Application Guide
How to Apply for Sr. Helpline & Immigration Counsel
at If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice
🏢 About If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice
If/When/How is a national nonprofit that uniquely combines direct legal services with advocacy and law reform to advance reproductive justice. Working here means being part of a mission-driven team that centers the needs of marginalized communities, including immigrants, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals, in the fight for reproductive autonomy.
About This Role
As Sr. Helpline & Immigration Counsel, you will lead the expansion of the Repro Legal Helpline’s immigration capacity, providing direct, person-centered legal services to callers with intertwined reproductive and immigration concerns. This role is impactful because you’ll not only serve clients but also train and mentor other Helpline Counsel, shaping the organization’s approach to immigration-related reproductive justice issues.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might include taking 3-5 calls on the helpline from immigrants seeking advice on abortion access, asylum, or VAWA; supervising a Helpline Counsel by reviewing their case notes or coaching them through a difficult call; and collaborating with the litigation team on a client who is in ICE detention and needs an abortion. You’ll also spend time developing training materials for staff on immigration remedies and attending internal team meetings to align on strategy.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice Is Looking For
- An experienced immigration attorney with 4+ years in removal defense, including experience with VAWA, U visas, T visas, asylum, and family-based petitions, and a deep understanding of how immigration status intersects with reproductive health.
- A bilingual (Spanish/English) legal professional who can provide culturally competent services and supervise a team of helpline attorneys, with 2+ years of supervisory experience.
- A passionate advocate for reproductive justice who is committed to centering the experiences of immigrants, people of color, and LGBTQ+ communities in their work.
- A strong communicator and analytical thinker who can handle complex, high-stakes cases while maintaining empathy and a person-centered approach.
📝 Tips for Applying to If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice
Highlight specific immigration case outcomes (e.g., number of clients granted relief, complex cases won) and any experience with reproductive justice issues (e.g., representing pregnant immigrants, cases involving forced sterilization).
Demonstrate your supervisory skills by describing how you’ve mentored junior attorneys, provided feedback, or improved team workflows.
Show your commitment to language justice by noting any additional languages you speak or your experience working with interpreters.
Tailor your resume to emphasize helpline, hotline, or direct legal services experience, especially in a remote or high-volume setting.
Include a cover letter that explicitly names how your values align with If/When/How’s mission and gives examples of your work with immigrant communities facing reproductive coercion.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your specific experience in immigration removal defense and any cases involving reproductive health or gender-based violence (e.g., VAWA, asylum based on reproductive persecution).', 'Your supervisory philosophy and how you have supported the professional growth of other attorneys, especially in a remote or helpline context.', 'Your fluency in Spanish and ability to provide culturally humble services, with examples of how you’ve navigated language barriers or worked with diverse communities.', "Your understanding of reproductive justice as a framework that goes beyond 'choice' to address systemic barriers faced by immigrants, people of color, and low-income individuals."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Read If/When/How’s recent reports or amicus briefs on immigration and reproductive justice (e.g., their work on the 'criminalization of pregnancy' or 'abortion access for immigrants').
- → Familiarize yourself with the Repro Legal Helpline’s current services and any published resources for callers, such as their 'Know Your Rights' materials.
- → Review the organization’s litigation docket to understand the types of criminal defense cases they handle and how immigration issues arise.
- → Look into the broader reproductive justice movement and key figures (e.g., SisterSong, National Network of Abortion Funds) to show you understand the landscape.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Avoid a generic cover letter that doesn’t mention reproductive justice or immigration; the hiring team will see a lack of alignment.
- Don’t overstate your Spanish fluency if it’s not truly professional-level; they will test it in the interview or on the job.
- Avoid focusing solely on 'winning' cases; emphasize person-centered, trauma-informed approaches that prioritize client autonomy over legal outcomes.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice!