Staff Attorney / Immigration Law

GBLS seeks a mid-level (three to seven years since graduating from law school) full-time staff attorney to join our Immigration Unit (IU). The attorney will primarily represent clients in removal proceedings on a variety of matters, with an emphasis on detained cases, defensive asylum, and other complex litigation matters.

Responsibilities of the Staff Attorney will include:

• Managing a full immigration caseload and providing direct and appellate representation and assistance to immigrants in removal proceedings at EOIR, the BIA and the First Circuit, where applicable;
• Participating fully in GBLS’ internal intake process, community legal clinics and other outreach programs;
• Participating actively in community and legal coalitions to respond to emerging and emergency legal needs in the immigrant community;
• Assisting with supervision/mentorship of staff (depending on experience level), general administrative tasks, and grant reporting as appropriate.

Qualifications:

• This position is for an attorney with 3 to 7 years of legal experience. Per GBLS’ union rules, this will be a candidate who graduated from law school between 2018 and 2022. We cannot consider applicants who fall outside this range;
• Massachusetts bar admission required. An exception can be made for someone barred in another state who is eligible to waive into the MA bar immediately;
• Prior experience in immigration law, particularly removal defense, is required. Candidate must be willing and able to represent clients in ICE detention;
• We are looking for a candidate who takes initiative, is comfortable working with clients from a wide range of backgrounds, and enjoys collaborating with team members and outside organizations/coalitions;
• The candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Proficiency in Spanish, Haitian Creole, or Portuguese strongly preferred.

Salary is based on a union scale, with a starting annual salary range effective in July 2025 from $80,500 to $86,500 depending on experience. Potential salary increases in the future will be determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, with scale increases in July. GBLS offers a generous benefits package and paid time off policy. A hybrid work schedule is available.

Candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and brief writing sample to the GBLS Human Resources Team by email at jobs@gbls.org. Please refer to Job Code: IU-ATT when applying for this position. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled but applicants are encouraged to submit applications by May 30, 2025.

At GBLS, we recognize our strength comes from the unique contributions of each team member. We invite candidates from all walks of life and backgrounds to apply.