Staff Attorney - Farmworker Legal Services of Michigan

Job Type: Legal Services

    Legal Services of South Central Michigan (LSSCM) has an opening for a Statewide Immigration Law Support Attorney. The Immigration Support Attorney will be based in LSSCM’s Farmworker Legal Services office in Bangor, twenty miles west of Kalamazoo.

    LSSCM provides free legal services to very low income and senior persons in 13 counties in south-central Michigan. LSSCM also provides statewide legal services through two programs – Farmworker Legal Services, which provides legal services to migrant and seasonal agricultural workers; and the Michigan Poverty Law Program, which provides statewide support services to all the local legal aid programs in the state. LSSCM has a full time staff of about 60 people in eight offices.

    The Statewide Immigration Support Attorney will coordinate with both FLS statewide farmworker and MPLP statewide support advocacy in accomplishing the following objectives: systemic advocacy on behalf of Michigan's low-income immigrants and their families; technical and co-counsel assistance and training to Michigan legal aid and pro bono attorneys; legislative and legal development tracking and analysis; organization of statewide immigrant rights coalition; support of statewide immigration assistance provider network; support and training to domestic violence shelter advocates regarding rights of battered immigrants. Additionally, the Immigration Support Attorney will handle a limited number of immigration law cases for farmworkers and contribute to statewide immigration-related policy advocacy for farmworkers.

    Applicants should be licensed to practice law in Michigan or be eligible to take the bar examination at the next opportunity, and should demonstrate a commitment to the low-income immigrant community. Applicants should have experience in poverty law practice and excellent oral and written communication skills. At least 5 years experience in immigration law practice is preferred, as is fluency in a related foreign language.

    Salary is from $37,000, depending on experience. LSSCM is a unionized program with excellent fringe benefits. The union salary for this Support Attorney position is based on the candidate’s years of relevant public law experience. LSSCM is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage minority and disabled persons and women to apply.

    Send cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references by November 5, 2008 to:

Date Posted: 2008/10/06