Legal Programs Director

ICARE (Immigrant Children Advocates' Relief Effort) • Full-time • New York, NY, US • $90k - $120k / year • 8h ago

ABOUT ICARE

Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort (ICARE) is a coalition of nonprofit organizations dedicated to expanding access to legal representation for unaccompanied children facing deportation in New York City, while advocating for universal access to counsel. Our members include Catholic Charities Community Services, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), Legal Aid Society, Safe Passage Project, and The Door.

Immigrant children are not afforded free legal representation by the government, regardless of their age. Without a lawyer, they’re nearly guaranteed to lose their immigration case resulting in rapid deportation, returning to the danger from which they fled. This is where ICARE steps in, our members provide free legal assistance to immigrant children in New York City. Since our inception in 2014, ICARE has supported over 14,000 children by offering know-your-rights trainings, legal screenings, direct representation and connections to city and social services, ensuring vulnerable immigrant children do not have to face court alone.

ABOUT THE ROLE

ICARE seeks an experienced Legal Programs Director to lead our legal programming for youth on the juvenile docket. This dual focus role combines direct impact with systems building; you'll provide court support to unrepresented children while simultaneously developing training and technical assistance systems for our coalition network.

You'll prepare youth for hearings, supervise volunteers and staff providing court support, and collaborate with court personnel to strengthen coordination. At the same time, you'll design and deliver trainings for coalition partners and court-assigned (18-B) attorneys, creating practical tools and resources that elevate practice across the network.

This is a newly created position designed to fill a critical gap in our network, providing immediate court support and building long-term capacity through training. While deeply engaged in court proceedings, this role focuses on preparation support, coordination, and capacity building rather than direct legal representation. As the inaugural Legal Programs Director, you'll have a significant opportunity to shape this role and define what success looks like.

KEY RESONPSIBILITIES

Juvenile Docket Support & Preparation (40%):

Provide on-site and virtual support during juvenile-docket calendars: prepare youth for hearings, draft advocacy/continuance letters, coordinate interpretation, advise on in-person versus virtual appearance logistics.
Serve as a courtroom resource to help ensure due process and prevent in-absentia outcomes.
Work with ICARE’s Program Manager to translate systemic trends and findings into briefs or reports
Supervise and mentor volunteers or staff supporting court programming.

Training & Technical Assistance (40%)

Design and deliver practical trainings to ICARE network providers on topics including Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, EOIR practice, motions, virtual-appearance best practices, interpreter use, trauma-informed lawyering, among others.
Establish a process to respond in real-time to legal provider questions and concerns (e.g., short continuances for pro se youth, DHS opposition on terminations, venue and calendaring).
Develop a resource directory for legal service providers including, scripts, checklists, sample filings, and practice advisories.

Coordination & Partnerships (20%)

Work closely with member organizations, court stakeholders, and 18-B leadership to align protocols and escalate systemic barriers.
Maintain a warm-handoff pipeline from court to counsel/services, including referrals for youth on ICARE’s centralized waitlist.

QUALIFICATIONS

If this job excites you and aligns with your values and aspirations, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the listed qualifications. The strongest candidates for this position will have most of the following qualifications and characteristics:

To be successful in this position, you will excel in the following areas:

Mission Alignment: You have a passion for our mission, and you believe it is critical for all immigrants to have access to counsel.
Legal Expertise & Youth-Centered Practice: You bring deep knowledge of removal defense, SIJS, asylum, and EOIR practice, with substantial exposure to juvenile docket work. You approach every case with trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice that centers the child's experience and needs.
Adaptability & Systems Thinking: You can balance direct service with program development, moving fluidly between supporting an individual youth and designing tools that serve hundreds. You're proactive in identifying systemic barriers and creating solutions that work in fast-moving, resource-constrained environments.
Training & Capacity Building: You excel at translating complex legal concepts into practical, accessible training. You've mentored legal staff or trained pro bono/18-B panels, and you're energized by building others' capacity to do excellent work.
Communication & Collaboration: You have excellent written and verbal communication skills. You collaborate effectively with courts, community partners, and diverse teams, and you exercise sound judgment in high-stakes courtroom environments.

Ideal candidates for this position will also have:

J.D. and admission to the New York State Bar.
Five or more years of relevant experience (removal defense, SIJS, asylum, EOIR practice) with substantial exposure to juvenile docket work; prior training/mentoring of legal staff or pro bono/18-B panels preferred.
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with demonstrated experience in creating and delivering legal trainings.
Trauma-informed, youth-centered approach; culturally responsive practice and strong communication skills.
Spanish (professional proficiency) required; other commonly used languages a plus.
Proven capacity to collaborate with courts and community partners and exercise sound court judgment.
Comfort in working in a fast-moving environment, and ability to travel to court and partner sites, and cover early-morning calendars.