MILA Staff Attorney

Job
Written By Kelly Johnson

Job Position

Job Title: MILA Staff Attorney 

Department: Manzanita Immigrant Legal Aid (MILA) 

Date Developed: 12/2025 

Salary: $80,169/year 

Full Time (35/week schedule) – Exempt Salary 

Reports To: Director of Immigrant Legal Aid 

                                     

Summary: 

Manzanita House is looking for a staff attorney, ideally bilingual with a preference for English-Spanish, to provide direct representation, consultations, and community-oriented services to the immigrant community in the Spokane area. The Staff Attorney will assist community members seeking assistance and immigration protection, with almost exclusive focus on those in immigration court and immigration detention. This position will require occasional travel to Seattle, Tacoma, and around the Spokane area to attend hearings or interviews with immigration officials—it may involve weekend or evening work hours. We are willing to consider applicants in the Spokane area, or those living in the Tacoma area, within a reasonable distance of the Northwest Detention Center. For those living in the Tacoma area, occasional travel to Spokane will be required.

Essential Functions: 

  • Provide direct services to clients according to ethical, professional standards. These services are to include working with clients in removal proceedings and immigration detention, the Board of Immigration Appeals or before federal courts, and general consultations and case review.

  • Provide direct representation to clients submitting affirmative applications with USCIS and the Department of State.

  • Perform legal research and case evaluation on complex and novel areas of practice for Manzanita House.

  • Maintain a working knowledge of relevant policies, laws, best practices, and trends, particularly as it impacts low-income immigrants and their families.

  • Maintain working relationships with government representatives from USCIS, EOIR, ICE, and CBP.

  • Make appropriate referrals as necessary for immigration legal services beyond the scope of the program or one’s own competencies, and for other social service needs.

  • Establish and maintain files up to date for case processing and perform administrative tasks as necessary for timekeeping, grant reporting, and other duties.

  • Maintain a network of other community-based organizations and legal service providers to contribute to a strong referral network for client assistance and community advocacy and planning efforts.

  • Participate in Manzanita Houses’ outreach, community education, development efforts.

  • Perform other tasks and duties assigned.

Qualifications and Requirements: 

  • J.D. and Active Bar Membership in any U.S Jurisdiction (will consider pending bar results and a slight preference for admission to practice in the state of Washington).

  • At least 2 years of immigration legal services experience is preferred (prior court room experience also preferred).

  • Commitment to the mission and vision of Manzanita House.

  • Strong preference for fluency in English and Spanish.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

  • Strong organizational skills, sound judgement, and reliable decision-making ability.

  • Knowledge and ability to access the internet and research legal information and analyze/synthesize legal principles to apply them to cases.

  • Ability to provide trauma-informed and culturally sensitive services.

  • Ability to prioritize multiple projects and ensure all deadlines are met.

  • Computer proficiency including MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Office 365.

  • Ability to work with individuals from different cultures and language groups and contribute to a welcoming, professional, and inclusive environment.

  • Must have a driver license, as the position involves some travel. 

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF BENEFITS: Health Insurance is offered to all full-time employees. Employees will also receive .08 hours of vacation for every hour worked, 1 hour of sick leave for every 35 hours worked, and 19 paid holidays (including 4 floating holidays to be used at the employee’s discretion). Manzanita House offers up to 20 paid hours per year to volunteer outside of the workplace. Employees are eligible for 3 days of bereavement leave per qualifying event. Manzanita house also provides leave for Jury Duty and Military Leave.  

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.   

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to have ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations   

• The ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of 10-15 pounds  

• Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read application information   

• The employee frequently is required to sit, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear   

 

EMOTIONAL DEMANDS: Job duties often require discussion of topics including, but not limited, to detention; persecution; suicidal ideation; discrimination; child abuse, neglect, abandonment; domestic abuse; violence, and psychological trauma.  

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:    

• General office setting   

• Great lengths of time working on computer, reading from computer screen, entering information, standing at copier or fax machine, and some time on the phone or in skype meetings may be required   

• Archiving activities involve repeated lifting and bending   

• Physical, emotional and intellectual demands   

• Equipment used: Employee computer (desktop or laptop), printer, copier, and other standard office equipment.

• All the above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Individuals may be required to perform any other job-related instructions as requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation. This position description is not all-inclusive and is always under review.  

   

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V/SO. For Manzanita House staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Manzanita House is essential. We conduct hiring without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, membership in any labor organization, political ideology, or disability of an otherwise qualified individual.  

SUBMISSION PROCESS:

Please submit a resume, cover letter and two professional references to mila@mhspokane.org

Kelly Johnson