Staff Attorney, Habeas Program

Immigrant ARC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 78,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedule

Medical and dental coverage

Retirement matching

Wellness perks

Job summary

Immigrant ARC in New York is seeking a Habeas Staff Attorney to support its New York Habeas Program. You will mentor volunteers, supervise case intake and quality, and provide direct representation in bond and habeas matters while drafting trainings and tools for partners.

Ideal candidates have JD, 1–2 years of litigating detained immigrants, and a strong collaborative approach with pro bono teams. This is a grant-funded remote role with a two-year term and travel as needed.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school and bar admission in NY, NJ, and/or PA or eligibility to obtain admission.
• 1–2 years of litigation experience representing detained noncitizens before federal and/or immigration courts.
• Experience coordinating with pro bono firms, legal service providers, and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide mentorship, technical assistance and volunteer support to pro bono attorneys.
• Screen, review and track habeas and bond cases; monitor quality and trends.
• Maintain a selective caseload and offer direct representation with co-counsel support.
• Develop templates, pleadings, advisories and practice tools; deliver trainings.
• Liaise with pro bono partners to facilitate case placement and support.
• Track program metrics and assist with grant reporting and evaluation.
• Provide day-to-day guidance to volunteers without direct supervision.
• Handle administrative duties related to program operations.

Skills

Litigation experience

Detained immigrant defense

Collaboration with pro bono

Adaptable problem solving

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Tools

Google Workspace

Slack

Asana

Airtable

Jotform

Zoom

Job description

Born out of the legal efforts at JFK Airport during the Muslim Ban, Immigrant-ARC ("I-ARC") has been growing exponentially since spinning out as a stand-alone non-profit over five years ago. During that time, we have been on the frontlines of responding to the Afghan evacuation, the reception of Ukrainian refugees, and welcoming recently arrived immigrants to New York City and New York State, all while strengthening and growing the immigration legal services field to increase immigrant New Yorker's access to counsel and access to justice.

Our community includes over 100 legal service providers in New York State. We come together in solidarity with all New Yorkers who believe in fair and just immigration policies and who share our collective outrage at the injustices confronting immigrant communities. We use our knowledge of immigration law and practice to empower each other and the communities we serve to collectively fight systemic oppression and seek respect and dignity for all. We recognize that access to justice for immigrant communities is inextricably linked to the broader fight for racial justice. We commit to working alongside all others who are fighting to achieve a vision of a more just and equitable world.

I-ARC’s New York Habeas Program is a pro bono project that matches immigration attorneys with volunteer federal litigators and expert mentors to fully litigate habeas petitions on behalf of New Yorkers arrested and detained by ICE and to provide limited representation for immigration court bond hearings ordered by the habeas court.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

The Habeas Staff Attorney will play a key role in supporting the daily execution and operations of I-ARC’s New York Habeas Program. Reporting to the Habeas Program Director and working in close coordination with the Habeas Supervising Attorney, this position provides hands-on technical assistance, case guidance, and operational support to volunteer attorneys and legal partners handling immigration bond hearings and federal habeas corpus litigation.

The Habeas Staff Attorney brings practical experience in detained immigration defense to strengthen community and pro bono litigation capacity. This role actively supports volunteers through direct case assistance, resource creation, training delivery, and direct representation on select cases to ensure individuals in immigration detention receive high-quality legal advocacy.

NOTE: This is a grant funded position with a two-year term (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2028). This position is subject to the availability of grant funding and organizational need.

Specifically, the Habeas Staff Attorney will:

• Provide Mentorship, Technical Assistance & Volunteer Support: Serve as a primary point of contact for volunteer attorneys, offering day-to-day practice guidance, case troubleshooting, and technical support.
• Case Intake & Quality Monitoring: Assist in screening, reviewing, and tracking active habeas and bond cases handled by volunteer partners to help maintain quality standards and identify emerging litigation trends.
• Direct Legal Representation: Maintain a selective caseload of bond and habeas matters before federal and immigration courts, providing direct representation and co-counsel support alongside volunteer partners, stepping into urgent cases as needed.
• Develop Trainings & Practice Tools: Draft, update, and maintain legal templates, sample pleadings, practice advisories, and resource toolkits, while assisting in the delivery of training modules for volunteer attorneys.
• Pro Bono & Partner Collaboration: Liaise regularly with pro bono law firm partners and legal service organizations to facilitate case placement, answer practice questions, and support smooth case management.
• Programmatic & Administrative Support: Assist with tracking program metrics, collecting case data, and organizing materials needed for grant reporting and program evaluation.
• Supervision: Provide day-to-day practice guidance, technical assistance, and case troubleshooting to volunteer attorneys and partners, without direct supervisory oversight.
• Administrative Duties: Assist with tracking program metrics, collecting case data, and organizing materials.

WHO YOU ARE

• A Tenacious Litigator with Experience Defending Detained Immigrants in Immigration and Federal Courts : You bring substantial experience working with detained immigrants and defending them in their bond hearings as well as recent experience litigating immigration habeas matters before federal courts. You are comfortable navigating complex legal issues, developing litigation strategy, and advocating effectively in high-stakes matters.
• A Collaborative Partner: You excel at building relationships and working across teams and organizations. You have experience collaborating with pro bono law firms, legal service providers, and other stakeholders to advance shared goals and expand access to high-quality legal representation.
• An Adaptable Problem Solver: You thrive in fast-paced environments and can effectively manage multiple priorities at once. You exercise sound judgment, work independently when needed, and remain calm under pressure when handling emergency or time-sensitive legal matters.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

At I-ARC we aim to foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment where everyone feels empowered to be their whole selves and is treated with dignity and respect. We welcome applications from qualified individuals, irrespective of their race, skin color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability status, or any other characteristic. We encourage anyone who feels qualified to apply regardless of gaps in resume, unconventional career paths, or other factors.

I-ARC aims to be as transparent and equitable as possible when discussing salaries. Ranges are determined and offers are made based on an existing compensation plan that is regularly updated after market research is performed and funding prospects are assessed. Our compensation philosophy, key performance metrics required at each position level, and organizational budget with salary lines are made available to all staff.

This is a grant-funded position with a term of July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2028. Renewal is contingent upon continued funding and organizational need.

Wage: $78,000 - $90,000 annual salary*

Experience: JD (Juris Doctor) from an accredited law school required. A minimum of one to two (1-2) years of litigation experience representing detained noncitizens before federal and/or immigration courts is required. A member in good standing of the bar of at least the highest court in New York, New Jersey, and/or Pennsylvania state, with admission to, or the ability to obtain admission to, the relevant U.S. District Court(s) to file habeas corpus petitions and relevant matters.

Experience staffing complex litigation, developing legal training materials, and working with pro bono legal partners is strongly preferred. Proficiency with collaboration and case management platforms such as Google Workspace, Slack, Asana, Airtable, Jotform, Zoom, or similar tools is required.

Benefits: Flexible schedule, medical and dental (fully covered for employee, 50% for dependents), flexible PTO policy, sick days, retirement matching up to 3% after 90 days, professional development opportunities, wellness perks, other benefits as applicable.

Location: Remote. Candidates must reside in New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania as some travel will be required as needed.

*As this position is grant funded, starting salaries are set in advance according to the terms of the contract and are non-negotiable. I-ARC is committed to transparency and equity in compensation. Salary ranges are determined based on a structured compensation plan that is regularly reviewed and updated based on market research and available funding. We share our compensation philosophy, key performance expectations, and organizational budget details related to salary lines openly with all staff.

Work Environment/Physical Demands

The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Work will be performed in a hybrid environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor.

I-ARC is an equal-opportunity employer with a strong commitment to diversity. At I-ARC we aim to foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment where everyone feels empowered to be their whole selves and is treated with dignity and respect. We welcome applications from qualified individuals, irrespective of their race, skin color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability status, or any other characteristic. We encourage anyone who feels qualified to apply regardless of gaps in resume, unconventional career paths, or other factors.