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 legal services, advocacy, and movement lawyering to advance reproductive justice. Working here means joining a team committed to centering marginalized communities, especially Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, in the fight for bodily autonomy.

About This Role

As Sr. Helpline & Immigration Counsel, you will lead the expansion of the Repro Legal Helpline’s immigration capacity, providing direct counsel to callers facing criminalization related to pregnancy outcomes. This role is critical in bridging reproductive justice and immigrant rights, ensuring that people are not punished for their immigration status or reproductive decisions.

💡 A Day in the Life

Your day might start with a team huddle to triage Helpline calls, followed by supervising a Helpline Counsel on a complex immigration case. You may then take calls from pregnant immigrants in detention, provide legal advice, and later collaborate with the Litigation Team on a criminal defense case involving an immigrant client. Afternoon could involve developing training materials for Helpline Counsel and researching policy changes affecting immigrant reproductive rights.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice Is Looking For

  • A bilingual (Spanish/English) attorney with at least 6-8 years of experience, including 4+ years in immigration defense and 2+ years supervising attorneys.
  • Deeply committed to reproductive justice and anti-racist principles, with a demonstrated ability to apply a racial justice lens to legal advocacy.
  • Experienced in providing trauma-informed, person-centered legal services, particularly to individuals in crisis or detention.
  • A collaborative leader who can mentor Helpline Counsel and work across teams (e.g., Litigation) on criminal defense cases with immigration implications.

📝 Tips for Applying to If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice

1

In your resume, highlight specific immigration defense experience (e.g., removal defense, asylum, VAWA, U visas) and quantify supervisory responsibilities (e.g., 'supervised 3 attorneys and 5 legal interns').

2

In your cover letter, explicitly connect your immigration work to reproductive justice—e.g., representing pregnant immigrants or challenging punitive policies against immigrant families.

3

Demonstrate fluency in Spanish by submitting a writing sample in Spanish or noting Spanish-language legal work in your resume.

4

Research If/When/How’s recent cases and campaigns (e.g., their work on the Helpline or amicus briefs) and reference them in your cover letter to show genuine interest.

5

Emphasize your experience with trauma-informed communication and working with vulnerable populations, as the Helpline serves callers in distress.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your commitment to reproductive justice and racial justice, with specific examples of how you’ve applied these principles in your legal work.', 'Your bilingual Spanish/English skills and experience providing direct legal services to Spanish-speaking immigrants.', 'Your supervisory experience and approach to mentoring attorneys, especially in a remote setting.', 'Your ability to handle high-stress, person-centered legal work, including crisis management and collaboration with litigation teams.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read If/When/How’s 'Repro Legal Helpline' annual reports to understand the types of calls and impact.
  • → Review their amicus briefs or public statements on cases involving immigrants and reproductive rights (e.g., the 'Shaw v. United States' case).
  • → Explore their 'Lawyering for Reproductive Justice' framework and how they define movement lawyering.
  • → Familiarize yourself with their organizational values, especially their commitment to racial justice and intersectionality.
Visit If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you handle a call from a detained immigrant who is pregnant and seeking an abortion? Walk us through your legal analysis and person-centered approach.
2 Describe your experience supervising attorneys. How do you support professional development and manage performance remotely?
3 How do you incorporate racial justice and anti-racist principles into your immigration practice? Give a concrete example.
4 This role involves mentoring Helpline Counsel. How would you train a non-immigration attorney to handle basic immigration questions?
5 If/When/How uses a movement lawyering model. How do you see your role advancing reproductive justice beyond individual cases?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn’t mention reproductive justice or immigration—this role requires both.
  • Downplaying the importance of Spanish fluency; this is a stated requirement, not a preference.
  • Failing to demonstrate supervisory experience or a collaborative mindset—the role requires mentoring and teamwork.

📅 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:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice!

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