OPPORTUNITY

IRAP is seeking an attorney with 3 to 10 years of legal experience, including substantial federal court litigation experience, to join the U.S. Litigation department. An Attorney with 8 or more years of legal experience will be considered a Senior Staff Attorney. The Attorney will be supervised by the Litigation Department’s Senior Director or Deputy Director.

WHO WE ARE: IRAP

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) is a global legal aid and advocacy organization working to create a world where refugees and all people seeking safety are empowered to claim their right to freedom of movement and a path to lasting refuge. As the number of people forced to flee their homes because of the climate crisis, persecution, and conflict continues to break global records, the need for equitable, accessible pathways to safety remains urgent. With humility and ambition, IRAP is collaborating with clients, partnering with refugee-led and community-based organizations, providing direct legal services, sharing legal information, and advocating for systemic change.

With four global offices, IRAP is supported by leading and forward-thinking funders, including inspiring donors and numerous foundations, corporate, and individual funders. With strong programs and leadership, IRAP is poised to serve even more people around the world who are seeking a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.

IRAP brings cutting-edge litigation, provides essential legal services, and fights for policy change in the U.S. and abroad to protect the rights and dignity of displaced people, including refugees, asylum seekers, and others who need a safe home.

THE U.S. LITIGATION TEAM

Since the founding of IRAP’s U.S. Litigation Department in 2017, we have challenged the ban on refugee admissions in both the first and current Trump Administrations; litigated protections for Special Immigrant Visa applicants from Iraq and Afghanistan; fought for family reunification for asylees and refugees; won protections for Iranian religious minorities wrongly denied refugee status; and most recently, obtained a postponement of the termination of Temporary Protected Status for more than 6000 Syrians.

Our work involves Administrative Procedure Act challenges, class actions, mandamus cases, FOIA litigation, and constitutional questions. We aim to uplift the voices of our clients and to center impacted communities in every aspect of our litigation. Information about our current cases can be found at https://refugeerights.org/litigation/.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Develop, supervise, lead, and engage in all aspects of litigation and litigation-related advocacy as appropriate for level of experience, including case development and filing, legal and factual research, client counseling and interviews, motions practice, discovery, resource creation, policy advocacy, and media advocacy. IRAP’s U.S. Litigation Department develops and brings a range of cases in lead counsel capacity, including Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional challenges, class actions, FOIA, and mandamus cases.
Collaborate with IRAP staff members in other program departments to ensure that litigation is supporting and leveraging the work of other departments, including policy, legal services, and communications.
Represent IRAP in external relationships, including with other advocates, pro bono firms, media, and donors.
Participate in tasks that support the organization, including by joining hiring committees, participating in cross-departmental task forces, and providing feedback on organization-wide issues.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Law degree and license to practice law in the U.S. state from which the candidate will perform work for the position. If a candidate is relocating to New York for the position and is not already licensed to practice in New York, they must be willing to apply for the New York bar as soon as practicable.

Experience:

Three to ten years of relevant legal experience after law school, that prepare the candidate to counsel clients, manage litigation-related projects, draft complex briefs, and develop litigation (with appropriate support based on experience level).
Prior experience working with marginalized and/or displaced communities and using interpreters for client communications preferred.

Values, Competencies, and Skills:

Litigation and advocacy skills appropriate for the experience level, including in litigation and project development; litigation and project management; client management, research and writing, discovery; oral advocacy; media and public advocacy; case supervision.
Commitment to developing IRAP’s core competencies, including equity mindset, initiative, and critical thinking.
Commitment to teamwork. Ability to work collaboratively and communicate clearly and respectfully with people of different backgrounds, including IRAP staff across the organization, other advocates, and pro bono firms.
Eagerness to support team members as needed.
Commitment to centering displaced people and equity principles. We encourage applications from attorneys with lived experience of displacement or marginalization.
Openness to accepting and providing constructive feedback.
Ability to manage competing deadlines and work quickly when needed; write coherently and incorporate feedback; identify, analyze, and research complex issues; adopt creative approaches to case development and advocacy.
Excellent oral and written English communication skills, including communication with clients in a culturally sensitive manner. Additional languages are a plus, particularly Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Haitian Creole, Pashto, Somali and/or Spanish.
Familiarity with the Immigration and Nationality Act, refugee processing, and/or a practical understanding of immigration law is a strong plus.

Job-related Requirements

This position is preferably based in New York City, but Washington D.C.-based or remote work within the United States is also possible. If remote, the position must be: (1) located within commuting distance to mailing facilities, printing facilities, and an office supply store; (2) located within reasonable distance and fare to all federal district courts in which IRAP routinely litigates; (3) available to work during East Coast working hours as needed.
This position requires travel as needed to locations in which IRAP files litigation, which may include New York, California, Maryland, and D.C. Remote staff are expected to travel to the NY city office four times a year.
NYC and D.C.-based staff may work a hybrid in-person/remote schedule.

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U.S. Litigation Staff Attorney