Every day, people across Illinois are denied the basic rights to which they are entitled under the law simply because they can’t afford a lawyer. It’s our mission to change that.

PSLS is seeking an Immigration Staff Attorney to join our team in the Waukegan office. Immigration staff attorneys at PSLS provide legal assistance to immigrants who are survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. This includes various family and humanitarian immigration matters, and may include housing, employment, consumer, and family law matters. Prairie State is the only legal aid organization in the majority of our area, and we pride ourselves on providing high quality legal services to our clients while fostering a work environment that is motivating, collaborative, and rewarding, with plenty of opportunities for professional growth.

Responsibilities

Among other duties as assigned, the Immigration Staff Attorney will:

• Interview applicants for legal services and assess their legal issues with a focus on those issues that have an immediate impact on their basic human needs

• Provide legal services including legal research and factual investigation, counsel and advice, brief services and document preparation, dispute resolution and representation of clients in administrative and judicial proceedings

• Represent clients in various types of family and humanitarian immigration matters including U Visa, T Visa, SIJ, and VAWA self-petitions, and in related housing, consumer, public benefits, and family law matters

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and expertise of changing immigration law, policies, and procedure

• Develop and maintain networking relationships with local bar associations and with local, state, and federal governments and community agencies that serve our client population

• Exhibit a high level of personal energy, organization, and commitment to the position and the PSLS mission

• Conduct outreach events with client communities, including client education and intake events at community partner locations

• Provide accurate and complete information for grant reporting to grant funders including documenting services in the case record

• Exhibit a high level of personal energy, organization, and commitment to the position and the PSLS mission

• Perform other duties as assigned to support the PSLS mission

Salary and Benefits

The Staff Attorney position is a full-time position at 37.5 hours per week. PSLS offers a salary competitive with similar organizations. Our Staff Attorney salary range for this position is $60,577 to $80,197 annually. The starting salary for the successful candidate will be determined based on prior relevant experience. PSLS is committed to providing an excellent, comprehensive benefits package to its full-time employees that includes:

• Health insurance, including the opportunity to qualify for a wellness credit

• Dental insurance

• Vision insurance

• 403b Retirement Plan including employer contributions

• Extensive training and education program

• PTO that starts at 3 weeks/year and increases with additional years worked at PSLS

• Flex scheduling and partial remote work available

• Paid sick leave

• 6 weeks of paid parental leave after one year of employment

• 12 Paid holidays

Qualifications

• Candidates currently admitted to the practice of law in the State of Illinois, or admitted in another state and eligible for reciprocity in Illinois are preferred. Consideration will be given to law graduates who will be sitting for the next bar exam.

• Experience in trial advocacy and negotiation preferred

• Strong interpersonal skills

• Excellent oral/written communication, research skills, and computer competency

• Organizational and case management proficiency

• Ability to work effectively as a team member

• Spanish language proficiency is preferred, but not required

• Some travel is required; applicant must have a valid driver’s license and/or reliable transportation

• We will give preference to candidates who have experience providing services to low-income individuals

Application Details – Resumes accepted until positions are filled

Please indicate “Waukegan Immigration Staff Attorney” in the subject line and email a letter explaining your interest and experience, resume, three references, and a short writing sample (no more than 10 pages) to [email protected].

Prairie State Legal Services is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We recruit, employ, pay, and promote qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity, expression, or presentation, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or any other legally protected status.

The Organization

PSLS is a not for profit civil legal aid organization that has served northern and central Illinois for 45 years, maintains 11 office locations, and has a staff of over 200 employees, including training and litigation staff with extensive experience. Our 36 county service area includes rural communities, suburban areas, and mid-size urban cities, which necessitates the development of diverse strategies, and we encourage our staff to cultivate and utilize creative approaches to reach and serve our client population. Employees of PSLS benefit from the expertise and community connections of their local office staff, along with robust program-wide resources. We strive to provide an array of services responsive to the needs of our clients. PSLS has excellent fiscal controls and upholds the highest rating from Charity Navigator and Guidestar. For more information regarding PSLS services and operations, please visit our website at https://pslegal.org/