The Oregon Law Center (OLC) seeks two staff attorneys to provide immigration legal services to low-income clients.  These positions are grant-funded for 12 months with the possibility of extension depending on funding availability.  One position will be based in our Hillsboro Regional Office and the other will be based in our Gresham Farmworker Office.  Hillsboro is a city of 106,000 located about 45 minutes west of Portland.  The immigration staff attorney in this office will serve clients throughout the northwest region of Oregon, including coastal, urban, and agricultural communities.  Gresham is a city of 114,000 located about 30 minutes east of Portland, and is the gateway to Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge.  The immigration staff attorney in this office will serve clients in northeastern and central Oregon.

ABOUT US: OLC is a legal services program committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon by providing a full range of the highest quality civil legal services. OLC does not receive funding from the federal Legal Services Corporation. OLC operates eleven regional offices, a state support unit, legislative advocacy unit, and statewide farmworker program.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The immigration staff attorneys will handle an independent caseload of both affirmative immigration cases and removal defense.  The attorneys will perform client screening and intake, determining eligibility for relief and providing advice; will provide direct representation to clients in court and USCIS; and will develop and litigate cases.  They will also participate in outreach and community education. 

REQUIREMENTS:

• JD degree and admission to any state bar in the U.S.
• Demonstrated commitment to justice for low-income communities.
• Excellent written and verbal advocacy skills.
• A high degree of initiative and ability to manage work independently.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills, positive attitude, and sense of humor.
• Ability to manage an active caseload of individual clients.

PREFERENCES:

• Demonstrated proficiency in spoken and written Spanish.
• Zero to seven years of experience.
• Personal experience with poverty, disability, or any other minority status or affiliation.
• Significant IT skills with cloud-based phone services, Office Suite, and Adobe.

SALARY/BENEFITS: $61,500 to $98,500 and placement on the scale is determined by years of relevant experience as an attorney. Additional compensation for bilingual ability. Competitive benefits package includes individual and family health, vision and dental insurance coverage, employer retirement contribution, generous paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, paid moving expenses and bar study leave, among others.

APPLICATION: Resumes will be reviewed beginning March 13, 2022.  Positions are open until filled. To apply, please submit your resume, cover letter, and list of three references to Heather Kemper, Deputy Director, hekemper@oregonlawcenter.org.  If you have a location preference between Gresham and Hillsboro, please indicate that in your cover letter.

As part of your cover letter, please address the following:

OLC is committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon. Our client communities include people of color, farmworkers, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, seniors, and people with lived experiences of homelessness, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from other underrepresented groups. We strive to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued because we believe such an environment is essential to our work serving clients. How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to: (1) serve our diverse client communities effectively, (2) work effectively with colleagues from backgrounds different than your own, (3) acknowledge the systemic barriers that our clients face, and (4) contribute to our efforts to achieve racial justice? Feel free to provide examples and apply various aspects of your life and personal experiences, as you respond to this question.

OLC is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a healthy work environment for a diverse staff. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and communities to apply.