Who We Are  

The Amica Center for Immigrant Rights fights?for the rights, safety, and unity of immigrant communities, standing with those trapped in our nation’s fundamentally flawed immigration system. We engage in unwavering legal defense and strategic litigation for immigrant children and adults facing detention and deportation in the Capital Region and beyond, because everyone has the right to be free, safe, and supported. 

Our Work Environment: 

Amica Center’s Programs provide trauma-informed, person-centered legal services to adults and children impacted by immigration detention across the Capital Region and beyond. Serving hundreds of detained adults each year and offering legal orientation, screening, and representation to detained and formerly detained children, our work centers client autonomy, dignity, and holistic support within a fundamentally unjust system. Both programs operate in deeply collaborative environments that emphasize interconnectivity across teams, professional growth, mentorship, and adaptability. Staff bring deep expertise to a complex and evolving immigration system, working together through shared learning, innovation, and advocacy to advance the rights and wellbeing of the people we serve.

Position Summary: 

The Deputy Director for Legal Coordination in the Detained Adult Program (DAP) helps manage and support the program by ensuring adequate coverage and programmatic response to legal issues confronting the people DAP provides legal services to in detention; connecting the on-the-ground experiences and issues observed in DAP to civil litigation and other legal efforts to enact systemic change; supporting the program’s provision of services as a whole through supervision and mentorship of staff, program planning, and casework and pro bono mentorship as appropriate. The Deputy Director’s approach to the work is collaborative and not top-down, working closely other managers and staff.  The Deputy Director will also serve as a member of the Amica Center’s organizational Leadership Team and help set organization-wide priorities and policies.

General Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Services: 

• Provide oversight and management of significant aspects of the program in coordination with the program directors, other deputy program directors and managers. 
• Identify gaps in coverage of legal issues impacting DAP clients and pro se people and work with internal and external stakeholders on responses to address gaps. 
• Work with program management to set long-term program plans.  Lead in creation of and follow up on strategic plans to address large-scale emergent legal issues and needs in collaboration with other managers and team. 
• Join regular meetings and liaise with Amica Center’s Immigration Impact Lab (Lab) on behalf of DAP to assess priorities for impact litigation cases and update Lab as different issues in direct services and detention arise. 
• Coordinate with Lab and external organizations on civil litigation impacting detained adults; provide programmatic support and structure for DAP participation in litigation and assess whether participation falls withing program priorities and capacity in consultation with other program leadership. 
• Take lead on tasks such as organizational declaration and comment drafting where needed for DAP participation in litigation. 
• Ensure adequate DAP representation in external coordinating meetings and working groups with other NGOs on legal issues impacting detained adults, acting as DAP representative where another appropriate lead is not identified. 
• Directly supervise Managing Attorneys or senior staff.  
• Work with Managing Attorneys and program leadership to ensure that the program is kept abreast of new developments in the law and that junior staff are adequately trained on the law. 
• Identify, help organize and uplift opportunities for other staff in DAP to participate and take on leadership and substantive responsibilities on legal issues.   

Mentorship and Representation: 

• Manage a docket of cases for mentorship or co-counseling with internal staff or external pro bono attorneys. 
• This role is largely non-representational.  However, candidates may have a minimal direct representation caseload of their own aligned with their professional development goals or to gain experience in new areas of DAP work. 

Organizational Services: 

• Actively engage in organizational Leadership Team meetings, sharing updates and discussing emerging legal issues confronting clients and pro se people DAP serves. 
• Coordinate with DAP managers and prepare DAP agenda items for cross-program internal Legal Strategy meetings.
• Liaise with Children’s Program as needed to ensure support on crossover legal issues.
• Participate in stakeholder relationship activities.
• Assist other program staff during high-work/low-bandwidth periods. 

[1] This list is illustrative and not intended to be a complete classification of all job functions or tasks. 

Qualifications Required:  

• JD and active license to practice law in any US state or jurisdiction 
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in immigration law, including removal defense and detention 
• Relevant experience in federal litigation 
• At least 3 years of supervision experience 
• Significant experience in strategic planning and project management 
• Written and oral Spanish proficiency required; fluency strongly preferred 
• It is expected that the candidate will need to travel for work-related business. As a result, the candidate must possess a valid driver's license and be comfortable operating a vehicle upon hiring. This role requires travel, but qualified individuals with disabilities may be accommodated in a reasonable manner under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

At Amica Center, we embrace the fact that talented individuals come from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. We believe that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to our success. Amica Center values your unique perspectives, skills, and potential, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities for growth and development. If you are passionate about Amica Center's mission and are excited to contribute your talents to our team, we encourage you to submit your application.? Candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. If you are a candidate with a disability and require accommodations to apply for this position, please contact us at HR@amicacenter.org. 

Competencies Required:  

Legal Proficiency

The employee demonstrates a mastery of the law and legal procedure and can deploy innovative and thoughtful approaches to legal problems, mentoring other attorneys and assisting clients. The employee stays abreast of developments in the law and ensures that the department is up to date on new developments.

Client and Programmatic Proficiency

The employee competently manages all required programmatic obligations (reporting requirements, program management portfolios, pro bono mentoring, etc). The employee proficiently manages their responsibilities and caseloads to allow for proper prioritization and thoughtful use of time and resources. The employee exercises sound judgment and decision-making skills and demonstrates cultural competency and trauma-informed practices.  The employee skillfully supports junior staff and ensures that staff are in a position to grow professionally.

Administrative Proficiency

The employee ensures that all administrative aspects of their position (and any supervisees’ positions), attendant to the provision of services to clients, are carried out without managerial intervention, including timekeeping, file upkeep, database upkeep, etc.

Salary: $100,100+

Position Type: Full-time, exempt position 

Reports To: Program Director 

Supervisory Responsibility: Managing Attorneys or other staff based on program needs 

Location and/or Travel Requirements: This position will be based at the Washington, D.C. or Baltimore, M.D. Office. Travel to the area when needed for hearings, jail visits, and programmatic meetings is required. 

Telework: Amica Center operates a hybrid work environment where staff are required to work at least one day per week in-office, but some roles require more office/on-site attendance or travel. 

Benefits: Amica Center offers a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, flexible spending account, life insurance and pre-tax commuter benefits for those living in the DMV. 

Paid Time Off: Amica Center provides personal, sick and volunteer time off, federal holidays, winter break closure and parental leave. 

EEO Statement: Amica Center for Immigrant Rights is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti-discrimination law, it is the purpose of this policy to effectuate these principles and mandates. Amica Center prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Amica Center conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations. 

Our Anti-Racism Statement: To learn more about our anti-racism statement- https://amicacenter.org/becoming-anti-racist/  

COVID-19 Vaccination: All employees are required to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. To be fully vaccinated means having completed the full dosages required for the type of vaccine obtained as designated by the CDC. If boosters are subsequently recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) then employees will be required to receive the booster within thirty (30) days of their eligibility to access the boosters. 

How to Apply: Submit your resume, cover letter and writing sample that explains your interest in this role with your Paylocity submission. Please refrain from sending application materials separately via email. 

Application Deadline: July 13, 2026.

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