Impress employers and recruiters.
Choose from hundreds of resume examples.

Target Resume Now

Tailor your resume to this Immigration Attorney (Padilla), Criminal Defense Practice role.

Rezi rewrites your resume against Brooklyn Defender Services's job description. Free.

Resume score gauge reading 58 out of 100

Don't guess if your resume is good enough.

See how it scores against the Immigration Attorney (Padilla), Criminal Defense Practice posting at Brooklyn Defender Services — free, in seconds.

About the Role

Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks an Attorney to join the Padilla team within the Criminal Defense Practice. The Padilla Team specializes in the intersection of criminal and immigration law, advising colleagues and clients on immigration consequences of criminal cases and devising strategies to minimize these impacts. Attorneys on this team screen clients for immigration relief and may represent them in affirmative applications and removal proceedings.

Responsibilities

Work with clients to determine their immigration status, eligibility for relief, and priorities in resolving their cases in Brooklyn’s criminal, supreme, and community justice courts.
Research New York criminal law and the federal immigration consequences that correspond to various criminal statutes.
Write immigration advocacy letters to be presented to the District Attorney’s office and/or the criminal courts as mitigation in furtherance of plea negotiations.
Engage in oral advocacy with the District Attorney’s office.
Appear in the criminal courts as needed to assist defense attorneys in advocating for immigration-informed outcomes on criminal cases.
Meet with clients in person at BDS’s offices, in courthouses, and Department of Corrections facilities to conduct intake interviews, consultations, and plea advisals.
Advise Family Defense Practice attorneys and clients on immigration issues relating to family court cases.
Maintain a docket of direct immigration representation cases before various federal immigration agencies and courts.
Appear in person and virtually in immigration courts, federal courts, and immigration offices as needed for direct immigration representation cases.
Maintain case files, notes, and data in our digital case management system for reporting and advocacy needs.
Staff on-call shifts on certain evenings and weekends to answer immigration questions from criminal defense attorneys in arraignments.
Additional responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
Admitted to practice in New York, or ability to become admitted.
At least one year of experience practicing immigration law.
Highly organized, able to work collaboratively with others, and attentive to details.
Creativity, determination, and the ability to provide urgent assistance to clients in crisis while remaining calm and focused.
Ability to perform nuanced legal research and analysis of New York State criminal law and federal immigration law using the appropriate analytical frameworks for each client’s circumstances.
Ability to explain legal conclusions clearly and persuasively, both orally and in writing, to clients, attorneys, and adjudicators.
Familiarity with or willingness to learn digital case and document management systems and Microsoft Suite computer applications.

Skills

Spanish fluency or high proficiency is strongly preferred.
Fluency or high proficiency in additional languages including Haitian Creole, Russian, Arabic, or French is a plus.

Location

Brooklyn, NY

Work Type

Exempt, salaried position
On-call shifts on certain evenings and weekends (remote)

Experience Level

At least one year of experience practicing immigration law

Education Level

Juris Doctor (JD) degree

Salary/Compensations

$100,000-$109,000

Benefits

Health insurance
403(b) retirement plan
Generous vacation, sick, holiday, family, and medical leave policies

About the Company

BDS is a public defense office representing low-income New Yorkers in criminal, family, immigration, and civil legal matters.
For nearly 30 years, BDS has worked, in and out of court, to protect and uphold the rights of individuals and to change laws and systems that perpetuate injustice and inequality.
Our legal expertise work with clients is focused on the intersections of these legal systems that disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities living in poverty.
BDS represents thousands of people each year who have diverse, complex, and multi-faceted legal needs.
In addition to a zealous legal defense, our interdisciplinary teams of attorneys, social workers and advocates provide a wide range of legal and advocacy services, including for housing, public benefits, education, and employment.
BDS staff work collaboratively and across disciplines to deliver high-quality legal services that serve the people we represent, their families and communities.

Equal Opportunity

Brooklyn Defender Services is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to celebrating diversity and maintaining an equitable and inclusive work environment.
We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, expressions, orientations, disabilities, and experiences to apply.
If you need an accommodation due to a disability or another reason, please contact the Managing Director of Human Resources, Christina Wallace, at cwallace @ bds.org.