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The Staff Attorneys for ProBAR's Children's Team advocate for and serve some of the highest numbers of detained unaccompanied children nationally. Staff Attorneys orient, educate, and represent children seeking humanitarian immigration relief, support unrepresented children appearing before the immigration court, and connect children with advocates and other supportive services as needed.

The Legal Orientation Program for Custodians (LOPC) Staff Attorney will also provide legal orientations to custodians of unaccompanied children, identify legal and non-legal service providers, develop materials and resources, and make referrals for unaccompanied children to seek legal representation. Shelters and supportive housing help establish personal support systems for youth building their lives in the United States. This attorney will work closely with ProBAR's Release Support Department to empower immigrants through connection to services and is critical to ProBAR's holistic approach to serving our clients.

The Organization

ProBAR empowers immigrants through high-quality legal information, representation, and connections to services. ProBAR serves immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley and Houston regions with a particular focus on the legal needs of adults and unaccompanied children in federal custody. Founded in 1989 as a project of the American Bar Association, ProBAR's primary office is located in Harlingen, TX with a field office in Houston, TX. For more information about ProBAR, please visit our website:

Job Summary / General Purpose of Job

Accountable for providing legal services to detained and locally released unaccompanied children in immigration removal proceedings, in the border region. Accountable for providing legal orientations to custodians of unaccompanied children, identifying legal and non-legal services providers, developing materials and resources, and making legal referrals and referrals for wraparound services for released unaccompanied children and their sponsors. This position will require regular involvement with individuals living in difficult circumstances and who may have experienced trauma.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities (listed in order of importance and/or time spent)

• Provides legal services to detained or locally released children in immigration removal proceedings.
• Reviews legal screenings conducted by non-attorney staff. Reviews and assigns follow-up services, including additional interviewing, referrals to other legal services providers and advocates, or in-house representation.
• Refers children and their sponsors to pro bono or low-cost legal representation services in their area and provides referrals for relevant wraparound services critical to their ability to meaningfully participate in their legal proceedings.
• Conducts legal screenings in person or by phone, including of potential sponsors for unaccompanied children.
• Regularly appear in immigration court to represent children in removal proceedings and to act as a Friend of Court for other detained youth as appropriate. May also appear in Texas state court as related to a child's immigration case.
• Develops and maintains legal competency relating to immigration detention work, specifically as applied to unaccompanied minors.
• Observes ethical practices relating to client confidentiality using the division's case management system.
• Builds and maintains relationships with local stakeholders.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Required Education, Qualifications, Experience

• Possession of a Juris Doctorate or Master of Law (LLM) from an ABA-accredited law school and be in good standing.
• Licensed to practice law in a U.S. state or territory.
• Fluent in English and Spanish in written and spoken forms.
• Intermediate proficiency with online research and Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, OneDrive, teams)
• Must be familiar with conducting virtual meetings, training, and observations on software such as Zoom, Teams, etc.
• Must have reliable internet and phone connection.
• Must be able to pick up on client verbal and non-verbal cues.
• Have reliable transportation to travel to off-site work locations.
• This position requires the ability to travel to and enter detention centers. In accordance with the federal policies and contractor funding requirements, clearance of federal background checks will be required for this position.
• This position requires the ability to travel to and enter care provider facilities funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, United States Department of Health and Human Services which provide housing and services to unaccompanied children. This position will require the provision of legal services to unaccompanied children in such care provider facilities. In accordance with the federal regulations, a background check will be required for this position.

Preferred Education, Qualifications, Experience

• Licensed to practice law and member in the State Bar of Texas, and one year experience.
• Prior work experience with children, particularly from Central America and including indigenous language- speaking populations.
• Prior volunteer, community, or work experience regarding immigration or detention.
• Prior non-profit experience, particularly involving immigration detention.

Physical Requirements

• Typical office setting with frequent visits to immigration detention facilities and immigration court.
• Continuously operates a computer and other office machinery, such as telephone, copy machine, and computer printer.

Travel

As a normal course of business, this job will typically require travel of less than 15% of the time.

Benefits and Incentives Offered

• Medical and prescription insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Voluntary life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Prepaid Legal Plan
• 401 (k)
• Paid company holidays
• Personal time off
• Vacation time off
• PSLF participant
• Sign on bonus offered*
• Additional bonuses offered for continuous service at 2-year, 3-year, & 4-year service anniversaries. *
• Relocation Stipend offered for in state and out of state relocation*

*Restrictions apply

The Location

ProBAR's primary location is in the Rio Grande Valley, a thriving region that boasts a rich culture, affordable cost of living, subtropical climate, and beautiful natural areas to enjoy. Recent growth has brought the RGV in higher education and scientific research. Three local airports connect RGV residents to destinations around the country while Mexico is only a short drive away. The region's delicious food, , and the beaches of provide ample opportunities to relax and recharge!

Our Houston field office is located in the Uptown District, that showcases the vibrant urban lifestyle in the heart of Houston. The Uptown District is home to , Texas' largest shopping center. In addition to being a , you can get around with ease on the .

The Application Process

Submit an online application including your cover letter and resume.

The Salary

The starting hiring range for this position is $72,236.00 - $85,319.50 based on relevant experience and education.

• TX ProBAR, 202 South First Street, Harlingen, Texas, United States of America