performing the duties of this job.

● Holland Office is a single-story building not fully accessible to wheelchair users and individuals