Description:

Deadline is 3:00 PM EST for Date Listed
Mar 13, 2026

Job Description:
The Immigration Law Unit (ILU) in The Legal Aid Society's Civil Practice has one Temporary Staff Attorney position available. This one-year assignment will help ILU's Federal Litigation team build capacity to represent low-income clients before the U.S. District Courts and the U.S. Courts of Appeals to safeguard immigrants' constitutional rights and ensure that immigration laws are accurately interpreted and fairly applied. In particular, the attorney will assist in expanding our capacity to assist non-citizens in habeas matters, including utilizing advanced technology to integrate emerging legal arguments and create sharable litigation resources.

The Staff Attorney will work closely with colleagues, as well as the clients they represent, to identify federal court interventions to address our clients' needs. The Staff Attorney's essential duties will include undertaking affirmative and other litigation challenging unlawful policies and practices, including habeas petitions, petitions for review, and Administrative Procedure Act complaints.

ILU is a recognized leader in providing high-quality representation to non-citizens in all five boroughs of New York City and surrounding counties. Our staff of almost 100 attorneys, social workers, and paralegals across six different projects and initiatives works collaboratively to provide client-centered, interdisciplinary, and comprehensive legal services.

This position is funded through a temporary grant, and the continuation of the position is dependent on funding availability. The position is funded for an initial period of 12 months, with the possibility of extension based on continued funding and project needs. If funding is not continued, the temporary attorney will be eligible to apply for other internal positions or be transferred into a comparable position.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

Develop and conduct litigation before federal district courts and U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits, including habeas petitions, petitions for review, and Administrative Procedure Act actions
Assist with class action lawsuits and other affirmative litigation on behalf of non-citizen New Yorkers
Provide individualized consultation to staff attorneys
Develop skills and knowledge of ILU staff on federal litigation matters through trainings
Work with pro bono counsel
Develop pro se and pro bono lawyer resource materials and trainings on federal court issues
Maintain, organize, and update case files and case management database (LawManager)
Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:

Admission to the New York State Bar. Must be eligible to immediately seek admission to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits and U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Admission to other federal district courts desirable
Minimum of two years of federal litigation or comparable litigation experience, preferably in immigration law
Demonstrated commitment to representing or working with individuals from marginalized communities
Excellent writing, analytical, oral advocacy, and organizational skills
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively on an interdisciplinary team and manage a high volume of cases
Ability to work with pro bono attorneys, law student interns, and volunteers

Preferred Qualifications:

Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required
At least two years of Immigration law is strongly preferred

Salary and benefits:
The salary range represents a good faith estimate of the range we expect to pay for this role. The actual salary offered may vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range: $84,000 - $152,500

The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Click here to read more about benefits.

Higher Education and Loan Forgiveness
The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.

studentaid.gov

hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs

Work Authorization:
All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)

How to Apply:
All applications must be completed online via the career portal. We do not accept emailed applications. Submit the following documents as a combined PDF: