TO APPLY: Submit a resume and cover letter below. Position open until filled.
PURPOSE: Provide direct legal services to low-income immigrants, particularly asylum legal representation for Ukrainian and Afghan parolees.
REPORTS TO: Director of Immigration Legal Services
DIRECT REPORTS: None.
LOCATION: EMO’s SOAR Immigration Legal Services Portland program site.
CLASSIFICATION: Fulltime*, exempt. *32 hours/week is considered full-time at EMO.
LIMITED DURATION:
Current funding for this position is expected to last through September 30, 2026.
BENEFITS: Salary range starts at $72,696 annually and increases with immigration experience and language ability. For example, a fully bilingual attorney would receive an additional $4,160 and an attorney with 7 years of immigration experience would receive an additional $5200. There is no cap on experience pay. All regular employees (does not include on-call or temporary) are eligible for vacation, holidays, sick leave, 401(k) retirement plan, employee assistance program and employee trainings. Employees in positions that are 20 hours per week or more, also receive medical insurance, dental insurance, disability insurance and life insurance, per eligibility requirements.
EMO has an organization-wide Pay Equity Plan (PEP). This PEP provides standardized increases to base pay for staff who have technical skills or specialized training beyond the minimum qualifications for a job, significant prior experience in similar roles, language skills relevant to the position, and/or who hold academic/professional degrees or certifications related to the role.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide direct legal consultations and representation to low-income clients with USCIS administrative applications, particularly focused on asylum but may also involve a broad range of immigration cases, including: family based petitions, adjustment of status, naturalization, consular processing, deferred action for childhood arrivals, U visas, and other immigration remedies.
- Participate in legal clinics.
- Hold community presentations on immigration topics.
- Submit monthly reports on services rendered.
- Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Commitment to the mission, vision and ethics of EMO, and maintain an understanding of the services provided by the programs and projects of EMO.
Required
- A lawyer in good standing with the Bar of any state, and meet the requirements of ORS 9.280 and the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct.
- At least two years of experience in immigration law.
- Excellent oral, written and interpersonal skills in English.
- Strong organization and time management skills and ability to handle multiple time-sensitive tasks with tight deadlines.
- Ability to listen to and affirm people from a wide variety of backgrounds and circumstances; treat all individuals with respect and dignity.
- Ability to handle highly sensitive matters with confidentiality and diplomacy.
- Ability to maintain a calm, professional manner, in high-pressure situations.
- Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, or similar software programs for data and word processing.
- Sensitivity toward cultural, racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and sexual identity diversity, as well as physical/mental health abilities.
Preferred
- Ability to communicate fluently in either Spanish, Russian, or Ukrainian, in addition to English.
Responsibility
- Highly self-directed with workload planning and implementation and ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
- Very good judgement about when to consult for decision-making.
Working Conditions
- Ability to work at a desk using a computer and phone up to eight hours a day.
- Ability to work in a respectful manner with people of diverse ethnicity, socio-economic circumstances, religion, culture and sexual orientation.
- High tolerance for ambiguity and change.
Equal opportunity employer
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon is an equal opportunity employer and, as such, considers individuals for employment according to their abilities and performance. People of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, and people living with HIV are encouraged to apply.
Employment decisions are made without regard to race, age, religion, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, marital or veteran status, or any other classification protected by law. All employment requirements mandated by state and federal regulations will be observed.
