Staff Attorney (Immigration Habeas Litigation)

Immigrant Defenders Law Center; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 97,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Paid holidays

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) in Los Angeles seeks a full-time Staff Attorney focused on federal habeas corpus litigation to challenge unlawful immigration detention and secure release. This role involves rapid evaluation of urgent referrals, drafting and filing habeas petitions, and pursuing innovative legal strategies.

Ideal candidates will have strong research and writing skills, experience in immigration removal defense, and a commitment to trauma-informed, client-centered

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate degree or LL.M. degree.
• Active California State Bar License or eligibility to WAIVE INTO CA Bar via Multi-Jurisdictional Practice Program.
• At least one year of experience in immigration removal defense.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate urgent referrals involving detained immigrants to identify habeas corpus claims.
• Research, draft, and file federal habeas petitions challenging detention.
• Analyze detention histories and prior removal proceedings for viable claims.
• Prepare legal briefs, declarations, and federal court filings, including emergency motions.
• Litigate habeas petitions in federal district court and respond to government filings.

Skills

Legal research

Analytical skills

Persuasive writing

Case management

Education

Juris Doctorate or LL.M.

Job description

Brief Description

Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) is a next-generation, social justice law firm that provides high-quality representation and legal services to immigrants in Southern California and beyond. ImmDef was founded with the belief that no immigrant should be forced to face an unjust immigration system alone, and our universal representation programs are a first step towards that goal. Learn more about us at www.immdef.org.

Position Summary

ImmDef is seeking a full-time Staff Attorney to join our Removal Defense team, with a primary focus on federal habeas corpus litigation to challenge unlawful immigration detention and secure clients' release.
ImmDef receives urgent referrals involving detained immigrants, including individuals with final orders of removal, who may have legal grounds to challenge their detention. This attorney will be responsible for quickly evaluating these referrals, identifying viable legal claims, and researching, drafting, and filing habeas corpus petitions in federal district court.
This is a litigation-focused position for an attorney who enjoys legal research and writing, developing creative legal arguments, and advocating for individuals facing unlawful or prolonged detention. While the attorney may handle some detained removal defense matters, the primary responsibility will be pursuing habeas litigation to get people out of immigration custody and reunited with their families.
Prior habeas experience is preferred but not required. We are prepared to train attorneys with immigration removal defense experience who are interested in developing federal litigation skills. Some travel to immigration detention centers to meet with clients and gather evidence will be required.
Staff attorneys will join the largest nonprofit universal representation deportation defense team in California and work alongside dedicated attorneys, paralegals, and litigation partners committed to protecting immigrant communities.

Job Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Habeas Corpus Litigation & Detention Advocacy

• Evaluate urgent referrals involving detained immigrants, particularly individuals with final orders of removal, to identify potential habeas corpus claims.
• Research, draft, and file federal habeas corpus petitions challenging unlawful or prolonged immigration detention.
• Analyze immigration and detention histories, including prior removal proceedings, criminal convictions, custody determinations, and other relevant legal issues.
• Prepare legal briefs, declarations, supporting evidence, and related federal court filings, including emergency motions when appropriate.
• Litigate habeas petitions in federal district court, including responding to government filings and participating in hearings as needed.
• Develop creative legal strategies to challenge immigration detention and advocate for clients' release.
• Stay current on evolving federal case law and legal developments affecting immigration detention.

Client Representation & Removal Defense

• Provide direct legal counseling and representation to detained immigrants regarding their detention and available legal remedies.
• Visit immigration detention centers as needed to meet with clients, conduct interviews, and gather evidence for habeas litigation.
• Communicate with clients and their families regarding legal strategies, case developments, and potential outcomes.
• Handle some detained removal defense matters, including bond hearings, immigration court proceedings, and related legal filings, as appropriate.
• Evaluate related immigration remedies, including motions to reopen, requests for stays of removal, and other post-order strategies when relevant to a client's detention or removal case.
• Provide trauma-informed, client-centered representation to individuals facing detention, family separation, and deportation.

Collaboration & Legal Strategy

• Work closely with ImmDef's Removal Defense, Rapid Response, and Litigation & Advocacy teams to identify appropriate cases for habeas intervention.
• Collaborate with supervising attorneys and legal colleagues on complex legal questions and litigation strategies.
• Participate in case rounds, legal trainings, and strategy discussions.
• Contribute to the development of habeas templates, legal research, and other resources to strengthen ImmDef's detention litigation work.
• Identify recurring legal issues or detention practices that may warrant broader legal advocacy.

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate degree or LL.M. degree;
• Active California State Bar License or licensure from another state and, if required, eligibility and willingness to "waive into" the CA Bar via the Multi-Jurisdictional Practice Program;
• At least one year of experience representing clients in immigration removal defense proceedings.
• Strong legal research, analytical, and persuasive writing skills;
• Demonstrated ability to manage cases independently, prioritize urgent matters, and meet litigation deadlines;
• Interest in federal habeas corpus litigation and willingness to develop expertise in challenging immigration detention;
• Willingness to zealously pursue creative and untested legal theories;
• Ability and willingness to visit immigration detention facilities as needed;
• Commitment to working in a diverse professional environment;
• Passion for social justice and defending the rights of immigrants.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with federal habeas corpus litigation, federal district court practice, or appellate litigation.
• Experience representing detained immigrants, including individuals with final orders of removal.
• Familiarity with immigration detention law, bond proceedings, and post-order legal remedies.
• Experience analyzing the immigration consequences of criminal convictions.
• At least two years of immigration removal defense experience preferred, although candidates with less experience and strong research and writing skills will be considered.
• Experience working with individuals who have experienced trauma, persecution, or prolonged detention.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, clients, and legal partners.

Language Proficiency

• Spanish language proficiency is strongly preferred for this position; fluency in other languages is also helpful.

Summary

• Starting salary range for this position is $82,000 to $97,000 DOE.
• This position is part of the ImmDef employee union bargaining unit. Salary calculations are based on experience pursuant to the terms of our union collective bargaining agreement.

Schedule

• ImmDef's business hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but our office reception hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. As an exempt employee you will be expected to work a minimum of 35 hours per week, or 70 hours per pay period. You will be required to work from an ImmDef worksite during business hours at least 3-days per week, and 2-days per week you will have the flexibility work from home or take a day off in accordance with ImmDef's Flexible Work Schedule policies, subject to supervisor approval.

Professional Memberships

• ImmDef provides attorneys with membership in the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG), as well as $150 towards the professional association of their choice, and opportunities to attend conferences, trainings and seminars/webinars hosted internally and by partner organizations.
• ImmDef covers California Bar Dues (or equivalent in another jurisdiction) for all attorneys in February of each year.

Holidays and Paid Time Off

• 13 paid holidays
• 1-Week paid winter break between Christmas Eve and New Years
• 15 vacation days per year
• 15 Sick Days per year

Health, Dental and Vision Insurance

• ImmDef provides health coverage on the first of the month following 30 days on the job.
• We cover 100% of premiums for our base dental and vision plans for our staff members and 75% of base plan dental and vision premiums for their dependents. ImmDef also covers 89% of the base plan medical premiums for our staff and 69% of the base plan medical premiums for their dependents.

FSA and Dependent Care FSA

• ImmDef offers FSA plans to help offset the costs of eligible health care expenses for you, your spouse, and your eligible dependents using pre-tax dollars
• We also offer Dependent Care FSA to pay for eligible dependent care services, such as preschool, summer day camp, before or after school programs, and child or adult daycare.
• Eligible for Parental Leave which includes six (6) weeks of ImmDef paid leave.

401(k) Retirement Savings Plan & Employer Matching

• ImmDef staff are eligible to enroll in our 401(k) plans after three months of service, contributing pre-tax dollars toward their retirement goals.
• After three months on staff, ImmDef will match 100% of contributions up to 4% of the employee’s salary.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

• As a 501(c)3, full-time ImmDef staff with qualifying student loans are eligible for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Parking and Public Transportation Stipends

• Staff members assigned to an office without free on-site parking are eligible to receive a parking stipend of up to $100 per month in actual accrued parking or transportation costs.
• Staff in all offices are eligible to receive a public transportation stipend of up to $100 per month in actual accrued public transportation costs.

Cell Phone Stipends

• ImmDef provides a $15 monthly cell phone stipend to staff members whose job duties require them to consistently work at sites outside of ImmDef offices, or travel between ImmDef worksites, and whose jobs require use of their personal cell phones or communications that cannot be accomplished with ImmDef-issued equipment.

Relocation Assistance for out-of-state new hires may be available for attorney positions as part of the job offer.