Senior Attorney - Pro Bono, Detained Adult Program
At a glance
Amica Center for Immigrant Rights
Full-time
Washington D.C, US
11 February 2026
Amica Center’s Detained Adult Program is a highly collaborative work environment. Each team lead works directly with a focused team, but all colleagues are interconnected through, for example, case workshops or staff-run committees.
DAP staff is a source of expertise in the highly complex and ever-changing immigration system. They have persisted through administration changes, policy shifts, and attacks on the rights and freedoms of immigrants through project-focused cohorts that arise to address challenges or to brainstorm and implement affirmative strategies.
Key Responsibilities
Detention Facility Services:
- Plan and lead visits to government detention facilities throughout Virginia (approximately 2-4 full days per month, including 2-day overnight visits), including oversight and supervision of staff and volunteers during visits and assistance in preparation and breakdown from visits.
- Perform Know-Your-Rights presentations and pro se workshops in Spanish, English, and (with interpretation) other languages to help detained individuals navigate the immigration court system. Coordinate efforts to ensure every newly arrived person at the detention center has the opportunity to attend presentations. Assist in adapting presentations and workshops to respond to changes in the law and legal needs of the people we work with in detention.
- Liaise with external partners at law schools, non-profit organizations, and firms in coordination with pro bono coordinating attorney for the purpose of securing and furthering access to legal services for detained individuals.
- Identify and track trends and emerging issues faced by the people we work with in detention affecting their immigration cases. Coordinate with others in the organization to help detained people respond to and access better information on issues. Make appropriate referrals and provide necessary insight to in-house and external teams working on responding to the emergent issues identified.
Representation:
- Manages caseload of direct legal representation of detained clients in removal proceedings primarily before the Annandale, Hyattsville, and Elizabeth Immigration Courts and other courts as needed. This includes representation in cases such as Asylum, Withholding of Removal, Protection under the Convention against Torture, Board of Immigration Appeals, and Cancellation of Removal.
- Provide expert mentoring to outside pro bono attorneys representing detained immigrants on a pro bono basis.
- Prepare Post Release Plans and social service plans, in coordination with social services staff.
- Research, engage, and prepare experts on health, behavioral health, and country conditions.
- Supervise and coordinate with paralegal staff on case support.
Organizational Services:
- Actively engage in Amica Center’s training and advocacy efforts, as needed.
- Take part in stakeholder relationship activities as needed, including in-person and telephonic meetings with community groups, governmental bodies and representatives (including ICE, jail and court officials), and other legal service providers.
- Coordinate with all internal Amica Center Programs (e.g., Impact Lab, Representation Programs,) to ensure all programs are kept abreast of detention developments, clients, and referrals.
- Undertake own administrative functions, including for case and follow up work (e.g., preparation of all aspects of filings) and ensuring the inputting and accuracy of data and case information into shared databases in a timely fashion.
- Assist other program staff in completion of their workload during high-work/low-bandwidth periods.
The Successful Candidate
Competencies Required
Legal Proficiency
The Staff Attorney demonstrates a developing understanding of legal concepts at a level that allows them to provide services to clients with moderate supervision. The employee clearly and skillfully employs the law in written and oral presentations with limited supervision and input from supervisors. The employee contributes substantively to case assessment discussion. The employee is working towards self-sufficiency in client orientation, interviews, and legal research.
Client and Programmatic Proficiency
The Staff Attorney satisfactorily handles all required in-jail and in-office programmatic obligations (KYRs, intake, follow-up, case summaries, case development, etc.) with limited supervision. The Staff Attorney manages their in-house and pro bono mentoring caseload to allow for proper prioritization and thoughtful use of time and resources.
Administrative
The employee ensures that all administrative aspects of their position, attendant to the provision of services to clients, are carried out without managerial intervention, including timekeeping, file upkeep, database upkeep, etc.
Qualifications Required:
- JD or Full DOJ Accreditation and 1 -3 years of relevant experience with at least one year of immigration law preferred.
- If JD, active bar license required
- Written and oral Spanish proficiency required, fluency preferred.
- Ability to manage a docket of detained removal defense cases.
- Strong trial advocacy skills preferred.
- It is expected that the candidate will need to travel for work-related business. As a result, the candidate must possess a valid driver's license and be comfortable operating a vehicle upon hiring. This role requires travel, but qualified individuals with disabilities may be accommodated in a reasonable manner under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).