Senior Immigrants’ Rights Attorney

Inside Philanthropy; Santa Clara, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Kaiser Health Insurance

Blue Cross PPO Dental Plan

401(k) with employer match

12 paid holidays, 10 sick days, and 12

Job summary

CAIR San Francisco Bay Area is seeking a seasoned Senior Immigrants' Rights Attorney to lead detained removal defense and related immigration work. The role focuses on representing immigrants in detention, with bond hearings and complex filings, while supporting rapid response and community defense efforts.

This senior position emphasizes mentorship, collaboration, and impactful advocacy to protect civil rights and empower immigrant communities in the Bay Area.

Qualifications

• J.D. from ABA-accredited law school.
• Licensed to practice in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; California strongly preferred.
• Minimum three years of immigration law experience, including significant courtroom and motions experience.
• Demonstrated success handling detained dockets and related relief.
• Strong client counseling, case preparation, and oral advocacy before EOIR and USCIS.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage a complex caseload.
• Flexibility to travel to detention centers, courts, and community sites.

Responsibilities

• Carry a substantial but sustainable caseload, primarily detention and non-detention removal defense, and provide high quality, client-centered representation.
• Represent clients before EOIR, BIA, USCIS, ICE, and CBP in asylum, withholding, CAT, cancellation, bond, and other immigration matters.
• Conduct detailed client intakes, legal screenings, and case assessments.
• Provide individualized client counseling on immigration options and risks.
• Prepare and file applications, motions, and appeals for detained and non-detained cases.
• Prepare and litigate bond motions to secure release for detained clients.
• Conduct routine visits to detention centers, ensuring access to clients and monitoring conditions.

Skills

Client counseling

Oral advocacy

Case management

Legal research

Travel flexibility

Detained removal defense

Education

J.D. from ABA-accredited law school

Bar admission in CA preferred

Job description

CAIR San Francisco Bay Area is seeking a seasoned and mission-driven Senior Immigrants' Rights Attorney. This position is ideal for an experienced attorney who thrives on complex casework and client advocacy, with a focus on serving immigrants in detention and those facing deportation.

The Senior Attorney will carry a significant caseload centered on detained removal defense, including bond hearings, detained dockets, and related forms of relief. The attorney will also support CAIR-SFBA's rapid response and community defense efforts, ensuring due process for immigrants facing deportation and detention in the Bay Area. This is a senior level role, designed for someone who brings extensive experience in removal defense and is ready to provide high-quality representation while advancing CAIR-SFBA's mission of protecting civil rights and empowering immigrant communities.

This position offers an opportunity to do high impact case work in a collaborative, values-driven environment that prioritizes shared knowledge and experience, mentorship and collective problem-solving. You will be working for some of the most vulnerable people on one of the defining issues for our time.

Title: Senior Immigrants' Rights Attorney

Location: Based in CAIR's Santa Clara office. CAIR staff are currently working a hybrid schedule, with three days in-person and two days remote

Schedule Type: Full-time (Exempt). Occasional evenings and weekends required

Reporting Relationships: Reports to the Immigrants' Rights Managing Attorney

Caseload & Support Structure: This role is supported by the Immigrants' Rights Managing Attorney, legal support staff, and CAIR-CA's statewide immigration team. Caseloads are actively monitored to ensure sustainability, with internal review of filings, access to consultation on complex cases, and shared strategy on detained matters. CAIR-SFBA is committed to a collaborative approach and holistic engagement in detained defense work.

Work Authorization: Must be authorized to work in the United States. Ability to travel throughout the Bay Area is required (vehicle and driver's license necessary)

Duties & Responsibilities:

Direct Legal Services

• Carry a substantial but sustainable caseload, primarily centered on detained and non-detained removal defense cases, and provide high quality, client-centered representation to individuals facing removal proceedings
• Represent clients before EOIR, BIA, USCIS, ICE, and CBP in asylum, withholding, CAT, cancellation, bond, and other immigration matters
• Conduct detailed client intakes, legal screenings, and case assessments
• Provide individualized client counseling on immigration options and risks
• Prepare and file applications, motions, and appeals for detained and non-detained cases
• Prepare and litigate bond motions to secure release for detained clients
• Conduct routine visits to detention centers, ensuring access to clients and monitoring conditions affecting representation

Impact & Strategic Litigation

• Potential opportunities to contribute to impact or strategic litigation, in coordination with CAIR-SFBA and CAIR-CA colleagues, depending on capacity and relevance
• Support the development of creative legal arguments that advance immigrants' rights and address systemic challenges

Community Engagement

• Participate in Know Your Rights presentations, pro se support, and immigration legal clinics, with emphasis on detention-related issues
• Collaborate with local coalitions, visitation programs, and immigrant justice networks to expand support for detained immigrants

Legal Research & Writing

• Conduct case-specific research on statutes, regulations, and case law
• Draft motions, appeals, briefs, and other filings with strong attention to detail and client-centered advocacy
• Provide technical expertise to colleagues on detained removal defense when requested

Grant Compliance & Support

• Ensure timely and accurate case documentation for grant deliverables
• Contribute case narratives and data for grant reporting and fundraising purposes

General Organizational Support

• Provide limited supervision and mentorship to legal staff, such as other attorneys, caseworkers, law clerks, or interns, as assigned
• Partner with Communications staff to highlight the impact of detained removal defense
• Support organizational events and fundraising initiatives as needed

As with all CAIR staff, this role occasionally supports general office needs and organizational priorities.

Required Qualifications:

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
• Licensed to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; California strongly preferred
• Minimum three years of immigration law experience, including significant experience in the courtroom and in filing motions, preferably in an immigration defense context
• Demonstrated success handling detained dockets and related relief
• Strong client counseling, case preparation, and oral advocacy skills before EOIR and USCIS
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to independently manage a complex caseload
• Demonstrated commitment to defending low-income immigrants and other vulnerable populations
• Flexibility to travel to detention centers, courts, and community sites, including occasional early mornings or evenings
• Access to a reliable vehicle and ability to travel to detention centers and courts across the Bay Area
• Deep commitment to CAIR-SFBA's mission of defending civil rights and empowering immigrant communities

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience providing mentorship, training, or supervision to legal staff (attorneys, caseworkers, or interns)
• Experience with federal appeals or habeas petitions
• Experience working in nonprofit, community-based, or faith-based organizations
• Conversational proficiency in Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Pashto, or Urdu

Compensation:

• Compensation in the range of $105,000-120,000 annually, commensurate with experience
• Fully paid Kaiser Health Insurance and Blue Cross PPO Dental Plan for employee and dependent
• 401(k) plan with an employer match
• 12 paid holidays, 10 sick days, and 12 vacation days

CAIR-CA is an equal-opportunity employer and adheres to all federal, state, and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination.