Careers

Reports to: Immigration Legal Services Director

Job type: Full-time, hybrid

Salary: Starting staff attorney salary is $74,000. An attorney with 5 years of experience would be at approximately $80,000.

Apply here: https://forms.office.com/r/iB1B1sCVaD 

Deadline: September 27, 2025

The Advocates for Human Rights: The Advocates is a volunteer based, non-governmental, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of internationally recognized human rights. The Advocates' programming focuses on women's rights, including freedom from violence; migrant and refugee rights, including both advocacy and legal services; peacebuilding in post-conflict societies; due process and freedom from persecution; and economic and social rights. The Advocates work to bring about systems change, reinforce accountability mechanisms, raise awareness, foster tolerance, and help individuals more fully realize their inherent rights.

 
Position Summary

Immigration Legal Services at The Advocates for Human Rights focuses on representing and supporting Pro Bono volunteers who represent asylum seekers, unaccompanied children, and trafficking survivors in their immigration cases. As a Staff Attorney specializing in Unaccompanied Children & Trafficking, you will serve as a subject matter expert providing direct representation to some of our most vulnerable clients while mentoring junior staff and supporting volunteer attorneys handling complex cases involving minors and trafficking survivors.

This role combines sophisticated legal advocacy with leadership responsibilities. You will manage a specialized caseload of unaccompanied children and trafficking survivors, provide technical assistance and training to staff attorneys, support staff, and volunteers, and contribute to program development. Your expertise in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), T visas, asylum cases for minors, and trauma-informed representation will be critical to ensuring quality services for clients who have experienced significant trauma and face complex legal challenges.

Who are we seeking to join our team? 

We are looking for an immigration attorney with at least 5 years of experience who is driven by the hope of our clients, inspired by the generosity of our volunteers, and excited about the opportunity to mentor the next generation of immigration advocates. You should be passionate about our mission, possess expertise in children's immigration law and/or anti-trafficking work, and thrive in both independent case management and collaborative mentoring environments.

As a Staff Attorney, you are responsible for ensuring that The Advocates delivers expert legal services to unaccompanied children and trafficking survivors while building capacity among staff and volunteers. You are a skilled advocate who enjoys the challenge of complex cases involving minors, family court coordination, liaison and relationship building with law enforcement and/or service providers involved in complex trafficking cases, and traumainformed representation. You are excited about translating specialized legal knowledge into accessible training materials and building staff and volunteer capacity to serve our most vulnerable clients. You are committed to zealous advocacy for children and trafficking survivors, ensuring they receive culturally responsive and trauma-informed representation. You are experienced and sufficiently well-versed in immigration law to work independently while maintaining the compassion, patience, and professionalism that working with traumatized youth and survivors requires. You excel at cultivating relationships and forging professional connections while expertly managing complex cases for clients, partners, law enforcement contacts, and staff. Your coordinated approach addresses the interconnected safety, social services, and legal needs of trafficking survivors and children facing multifaceted challenges. Finally, you are passionate about building a strong legal services program that serves unaccompanied children and trafficking survivors with dignity and excellence.

Primary Duties and Responsibilites

Volunteer Attorney Support and Training (50%) 

•      Train volunteer attorneys and staff interested in representing unaccompanied children and trafficking survivors

•      Help develop specialized training curricula on children's immigration law, traumainformed representation, and anti-trafficking work

•      Provide ongoing consultation and technical assistance to volunteers managing complex cases

•      Review volunteer case work and provide substantive guidance on legal strategy and case development

•      Conduct case orientation meetings with clients and volunteer attorneys, including coordination with interpreters and support services

•      Create and update practice resources, templates, and training materials specific to children and trafficking cases

•      Monitor volunteer attorney case progress and step in to provide direct assistance when needed

Staff Mentorship and Technical Assistance (20%)

In coordination with the Legal Director and Supervising Attorney, provide substantive mentorship to attorneys and legal staff working on children's and trafficking cases Participate in regular case review meetings and provide guidance on complex legal and procedural issues

•      In coordination with the Legal Director and Supervising Attorney, provide substantive mentorship to attorneys and legal staff working on children's and trafficking cases.

•      Participate in regular case review meetings and provide guidance on complex legal and procedural issues.

•      Serve as subject matter expert on SIJS, T visas, and TVPRA asylum cases.

•      Train staff on trauma-informed practice and specialized areas of immigration law.

•      Review and provide feedback on staff attorney case work, including applications, briefs, and filings

•      Support professional development of junior staff through case assignments and skillbuilding opportunities

•      Collaborate with Supervising Attorney on staff development and case assignment decisions 

Direct Client Representation (10-15%)

You will maintain a specialized caseload of complex cases involving unaccompanied children and trafficking survivors, serving as the primary attorney for cases requiring advanced expertise and experience. 

•      Provide comprehensive legal representation to unaccompanied children, including TVPRA asylum, SIJS, removal defense, and other forms of relief

•      Represent trafficking survivors in T visa applications, including law enforcement reporting, removal proceedings, and related immigration matters

•      Oversee immigration cases of trafficking survivors and unaccompanied minors in partnership with social services providers, law enforcement partners, labor and workers' rights organizations, and others as relevant and within established ethical frameworks.

•      Conduct trauma-informed client interviews and case development with minors and trafficking survivors

•      Coordinate with state family courts, child welfare agencies, and service providers 

•      Appear at USCIS interviews, Immigration Court hearings, trafficking interviews with law enforcement and family court proceedings as needed

•      Collaborate with mental health professionals, social workers, and other service providers to ensure holistic client care

•      Manage cases involving complex trauma, family separation, and coordination with multiple systems

•      Address questions, receive referrals, and coordinate AHR staff and others as required for complex needs of clients

•      Prepare detailed legal briefs, motions, and applications for specialized forms of relief

•      Liaise with law enforcement on trafficking matters, including reporting, receiving referrals, witness statements, and requesting interim immigration protections and certifications 

 
Program Development and Organizational Community (15%)

•      Actively participate in team and organizational staff meetings and other communications channels to foster cross-programmatic understanding, collaboration, and respect for the work we each do

•      Take responsibility for managing workload, hours, and stress by communicating with supervisor, participating in staff development opportunities, and being aware of available supports, including the Employee Assistance Program

•      Represent The Advocates on appropriate coalitions, bar association committees and working groups focused on children and trafficking issues

•      Take part in the annual Human Rights Awards Dinner and other program and all-staff events as assigned

•      Participate in creating a respectful and collaborative workplace

•      Participate in organization communications efforts, including the monthly newsletter, blogs, Volunteer Attorney Update, and Observer magazine

•      Coordinate with the legal team on cases to ensure consistent overall strategy, direction, and messaging

•      Coordinate with other programs to advance client-driven advocacy opportunities and policy priorities

•      Contribute to grant reporting and program evaluation activities related to children and trafficking services

•      Other duties as required

 
Qualifications

Required: 

•      Admitted to practice and licensed in good standing in any state, with a strong preference for Minnesota 

•      At least 1 year (with a preference for 5 years) of experience in immigration law, with significant experience representing unaccompanied children and/or trafficking survivors 

•      Demonstrated expertise in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), T visas, and asylum cases involving minors 

•      Experience working with low-income immigrant clients who may be non-native English speakers, have experienced torture or other trauma, and who struggle to access basic needs such as transportation and stable housing 

•      Experience working with children and trauma survivors, including knowledge of traumainformed interviewing and representation techniques 

•      Spanish fluency strongly preferred, or willingness to learn Spanish (classes provided) 

•      Experience supervising or mentoring junior attorneys, law students, or legal interns 

•      Initiative and independence to manage complex caseload while also thriving on collaborative problem-solving and mutual support 

•      Flexible and able to work in-office, virtually, and at clinic sites in order to meet program needs 

•      Available for periodic travel around MN, ND, and SD, to meet with clients and partners, affected communities, and potential volunteers 

Desired: 

•      At least 5 years of immigration law experience 

•      Demonstrated experience using Legal Server or similar case management systems 

•      Additional language skills beyond English and Spanish 

•      Experience with federal litigation or appellate practice in immigration matters 

•      Knowledge of human trafficking identification and survivor services 

•      Experience liaising with community partners and law enforcement on child protection and human trafficking  

•      Experience supporting pro bono attorneys and developing legal training  

•      Previous nonprofit experience with diverse funding sources and grant reporting requirements 

Compensation:
Compensation is commensurate with experience. Generous benefits package currently includes vacation (employees accrue 3 weeks of vacation during their first year, and up to 6 weeks after 5 years employment), 3 personal days, and 11 paid holidays, 2 weeks of accrued sick leave annually, 6 weeks paid parenting leave); employer-paid premiums for medical, dental, and longterm disability/AD+D/life insurance; and pre-tax retirement plan.

The Staff attorney position is a mid-level position requiring at least 3-7 years of legal practice in immigration law with specialization in children and trafficking cases. A Staff attorney must be able to manage their specialized caseload and legal work without substantial hands-on support from their supervisor, manage complex immigration cases involving vulnerable populations, supervise junior staff and legal interns, and provide mentorship to other team members and volunteer attorneys. 

Location and Status
This position is currently hybrid, with at least 2 days/week in our downtown Minneapolis office. This position is not eligible for fully remote work. 

This position is represented by the Office of Professional Employees International Union, Local 12. 

This is an exempt, salary position. 

To Apply
Please use the following link to submit your application, letter of interest, and resume:

https://forms.office.com/r/iB1B1sCVaD 

Application Deadline: September 27, 2025

No phone calls, please.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Advocates for Human Rights is an equal opportunity employer.  The Advocates does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected status.