STAFF ATTORNEY
CASA de Maryland Synopsis: CASA de Maryland’s primary mission is to work with the community to improve the quality of life and fight for equal treatment and full access to resources and opportunities for low-income Latinos and their families. CASA works with other low-income immigrant communities, makes its programs and activities available to them, and joins with other organizations to advocate for social, political, and economic justice for all low-income communities.
Department Synopsis: Since its inception more than fifteen years ago, the CASA legal program has been at the forefront of creative strategies to combat the many injustices immigrants face in the state of Maryland and the Washington metro region. The strategies have included individual representation to recover a quarter of a million dollars each year in unpaid wages; liberation, back wages and legal status for victims of human trafficking; class action litigation to address disparate treatment of immigrant drivers license applicants; organizing to publicly pressure unscrupulous employers to meet their legal obligations; support to CASA’s vibrant community organizing and political action department to stop immigration enforcement abuses, anti-immigrant ordinances, anti-immigrant hate crimes. We are looking for talented, creative, bi-lingual attorneys to join our bi-lingual and bi-cultural legal team, which collectively has nineteen years’ experience in creative public service legal practice, and more than twenty-four years’ experience in community organizing, union organizing, international development and non-profit management.
The legal program at CASA de Maryland operates under the principles of Justice is the goal, law is a means
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. We endeavor to find the most creative strategies to combat the abuses and injustices identified by our constituents. We value justice in the largest sense possible, not only one person at a time legal solutions, but broad, transformative solutions created in combination with immigrant leaders, CASA organizers and other staff, other local and national organizations and direct service staff. We value our time and believe that though hard and sustained effort is often required, real rest is also necessary for creativity, stamina and “a life,” however defined.
Position Synopsis: Staff Attorney
Department / Program: Legal
CASA Site: Silver Spring
Type: Exempt Category 3
Hours: Monday- Friday, with occasional weekends and evenings needed.
Direct Supervisor: Senior Manager of Legal Program
Salary: $42,000 to $50,000 plus benefits
Duties/ Responsibilities: A Casa of Maryland staff attorney is on the front line in defending immigrant workers and women against abuse by employers, the police and immigration officials. This is an excellent opportunity to build your legal skills, build power in the immigrant community, make a lasting difference in the state of Maryland and to work with a dynamic group of paralegals, lawyers, organizers and social service staff in a friendly, fast-paced, bi-lingual and multi-cultural office.
Specific duties include but not limited:
Legal:
a. Provide legal consultations to low-wage, immigrant workers on employment matters, including nonpayment of wages and overtime particularly for domestic workers.
i. (other potential areas: workplace discrimination, workplace sexual assault, retaliation, health and safety)
b. Provide civil legal representation in the above areas, with an emphasis on active members of the Committee of Women Seeking Justice and CASA leaders, and provide legal representation for the purpose of obtaining permanent residence based on VAWA petitions, “T” and “U” visas as well as some deportation defense.
c. Identify the most challenging issues that low-wage immigrant women workers face and develop impact litigation to address those issues.
d. Provide technical legal assistance to Women Seeking Justice and to COPA’s work with domestic workers and other low-wage women workers.
e. Secure pro bono representation and provide technical assistance to volunteer attorneys.
2. Advocacy:
a. Support local and national legislative efforts designed to improve wages, benefits, and working conditions for low-wage, immigrant women workers.
b. In collaboration with COPA organizers, support direct action such as protests and media campaigns on behalf of aggrieved workers and victims of immigration raids or police-led immigration enforcement actions.
3. Education and Outreach:
a. Develop and conduct educational presentations focusing on the employment rights of domestic workers and other low-wage, immigrant workers, including: wage and hour law, discrimination, health and safety, and the rights of A3 and G5 visa holders.
b. Conduct regular outreach in conjunction with COPA organizers to domestic workers and other immigrant women in low-wage industries.
c. Participate in CASA’s efforts to prepare community members on how to react to ICE enforcement actions or those of police officers enforcing immigration provisions
And other duties assigned by supervisor related to position.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Understanding of and commitment to using the law as part of a multi-faceted, community-based approach to social change
• Creativity and willingness to be a lawyer who says “yes”
• J.D. and admittance to Maryland Bar or willingness to sit for Maryland Bar exam (less intensive, 1/2 day out of state attorney exam available for those with five years’ practice experience)
• Immigration law experience including deportation defense preferred and ability to learn new area of law quickly
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) or willingness to take specific steps to develop functional fluency
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple ongoing projects
• Two or more years’ experience in community setting preferred
• Ability to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends
• Because of the need to be onsite at housing complexes, and the limited availability of public transportation, a car is required for this position. CASA provides mileage reimbursement at the IRS-recommended rate, currently $0.485 per mile, to cover the cost of ownership, maintenance and gasoline.
CASA of Maryland, Inc. is bound by a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Communication Workers of America.
This is a union position. We are members of Local WBNG 32035 -Communication Workers of America (CWA). If you are offered and accept this position, you will be invited to become a member of the union. All bargaining unit positions require membership or agency fee payer status.
Please send all cover letters and resumes to
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with a copy to
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. The name of the position applied for must be included in the subject line of the e-mail. For more information about CASA de Maryland please visit our website at www.casademaryland.org.
CASA de Maryland, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or sexual orientation
