Job Announcement: Rutgers Immigrant Rights Clinic

Rutgers Immigrant Rights Clinic seeks Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney 

The Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative (DDDI) at the Immigrant Rights Clinic, Rutgers Law School in Newark, New Jersey, is seeking to hire an experienced attorney in a full-time Staff Attorney position. Depending on the candidate’s level of experience, the position could be classified as a Senior Staff Attorney. DDDI is funded by the state of New Jersey to provide legal representation to detained and non-detained New Jersey residents facing removal before the Immigration Courts, Board of Immigration Appeals, and federal courts. The Rutgers Immigrant Rights Clinic is one of four partners in this exciting project, aimed at ensuring that indigent immigrants in New Jersey have high quality pro bono representation in their removal proceedings. 

The Staff Attorney will work with the Managing Attorney and other staff in the DDDI project. They will maintain an active docket of detained and non-detained clients. The Staff Attorney will also supervise law graduates working as DDDI Fellows and nonclinical law student interns providing assistance with the project, and may have other supervisory and mentoring responsibilities. The position will benefit from the support of a full-time paralegal, devoted exclusively to this project.  

Position requirements:  

• A law degree;  
• At least three years’ experience representing immigrants, preferably detained immigrants, before the immigration courts, Board of Immigration Appeals, and the federal courts (including law school clinics and legal internships); 
• Membership in a bar of any state (NJ bar membership is not required, though it is a plus);  
• Strong written and oral communication skills; fluency in another language, particularly Spanish or French, strongly preferred (though not required); 
• Interest in and/or commitment to mentoring and supervising law graduates and students; 
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, team environment;  
• Demonstrated time management, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills; 
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail; 
• Familiarity with case management systems such as CLIO, preferred. 

This is a full-time, year-round position. The salary will range from $75,000-95,000, depending on experience, and includes excellent benefits through Rutgers University. The Immigrant Rights Clinic is housed at Rutgers Law School in Newark, a short train ride or drive away from New York City. Generally, the Staff Attorney will be expected to be in the office 3 days/week and may elect to work remotely up to 2 days/week.  

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, list of references, and unofficial transcript. The cover letter should address all of the position requirements listed above.  

To apply, go to: https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/186703 

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, military service or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment.