Attorney

Summary:

Centro is looking for an experienced attorney who is passionate about the immigrant community and dedicated to achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients. The person in this position will be a full-time member of the Centro team who will function within the Immigration Team and will contribute to agency outreach and fundraising activities. This position is housed in-person at Centro’s main office.

Reports to: Immigration Team Manager

About the agency:

Centro de Información is a 501c3 non-profit organization with offices in Elgin, Carpentersville and Hanover Park. The mission of Centro de Información is empowering the Latino and immigrant community to integrate effectively. Centro provides immigration and naturalization services, employment aid, an emergency food pantry, educational seminars, public benefits outreach and advocacy and more. Centro has been serving in the community since 1972 and serves over 8,000 clients each year.

Each office location is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. This position would require occasional participation in community events which are sometimes scheduled for weekday evenings or weekends.

Elgin main office address is 1885 Lin Lor Lane. Centro also has an office at 1551 Commerce Dr. in Elgin.

Carpentersville office address is 3036 Wakefield Dr.

Hanover Park office address is 1645 West Irving Park Road – Suite 100.

To learn more about Centro, go to www.centrodeinformacion.org.

Responsibilities:

·        Counsel and assist Centro clients with completion and submission of immigration applications.

·        Represent clients in court proceedings if necessary.

·        Work with Centro's Immigration Counselors accredited by the Department of Justice and other staff to move client cases forward.

·        Participate in regional legal clinics on behalf of Centro to counsel and assist members of the community requiring screenings and assistance with applications.

·        Adhere to Centro’s program policies regarding regular client service data entries and reporting.

·        Manage and prioritize multiple cases and deadlines.

·        Assist with strategic communications and projects as assigned by the Executive Director or Assistant Director for Programs and Grant Management.

·        Maintain accurate, confidential and up-to-date case files on a regular basis according to the agency documentation procedures.

·        Stay up to date on immigration law and other laws and regulations that affect Centro clients' ability to effectively integrate.

·        Attend regular Centro team meetings, trainings and fundraising events as directed

·        Other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

·        Law degree from an accredited law school

·        Licensed to practice law in Illinois and in good standing

·        Strong analytical skills

·        Minimum of 5 years experience with immigration law preferred

·        Ability to litigate cases effectively in court

·        Knowledge of legal administrative procedures and practices

·        Strong cross-cultural communication and interpersonal skills

·        Spanish language proficiency preferred

·        Excellent negotiation skills

·        Familiarity with LawLogix case management system a plus

Benefits:

• Salary: $80,000.00 - $100,000 / year based on experience
• Generous PTO & paid holidays
• Health, dental and life insurance options available
• Work with a mission-driven and growing organization alongside dedicated, dynamic team

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm office hours
• Evenings and weekends as needed
• Target start date: Monday, September 1

Please send resume and cover letter to Dianha Ortega-Ehreth, Execute Director, at dortegaehreth@centrodeinformacion.org.