Federal Litigation Attorney - Immigration

Description:

About the role Konare Law is expanding its federal immigration litigation practice. We seek an attorney with approximately 2–4 years of substantive federal civil litigation experience who can manage assigned cases, write persuasive briefs, and exercise sound judgment under demanding deadlines. The practice includes challenges to unlawful immigration detention, agency delay, and reviewable agency decisions. The attorney will receive supervision and immigration-specific training, with an opportunity to assume increasing responsibility and develop into a practice leadership role. When federal workload permits, the attorney will assist with immigration matters. Work assignments will account for federal deadlines and emergency litigation needs.

Responsibilities:

• Evaluate and litigate immigration detention challenges under 28 U.S.C. 2241, including disputes over the governing detention statute, access to bond hearings, and prolonged detention.
• Develop appropriate statutory and individual constitutional challenges involving detention under 8 U.S.C. 1225, 1226, and 1231, applying controlling precedent.
• Assess post-order detention claims under Zadvydas v. Davis, including evidence concerning the likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future.
• Bring legally supported mandamus and APA actions addressing unreasonable delays in immigration benefit adjudications.
• Handle qualifying naturalization-delay actions under 8 U.S.C. 1447(b).
• Evaluate and pursue APA challenges to reviewable USCIS decisions, addressing finality, exhaustion requirements, discretionary determinations, and jurisdictional restrictions.
• Seek temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and other emergency relief where jurisdiction and governing law permit.
• Manage litigation from initial assessment through disposition, including pleadings, proper parties, service, motions to dismiss, administrative-record review, summary judgment, hearings, and settlement discussions.
• Screen matters for jurisdiction, venue, exhaustion, applicable precedent, evidentiary support, and the appropriate forum for relief.
• Coordinate with the firm's appellate attorneys on petitions for review, district court appeals, and emergency applications.
• Evaluate EAJA eligibility and pursue timely fee applications where warranted.
• Maintain accurate case records, deadline controls, time entries, and clear client communications.
• Assist with immigration court and USCIS matters, consistent with training, authorization, and available capacity.
• Build and maintain reviewed templates, research resources, and litigation procedures.

Required Qualifications:

• J.D. and an active U.S. jurisdiction bar license in good standing.
• Admission to at least one federal district court.
• Ability and willingness to obtain additional admissions or pro hac vice authorization, subject to applicable court requirements.
• Approximately 2–4 years of substantive federal civil litigation experience, including drafting pleadings and briefing dispositive motions.
• Strong legal research, analytical, and writing skills.
• Experience with CM/ECF, PACER, federal procedure, and deadline management.
• Ability to handle urgent matters, communicate clearly with clients, and work effectively with supervising attorneys and support staff.
• A substantive writing sample and completion of a practical drafting assessment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Immigration litigation, habeas, administrative law, or civil rights experience.
• Federal judicial clerkship or relevant government litigation experience.
• Experience with emergency injunctions, administrative records, or EAJA applications.
• Spanish or another language spoken by the firm's clients.

Performance expectations Performance will be assessed through:

• Quality of legal analysis, pleadings, and advocacy.
• Compliance with court deadlines and procedural requirements.
• Timely case assessment and filing, measured against urgency and case readiness.
• Client communication and reliable case management.
• Billable productivity, collections, and responsible use of firm resources under established firm standards.
• Documented case outcomes, evaluated in light of the facts, available remedies, and governing law.
• Appropriate identification and pursuit of fee recovery.
• Contributions to practice development, templates, training, and referral relationships.

Filing volume alone will not define success. The attorney must recommend litigation based on a supported legal theory and a realistic assessment of available relief.

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