Description:

Ruvalcaba Hernández Law Firm, PLLC is a busy, mission-driven immigration practice in San Antonio, and we are looking for a bilingual, in-person Staff Attorney to grow with us. The primary focus of this role is conducting client consultations, representing clients at USCIS interviews, and serving as a key point of contact for client and paralegal questions, alongside a broad affirmative, humanitarian, and family-based caseload. The role is broad by design. We want an attorney who can move across our practice areas and step into whatever the work requires, so versatility and a willingness to learn quickly matter as much as any single area of expertise. Conducting consultations and helping prospective clients make confident, well-informed decisions to move forward with the firm is a central, ongoing part of this position, not a secondary duty.

A meaningful part of this caseload involves humanitarian relief, including VAWA self-petitions and T and U visas. Many of these clients are survivors of crime, trafficking, or abuse, and the work calls for patience, discretion, and a trauma-informed approach. We are looking for an attorney with real depth in humanitarian practice and the steadiness to build trust with clients who have been through a great deal.

The Staff Attorney works closely with the firm's attorneys and support team and coordinates with the Legal Team Supervisor on administrative matters. Compensation is commensurate with experience in immigration law, and the position comes with a strong benefits package and a clear path toward Associate Attorney.

Responsibilities:

Represent clients at USCIS interviews across the firm's caseload, including adjustment of status, naturalization, VAWA, T and U visa, and family-based matters.
Conduct client consultations in person and by phone, build rapport with prospective clients, and help them make confident, well-informed decisions to retain the firm.
Serve as a primary point of contact for existing clients' legal questions and for paralegals seeking guidance, consulting with the Managing Attorney when a matter calls for it.
Carry and manage a full affirmative and humanitarian caseload from intake through decision.
Handle humanitarian matters with genuine depth, particularly VAWA self-petitions and T and U visas, including eligibility analysis, evidence development, and second reviews of takeover cases.
Prepare and review a wide range of filings, including adjustment of status, consular processing, inadmissibility waivers, I-751 waivers, naturalization, derived and acquired citizenship, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U, T, and VAWA petitions, and family-based petitions.
Review and refine waiver declarations, U visa declarations, and VAWA declarations for accuracy, completeness, and legal sufficiency, and provide clear, timely feedback to declaration writers.
Review FOIA results and psychological evaluations, and give psychologists direct, timely feedback so their evaluations align with the legal standard and the rest of the record.
Develop case strategy and prepare clients and witnesses for USCIS interviews and, when needed, court testimony.
Coordinate with the Case Review Specialist on routine cases submitted by paralegals, and take referral of complex, inadmissibility, or criminal-related matters for further legal analysis.
Work with survivors of crime, trafficking, and abuse in a trauma-informed way, communicating clearly and respectfully throughout the case.
Mentor and guide paralegals and support staff, contributing to a collaborative and educational work environment.
Maintain a current and thorough understanding of immigration law, especially inadmissibility, removability, and humanitarian relief, and communicate key updates to clients and staff.
Handle matters before the Immigration Courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals as needed, as part of a versatile practice, and step into other practice areas as the firm's needs require.
Travel in and out of state to attend USCIS interviews, immigration court hearings, and other case-related appearances as needed.
This is a full-time, exempt position requiring a minimum of 40 hours per week, with additional hours as needed.

Performance Expectations
A core expectation of this position is production for the firm. Production means consistently converting qualified consultations into retained clients, retaining those clients through the life of their matters, and moving cases forward on the firm's expected timelines. The firm sets reasonable production and performance expectations, including consultation-to-retention goals in line with industry norms, and revisits them from time to time. We support our attorneys in meeting these expectations as they grow with the firm.

This expectation never requires retaining clients whose matters lack merit, whose retention would violate the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, or whose circumstances do not warrant representation in the attorney's professional judgment. We expect sound professional judgment in client selection, consistent with your ethical obligations.

Requirements:

J.D. from an accredited law school (Texas preferred but not required).
Active bar license in good standing in any U.S. jurisdiction.
Fluent in Spanish (required).
Skilled and comfortable leading client consultations.
Prior hands-on experience with VAWA self-petitions and T and U visa practice is strongly preferred. We will train the right candidate who brings strong aptitude, sound judgment, and a genuine commitment to learning humanitarian practice.
Ability to work sensitively with survivors of trauma and to build trust with clients.
Strong legal research and writing skills.
Excellent interpersonal and client communication abilities.
Proven ability to manage a high-volume, deadline-driven caseload.
Comfort with case management technology.
Demonstrated commitment to immigration law and to the clients we serve.
Preferred: immigration clinic or internship experience, familiarity with immigration forms and procedures, and experience with case management software.

Benefits:

401(k) retirement plan with firm matching of up to 4 percent of eligible compensation.
Medical, dental, and vision insurance, with the firm covering a substantial portion of employee premiums.
Life insurance, with the firm paying 100 percent of the premium.
Short-term and long-term disability coverage, with the firm paying 100 percent of the premium.
Paid time off.
Annual professional development stipend of up to $2,500 for continuing legal education, conferences, and professional materials.
Firm payment of professional membership dues, including State Bar of Texas dues and American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) membership.
Firm sponsorship and payment of admission to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, and to other federal courts as the practice requires.