Attorney - Survivor Services Unit

Organization Overview:  

Colorado Legal Services (CLS) is Colorado’s statewide nonprofit legal aid program, with thirteen offices providing civil legal assistance to low-income Coloradans throughout the state. CLS provides free legal assistance in a broad variety of legal areas, including family law, public benefits, eviction defense, consumer protection, services to survivors of serious crime and human trafficking, and many others.    

CLS has strengthened lives, assisted families, and supported communities–one person at a time for over 100 years. We are committed to providing high-quality, free legal advice and representation to eligible individuals throughout Colorado. We have a long history of successful impact and advocacy. CLS strives to bring about substantive, transformational change in the lives of those we serve.    

We value representation. 

At CLS, we value and respect our staff's wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We ensure representation of our client communities in our staff, Board of Directors and leadership teams. We also envision a fair, just, trusted, and harm reductionist legal system which emphasizes access to and implementation of true justice for every Coloradan. 

The CLS Survivor Services Unit (SSU) provides representation to foreign national and U.S. citizen victims of certain kinds of crime and/or serious labor violations. The Unit is comprised of two focus areas:

U Visa and VAWA Self-Petition Support
SSU provides immigration assistance to eligible non-citizens who are victims of various crimes, including spousal or family abuse.  Primarily, SSU assists victims in affirmative applications for U Visas and VAWA Self-Petitions for foreign national victims of crime.

Human Trafficking Project
The Human Trafficking Project assists foreign national survivors with immigration legal needs and provides information and legal assistance to foreign nationals and U.S. citizen survivors wishing to sue their traffickers for lost wages and damages as a result of the trafficking.

 
Position Summary:
Working under the supervision of the Managing Attorney, the SSU Grant Attorney will work primarily with the U Visa/VAWA Self-Petition Support to represent low-income, eligible non-citizens in filing for U Visas and VAWA Self-Petitions.  Depending on staffing levels and the SSU Attorney caseload, the attorney also may work with the Human Trafficking Project to provide immigration and civil legal representation to survivors of human trafficking. ***If filled internally, this will be a staff position. If filled externally, this will be a 2-year, grant-funded position.*** 

Essential Duties:

• Assume an active caseload of victim-based immigration cases, including representation before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and representation in immigration court;


• Handle a fast-moving, high-volume immigration and litigation caseload;


• Maintain thorough and up-to-date records (including timekeeping) in case management systems;


• Develop relationships with client-eligible communities and local partner agencies, including service providers who provide assistance to foreign nationals.


• Attend program meetings, as assigned;


• Contribute to an office culture of belonging, harmony, cohesiveness, work quality, continuous improvement, and excellent customer service;


• Provide direct representation to eligible non-citizens in applications for U Visas and VAWA Self-Petitions;


• Assist with T Visa or other civil legal needs of trafficking survivors, as needed depending on caseload;


• Draft briefs, memos, and other documents in support of immigration petitions, affirmative civil litigation, or administrative appeals;


• Analyze legal developments related to immigration law;


• Communicate regularly with CLS clients, co-counsel, and partner organizations;


• Represent CLS in various fora, including before community groups and law enforcement agencies;


• Respond to requests for legal assistance and provide technical assistance to immigrant communities and partner organizations;


• Other duties as may be assigned to meet CLS needs. 

Required Qualifications:

• Bilingual Spanish/English proficiency is required (Fluency in another language with high representation among low-income populations in Colorado may be considered);


• Note that language proficiency will be assessed during the interview process.


• Sensitivity to the legal needs of the CLS client population;


• Membership in good standing with the Colorado Bar;


• Excellent research, writing and verbal communication skills;


• At least 2 years of immigration, federal court civil litigation, or comparable legal experience


• Excellent and consistent attention to detail and the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines;


• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office.

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Commitment to a non-hierarchical, client-centered approach to advocacy and ability to work on sensitive issues in a compassionate manner;


• Initiative, vision, and a proven commitment to representing survivors of domestic violence and crime victims;


• Demonstrated leadership in building and maintaining an innovative and positive working culture;


• Ability to prioritize responsibilities and have fun in a high-energy, fast-paced work environment;


• Creativity, flexibility around changing priorities and deadlines, and a demonstrated willingness to take calculated risks in crafting and executing strategies;


• Ability to work on multiple issues at once in conjunction with CLS teams and partners;


• Strong communication skills;


• Aptitude for and willingness to be a team player, including with partner organizations;
  

Compensation and Benefits:  

We offer a generous plan that includes 100% employer paid premiums for employee health, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance, as well as partial employer paid premiums for spouses/dependents, based on a sliding scale. We also offer Dependent Care and Medical Flexible spending accounts, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). CLS contributes $200/month to each employee's 403(b) retirement account and matches 100% of employee contributions up to 3% of employee salary; vesting occurs gradually will full vesting after 3 years of employment. Additionally, CLS offers generous paid time-off and 13 paid holidays per year.  

CLS values its employees’ commitment to working hard for the population it serves and recognizes the importance of work/life balance. We promote and foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically safe work environment, striving to be a “Best Place to Work” in Colorado.  

How to Apply:  

Please use the “Apply for This Job” link for this job opening on our careers page by May 16th, 2025. We will not be reviewing applications sent via e-mail or physical mail. If you have questions about this position or any other positions at Colorado Legal Services, contact Karen Vilner, Director of People and Culture, at [email protected].