Pro Bono Mentor

The Organization:
The Florence Project was founded in 1989 to respond to a representation crisis for indigent non-citizens detained at the rural Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center in Florence, Arizona. Through our programs today, we provide services to thousands of adults, youth, and children detained in Eloy, Florence, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona on any given day. In 2001, the Florence Project implemented our Integrated Social Services Program, one of the first of its kind in this field. The Florence Project provides high quality legal and social services and supports initiatives for national changes in immigration law and policy.

Primary Purpose of the Job:

The Pro Bono Mentor will work directly with the Children’s Program and the Pro Bono Program.  The position involves some client contact with youth, including minors who have suffered abuse, abandonment, neglect, or other trauma.  However, the majority of the Mentor’s time will be devoted to providing an excellent and responsive mentoring service to Pro Bono Lawyers handling Florence Project cases.   This position includes administrative duties. 

Attorneys, like the Pro Bono Mentor, at the Florence Project are generally assigned to one program at a time (here, the Children’s Program) as a matter of organizational structure. However, legal needs and services provided by the Florence Project can and often do evolve over time. This position will support the immediate need for legal mentor work, appeals, and advocacy in the Children’s Legal Program. However, depending on the evolving legal needs and priorities of the organization, this position may be assigned legal mentor work, case work, or other legal support work performed by other programs, including the Adult Legal Program or Advocacy Team, and/or assigned to other departments/programs.

This position is based in the Florence Project’s central Phoenix office, with occasional travel to Tucson and Florence, AZ. 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Participate in weekly and other office meetings.
• Work with the Children’s Program to promptly identify suitable cases for pro bono placement.
• Oversee case assignments/casework and support the legal assistant workflow
• Review incoming referrals from legal services providers.
• Conduct intakes for all children selected for possible participation in the pro bono program.
• Write up referrals of cases to be placed with Pro Bono Attorneys.
• Place cases with the Florence Project’s pro bono network in Arizona and track the case in the appropriate databases.
• Determine an appropriate range of services, interventions with Pro Bono cases, and referrals needed.
• Maintain communication with Florence/Eloy Pro Bono Mentor, as part of the Florence Project Pro Bono Team, and collaborate on projects as necessary.
• Mentor Pro Bono Attorneys and law firms partnering with the Florence Project.
• Mentor Florence Project staff on representation before the Arizona State Juvenile Courts, the Immigration Courts, and USCIS
• Remain current in immigration law and policy, and on impact of criminal and civil law on the immigration case.
• Review and update the Florence Project’s SIJS Guide for Pro Bono Attorneys and develop other materials for pro bono case mentoring and CLEs as needed.
• Provide technical assistance on a discretionary basis to attorneys handling cases outside the FIRRP Pro bono Program.
• Coordinate and conduct CLEs and other trainings for lawyers and other members of the legal community, including meet and greet events with law firms, especially in the Phoenix area.
• Support Florence Project general outreach and development activities as needed.
• Maintain between 3-5 active non-pro-bono cases at a time, in order to sharpen skills and stay current.
• Maintain complete and accurate case notes and client records.
• Assist with other miscellaneous pro bono program tasks as needed.

Other Duties & Responsibilities:

• Other legal casework as assigned.
• Perform case work for, and provide other legal mentorship support to, Adult Legal Program or Advocacy team as assigned. Possibility of being transferred fully to other legal work programs depending on the needs and priorities of the organization.

Minimum Requirements:

• J.D. and admission to any state bar.
• Minimum 2 years of experience practicing Immigration law (affirmative or defensive) or Juvenile law.
• Must be licensed to practice law in Arizona or eligible to waive into practice in Arizona (have two years of good standing in another state bar or have received a score of 273 or greater on the Universal Bar Exam).
• Demonstrate commitment to advocating for indigent immigrant clients in a respectful and empowering way.
• Demonstrate a zealous support of the Florence Project’s mission.
• Must be comfortable working with people with criminal convictions.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Highly organized with ability to be an innovative thinker and work in a high volume setting with limited resources.
• Excellent problem solving, research and analytical skills, is able to effectively manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrate to be a hardworking, flexible, respectful team player that can work effectively in a collaborative, innovative, and client centered work environment.
• Ability to work independently, be adaptable and reliable in the face of conflict, pressure, crisis or changing priorities.
• Exhibit high ethical standards and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Must be able to pass federal and state background checks.
• Fluency or advanced proficiency in Spanish required.
• Travel is required for this position.
• Must have a valid driver license and reliable transportation.
• Proven computer skills. Advanced understanding of basic office applications.

Preferred Requirements:

• 2 years of prior experience practicing before the Arizona Juvenile and Immigration Courts.
• Prior mentoring experience is a plus.
• Prior experience working with teenagers and/or survivors of trauma or individuals with mental health issues is a plus.

Working Conditions:

• Operate in a professional office environment and requires the ability to sit for long periods of time with intermittent walking, standing, bending, squatting, pulling and pushing.
• Ability to use standard office equipment such as, scanners, computers, keyboards, phones, shredders, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. Requires the ability to lift-up to ten pounds - accommodations may be available.
• Travel regularly between offices, and secondary work locations.
• Frequent time in detention facilities and immigration courts located in Florence and Eloy.
• Effective September 1, 2021, FIRRP has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy. To comply with this policy, active employees must be fully vaccinated by October 15, 2021.  Employees seeking an exemption due to a medical condition or sincerely-held religious belief should contact our Human Resources Department at humanresources@firrp.org. 

Salary & Benefits:

This is a full-time position. Salary is competitive for our field and geographical area. Salaries will be calculated based on relevant experience and our established comprehensive wage scale: $77,875.20 - $103,245.57 Annually DOE.

We strive to create and uphold a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for all staff. We offer excellent benefits, including:  

• Medical plans including health, dental, vision coverage, subject to plan terms
• Short Term Disability
• Eligibility for group benefits such as voluntary life insurance, subject to applicable waiting periods
• Retirement plan, subject to plan terms
• Paid Time Off earned on a biweekly accrual basis
  • Twenty-five (25) Days of Vacation Time, annually
  • Five (5) Days of Medical/Sick Time, annually
• One (1) Day of Personal Time, monthly
• Eight (8) Week Paid Sabbatical, after three years of employment
• Bereavement leave.
• Fifteen (15) Organization-paid holidays, all observed
• Eligible for Parental Leave which includes Twelve (13) paid weeks
• Mileage reimbursement for travel between offices and places of work.
• Relocation Assistance for out of state new hires available for some positions.

Application Process:

This is an immediate opening. Salary is commensurate with experience. The position will remain open until we receive enough qualified applicants. To apply, please submit a cover letter detailing your interest in the position as well as your resume, three professional references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and candidates are encouraged to apply early. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The Florence Project values diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages applications from people of color, LGBTQ individuals, persons with disabilities, and members of underrepresented communities.

At FIRRP, we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the requirements of a job.  If your experience is close to what you see listed in our current job opportunities, please still consider applying.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence, which is very much valued at FIRRP.  Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.  Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.

This job announcement is for informational purposes only and is subject to change and modification without notice. This job announcement includes a non-exhaustive list of responsibilities, qualifications and requirements of the position, but does not necessarily include all the job functions of the position.  This position is eligible for membership in the union Proyecto Solidaridad-FIRRP affiliated with OPEIU Local 251.