Careers

The North Carolina Justice Center is a progressive research and advocacy organization dedicated to expanding opportunity and protecting the rights of low-income individuals in North Carolina. For almost 30 years, the NC Justice Center has been on the front lines in the courts, at the legislature, in the media, and in communities advocating for positive changes for low-income and working North Carolinians. We hold government agencies, institutions, and other actors accountable to address the root causes of racism. We have produced major research reports that have influenced important public policy change in North Carolina. The NC Justice Center has played a primary role in most of the state’s major policy debates and successfully litigated hundreds of individual cases and class actions.

Staff Attorney, Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project

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Upon request, The North Carolina Justice Center will provide reasonable accommodation for all candidates with disabilities.
Location: Hybrid (Raleigh, NC)
Department: Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Job Title: Staff Attorney
Reports to: Project Director of Immigrant and Refugee Rights
FLSA Status: exempt
Union Status: Union
Job Group: Group 6
Supervises: none
Updated Salary: $73,980 to $86,553
Overview: The North Carolina Justice Center (NCJC) is a progressive research and advocacy organization dedicated to expanding opportunities and protecting the rights of low-income individuals and communities in North Carolina. For over 29 years, NCJC has worked across policy, legal, and community platforms to address poverty and systemic inequities through legislative advocacy, litigation, public education, and coalition building. The Staff Attorney for the Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project works closely with community members, local, state, and national-level partners and other NCJC advocates to advance systemic change in immigrants’ and refugees’ rights in North Carolina through a combination of individual representation, impact litigation, community outreach, and policy advocacy. This position will maintain a practice that primarily involves representing individuals in Immigration Court as well as before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services but could incorporate cross-program work as needed. The attorney will serve as a resource for advocates and partners across the state, including private attorneys, nonprofits, and government agencies. Finally, the staff attorney will engage in collaboration with community and advocacy groups to support a collective mission to eliminate poverty and promote justice in North Carolina.

Key Responsibilities

  • Work collaboratively with other Justice Center Attorneys to provide legal assistance and direct representation to immigrants in all relevant forums, including state and federal courts, and administrative agencies. This will include immigration legal matters, representing clients before the USCIS, immigration courts, and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). The Attorney may also participate in impact litigation under supervision or in collaboration with other Attorneys.
  • Conduct as needed community education and presentations on immigration law and immigrants’ rights issues and conduct legal clinics.
  • Collaborate with other Justice Center staff to address systemic issues facing immigrants and refugees.
  • Maintain regular case logs of all clients related work in case management database system.
  • Other duties may be assigned to meet the Justice Center’s needs.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Three to five years representing immigrants in immigration matters, including in immigration court.
  • Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to work independently, ability to meet deadlines.
  • Strong legal writing, research, and oral advocacy skills.
  • Highly proficient in written and spoken Spanish and English.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office and 365 Suite.
  • Demonstrated commitment to social justice, ability to recognize the barriers facing immigrant communities, and experience working with low-income individuals.
  • Demonstrated commitment to racial equality.
  • Some travel, evening, and weekend work is required.

Certifications/Licenses Required

  • J.D. and admitted to a State Bar

Physical Requirements

The employee should have the ability to maintain focus and productivity while performing sedentary tasks at a workstation for prolonged periods, including working on a computer, managing documents, or engaging in virtual meetings.

Work Environment

This role involves a combination of remote work, in-office work at NCJC’s Raleigh headquarters, and occasional offsite travel for vendor selection, meetings, or community events. Some evening and weekend availability may be requested depending on casework or community needs.

Benefits

  • Six weeks paid time off annually
  • Paid parental leave and holidays
  • Employer contributions to a 403(b)-retirement plan
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Disability and life insurance
  • Flexible spending and health savings account options
  • Part of the collective bargaining unit

The North Carolina Justice Center is an equal opportunity/ Affirmative Action employer:

The NC Justice Center is is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, personal appearance, marital or family status, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, natural hair styles, or other status as protected by State and Federal laws. We are a Fair Chance Employer and work to reduce barriers to employment for individuals with criminal records. It is our intention to promote the full realization of equality in opportunity and employment.