Immigration Staff Attorney

Title: Immigration Staff Attorney
Status: Full-time
Location: Portland, OR (Hybrid)

Victim Rights Law Center (VRLC) is hiring an Immigration Staff Attorney to work with our Oregon legal team to represent survivors of sexual assault.

Victim Rights Law Center:

VRLC is a nonprofit law center that provides free legal representation to victims of rape and sexual assault in Oregon and Massachusetts. VRLC also provides national training and support for lawyers, advocates, and other victim services provides on the civil legal needs of rape and sexual assault victims.

VRLC’s mission is to provide legal representation to survivors of sexual violence to help rebuild their lives; and to promote a national movement committed to seeking justice for every rape and sexual assault victim.

All applicants must support VRLC’s mission and philosophy regarding our commitment to improving the response to sexual violence, empowerment, and inclusiveness. This position will be filled by a candidate with a strong work ethic, a passion for mission-driven work, and a commitment to addressing the needs of marginalized communities. VRLC deeply values diverse voices and perspectives on our team. People of color, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. VRLC will gladly assist applicants in need of accommodation. Please contact [email protected] if you need any accommodations during the application process.

Responsibilities:

• Provide sexual assault survivors with comprehensive, trauma-informed legal consultations, representation, and referrals
• Represent survivors of sexual violence on immigration remedies including U visas, VAWA self-petitions, T visas, battered spouse waivers, adjustments of status, and petitions for work authorization; as well as privacy, safety, and limited criminal justice advocacy
• Participate in intake and case assessment meetings
• Conduct intakes, initial consultations and client meetings with sexual assault survivors remotely, at VRLC’s Portland office, and off-site in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties, as needed
• Conduct strategic outreach to community partners and foster strong relationships with other organizations working in the field of gender-based violence
• Collect accurate client services data for reporting purposes
• Work collaboratively with lawyers and paralegals

Required Qualifications:

• Member of Oregon State Bar in good standing
• At least one year of immigration law experience (VAWA/U/T/Asylum experience preferred)
• Bilingual Spanish (spoken and written fluency)
• Experience working with trauma survivors and/or underserved communities (e.g., LGBTQIA2S+, communities of color, people with disabilities, youth)
• Satisfactory background check after receiving conditional offer of employment
• Valid driver’s license and comfortable driving in the Portland tri-county area, if required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Significant experience with humanitarian-based forms of immigration relief (e.g., U visas, T visas).
• Experience with employment, housing, and/or public benefits law
• Litigation or other hearing experience

Salary: $55,000-$63,000 (+ $1,200 Spanish language use stipend) depending on experience.
Please note that this range has been established within an internal salary matrix.

Benefits: 

Hybrid Work: VRLC has a Hybrid Work Policy. “Hybrid Work” is a flexible workplace model that is supportive and inclusive of employees fulfilling their job responsibilities in-office, remotely, or at another location (partner agency) for all or part of their regularly scheduled work hours. Employees have a choice in selecting a working environment that helps them be most productive while meeting the needs of VRLC and prioritizing both a survivor-centered approach to work and survivor privacy. For this role, the candidate must be available to attend meetings and hearings remotely and in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties, as needed.

To Apply: Please fill out the form below. No phone calls please.