Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity / Accessible Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.  

GBLS seeks a full-time staff attorney to join our Immigration Unit (IU). The IU represents clients in removal defense, defensive and affirmative asylum claims, special immigrant juvenile status petitions, VAWA self-petitions, “U” and “T” visas, and other immigration matters before the USCIS and EOIR. GBLS provides free legal services and representation to clients in the greater Boston area who cannot afford private legal representation.

Responsibilities of the Staff Attorney will include:

• Managing an immigration caseload and providing representation and assistance to immigrants on substantive issues, with a priority of removal defense. Types of cases which may be handled include:
  • Defensive and affirmative asylum claims;
  • Special immigrant juvenile petitions;
  • VAWA self-petitions;
  • “U” and “T” visa applications; and
  • Providing representation concerning these and other immigration matters before the USCIS, BIA, EOIR and the federal courts;
• Conducting intake interviews;
• Providing advice and referrals on immigration matters;
• Liaising with community organizations;
• Doing community clinics and outreach;
• Responding to requests for emergency legal assistance;
• Providing legal services to culturally and linguistically diverse clients in an inclusive and respectful manner;
• Assisting with general administrative tasks and grant reporting as appropriate;

Qualifications:

• This position is for an attorney with up to 4 years of legal experience.
• The candidate must be admitted to a state bar, or in the process of being admitted.
• The candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills.
• The candidate must have the ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks.
• The candidate must have the ability to work collaboratively with other attorneys as well as non-attorney staff and community partners.
• Experience working with immigrant clients from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds is preferred.
• Prior experience in immigration law, including asylum, is required.
• Proficiency in Spanish, Haitian Creole or Portuguese preferred but not required.

Salary is based on a union scale, with a starting annual salary range from $72,000 to $76,500 depending on experience. Potential salary increase in the future will be determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. GBLS offers a generous benefits package and paid time off policy. A hybrid work schedule is possible.

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: IMM-ATT when applying for this position. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled but applicants are encouraged to submit applications by September 17, 2023.

GBLS values diversity and encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/ Accessible Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

GBLS provides free legal services and representation to clients in the greater Boston area who cannot afford private legal representation.

GBLS seeks applicants for a permanent attorney position, which initially will be focused on our Welfare Law Unit (WLU) Tax Benefits Project, involving COVID tax benefits and related tax matters for families and individuals living in deep poverty who have barriers to navigating the tax system. Once the project is completed, the attorney may be transferred to other work at GBLS based on need at that time.

The WLU handles advocacy work for certain tax/guaranteed income issues, welfare benefits, and subsidized child care benefits through: (1) direct representation of individual clients and their families; (2) systemic administrative advocacy directed at targeted state and federal agencies; (3) class action and other impact lawsuits and; (4) legislative advocacy campaigns to expand, improve, defend, and create income, food, and child care programs.

Core Responsibilities for the Position:

• Transition into the role of overseeing the Tax Benefits Project.
• Supervise, as appropriate, and co-counsel with paralegal advocates to handle a range of tax cases for very low-income clients who did not receive the COVID 2020 and 2021 stimulus payments and/or special 2021 Child Tax Credit, including representation with IRS and, with Tax Court and/or Fed. Dist. Court, if needed.
• Provide high quality representation in all aspects of this work, including written and oral advocacy, legal and other research, effective and sensitive work with clients, writing in plain language to clients and in other materials, attention to detail, and documenting all case work in the client’s case record in GBLS’s case management system.
• Engage in systemic advocacy with national organizations concerning access barriers to filing taxes, obtaining refundable tax credits, and resolving disputes with the IRS, leveraging information and experience gained from working with clients and community and provider organizations.
• Engage in systemic advocacy with national organizations working toward a permanent fully refundable Child Tax Credit, with no work requirement and no restrictions barring children based on immigrant status.

Qualifications:

• Bar admission in any state obtained or soon to be obtained.
• Experience with tax law and practice affecting low-income clients, although graduates of law school low-income tax clinics will be considered.
• Desire to work with clients with significant barriers to employment and navigating bureaucracies.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse clients.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to perform careful, detailed work.
• Demonstrated capacity to analyze and work with complex materials.
• A plus, but not required: fluency in Spanish or another language prevalent among our clients.

GBLS offers a generous benefits package, retirement contribution, and generous paid-time-off. The position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement between GBLS and the Attorney Union, which governs salary and benefits.

Candidates should submit a letter of interest, resume, and writing sample to the Human Resources Team via e-mail at jobs@gbls.org. Please refer to Job Code: WLU-ATTY when applying for this position. The deadline for applying is September 1, 2023, or until the position is filled.

GBLS values diversity and encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds.

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity / Accessible Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) seeks a qualified candidate to fill an Administrative Assistant position whose primary responsibility will be to support the Senior Management Team and the Board of Directors.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide high-level administrative support to the Senior Management Team and the Executive Director.
• Provide administrative support to the Board of Directors and its Committees
• Prepare and distribute meeting agendas and materials.
• Send calendar invitations and meeting reminders.
• Attend meetings and prepare minutes.
• Make travel and accommodation arrangements for members of the Senior Management Team and the Board of Directors in work-related events.
• Coordinate logistical issues for agency-wide calendar, meetings, retreats, and training events.
• Perform clerical and administrative tasks, including preparing meeting minutes, letters, memos, invoices, reports, staff timesheets, contracts, and other payroll and financial documents.
• Answer and direct unit calls to the appropriate staff members.
• Maintain agency-wide Outlook and Teams calendar, contact lists and other records for the Administration Unit.
• Perform other related duties as assigned for special projects and/or administration events.

REQUIRED SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Minimum 3 years of experience in providing administrative support to a member of the executive team, preferably in a legal or non-profit organization.
• Proven experience in organizational skills with an exemplary professional and positive attitude.
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced environment with excellent time management skills in dealing multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Having good judgment in interpersonal skills and in managing confidential records.
• High Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to learn new or updated software.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Able to handle phone calls and communicate professionally and sensitively with people from all ethnic groups and social backgrounds.

Salary & Benefits:

• Starting salary range is $52,000 to $60,000 based on experience.
• GBLS offers a generous benefits package, including low-cost health insurance, retirement contribution, and paid time off.

How to Apply:

• Candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume to the Human Resources Team via email at jobs@gbls.org. Please refer to Job Code: ADMIN-ASST when applying for this position. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but applicants are encouraged to submit applications by August 31, 2023.

GBLS values diversity and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds and experiences.