Lead Removal Defense Attorney

Wannamaker Crimmigration; Texas; Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Wannamaker Crimmigration seeks a Lead Attorney to own legal outcomes and quality control for a designated immigration defense region. The role reduces personal caseload to focus on case-strategy leadership, mentorship, and escalation support across the regional team.

You will be the first point of contact for complex decisions, collaborating with the Director of Legal Strategy on matters, ensuring compliance with professional standards.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and an active bar license in good standing in a relevant jurisdiction.
• Substantial experience in removal defense and immigration court practice.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Carry a reduced, region-specific caseload sized to allow capacity for legal leadership and escalation support.
• Provide day-to-day case-strategy guidance and legal direction to assigned Attorneys.
• Serve as the regional escalation point for complex legal issues and high-risk matters.
• Perform quality-control review of case files and filings to ensure firm standards.

Skills

Leadership

Case strategy

Communication

Legal judgment

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

Job Description

Now Certified as a Great Place To Work! Recognized by Inc. 5000 as the Fastest-Growing Law Firm in the U.S., C.R. Wannamaker Law, PLLC is rewriting the story of immigration law! We're a powerhouse of bold, compassionate advocates fighting for justice - and we know that exceptional billing and client care are key to our success. If you're ready to make a real, lasting impact, we want YOU on our team!

Job Summary

The Lead Attorney owns legal outcomes and quality control for an assigned region within the Removal Defense Department. The role carries a reduced personal caseload to preserve capacity for case-strategy leadership, quality control, mentorship, and escalation support across the regional team. The Lead Attorney serves as the first point of contact for complex or high-risk case decisions and works closely with the Director of Legal Strategy on legal matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Carry a reduced, region-specific caseload sized to allow capacity for legal leadership, quality control, and escalation support.
• Provide day-to-day case-strategy guidance and legal direction to assigned Associate Attorneys, including shared or cross-region attorneys supporting the team.
• Serve as the regional escalation point for complex legal issues, case-strategy changes, and matters presenting elevated professional-responsibility risk.
• Perform quality-control review of case files and filings prepared by Associate Attorneys to ensure compliance with firm standards and applicable professional-responsibility requirements.
• Provide functional legal oversight and direction over assigned attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants, including case strategy, work-product review, and legal guidance.
• Coordinate with regional Paralegals and the Lead Paralegal regarding caseload distribution, staffing needs, and workflow issues affecting the region.
• Escalate operational gaps or overlapping issues to the VP for Strategic Initiatives and legal-strategy questions to the Director of Legal Strategy, consistent with the department's dual reporting structure.
• Monitor case aging, deadlines, and caseload balance across the region and elevate resourcing concerns before they become compliance risks.
• Support onboarding, mentorship, and firm-wide training initiatives for newly assigned and existing Associate Attorneys.
• Represent the region in regular leadership meetings alongside other members of leadership.
• Maintain clear communication and collaboration across the regional case team to support consistent legal strategy, timely escalation, and high-quality representation.
• Perform other legal leadership and case-related duties as assigned consistent with the scope of the position.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• J.D. from an accredited law school and an active bar license in good standing in a jurisdiction relevant to the assigned region.
• Substantial experience in removal defense and immigration court practice, including direct EOIR litigation experience.
• Working knowledge of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the categorical approach to inadmissibility and deportability, and related removal-defense doctrine.
• Demonstrated ability to manage an active caseload while reviewing and directing the work of other attorneys.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to provide direct, constructive case-strategy feedback and legal guidance.
• Sound professional judgment and the ability to identify, assess, and appropriately elevate complex or high-risk legal issues.
• Ability to work effectively within a distributed leadership structure and collaborate across attorney, paralegal, legal assistant, and operational teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in a lead, supervising, or managing attorney role.
• Experience working across a distributed, multi-time-zone team; familiarity with SIJS, VAWA, T-visa, U-visa, or other humanitarian relief pathways as they intersect with removal defense.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Lead Attorney delivers functional, operational, and managerial legal oversight for assigned Associate Attorneys.