Make a difference! Become a Defender!
The Defender Association of Philadelphia is seeking an experienced, organized and dedicated immigration attorney to join our Community Defense Unit. This unit provides direct legal services in immigration law matters through the representation of clients in immigration court hearings, appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and Federal Court, and filings with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of State. The Community Defense Unit also provides immigration analysis and advice to our attorneys for cases involving noncitizen criminal defendants. In addition, the Community Defense Unit serves as an immigration resource for all members of our staff. The Immigration Attorney must have a demonstrated commitment to defending and promoting the rights of immigrants as well as strong research, writing, and courtroom advocacy skills. This position is funded for two years through a grant provided by the Spring Point Partners. The funding, and thus this position ends on October 31, 2026 unless Defenders gets continued funding.
What You’ll Do
- Represent clients in removal proceedings before EOIR Immigration Courts, Board of Immigration Appeals, and Federal Court
- Represent clients at interviews before USCIS, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- Conduct research and prepare legal memos and briefs for immigration clients, including affirmative filings with USCIS, CPT, ICE and U.S. Department of State
- Conduct immigration interviews and consultations, including interviews of clients in custody
- Collect and maintain data related to direct representation of clients in immigration law matters
What You’ll Need
- Juris Doctorate Degree required; Must be licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania
- Admission to practice in the Federal Courts preferred, but may be obtained within a reasonable time of employment
- Experience working with multicultural immigrant communities
- At least two (2) years of experience representing individuals in removal proceedings/USCIS is preferred. Clinical experience will be considered, as will other experience demonstrating knowledge of immigration law and practice.
- Fluency in Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, or French, preferred.
- Excellent research, writing, and courtroom advocacy skills
- Knowledge and familiarity with statutes, procedures, caselaw, and best practices related to immigration representation, required.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Capacity and desire to work collaboratively within interdisciplinary teams
- Strong organizational skills to manage a high-volume, fast-paced legal practice environment
Salary
Entry-Level (Recent Graduate): $75,000 per year. Experience Credit: We value your background. The base rate increases by $2,000 for each year of relevant post-bar experience (including legal aid, judicial clerkships, and immigration law) and there is an additional $2,000 for use of relevant bilingual skills.
Benefits & Perks
- Comprehensive Benefits: Affordable medical care options plus employer paid vision, dental, life and long- term disability insurances
- Generous Time Off: 25 days of paid time off (PTO) annually, in addition to all federal holidays
- Wellness Initiatives: Dedicated, separate sick leave policy alongside organizational programming to support your physical and mental health
- Family Support: 10 weeks of paid parental leave
- Retirement: Generous retirement savings plan with Employer Match
- Commuter Benefits: Free Septa All Access Key card
- Union Membership: Law clerks and attorneys are unionized
- PSLF: We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer
- Culture: Meaningful, mission-driven work within a supportive, learning-focused, and collaborative environment.
This position is funded for two years through a grant provided by the Spring Point Partners. The funding, and thus this position ends on October 31, 2028, unless Defenders gets continued funding.
Application:
Please submit an online application with detailed cover letter and writing sample (maximum 20 pages)
Who is the Defender Association?
The Defender Association of Philadelphia is more than just a law firm. We’re the community’s lawyers. The Defender team – more than 500 attorneys, social workers, investigators, administrators, and other staff – make sure that everyone, regardless of income, has access to high-quality defense when facing criminal charges. Our mission-driven, client-centered model focuses on outcomes that support a system that is fundamentally fair and creates safer, stronger communities. Our unique model and approach give our staff with the skills and support they need to get the best outcomes for our clients. Come join our team! For more information, go Defender’s website and follow us @PhillyDefenders (Twitter, IG, Tiktok) and on LinkedIn.
The Defender Association provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, The Defender Association complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Skills Required
- Juris Doctorate degree
- Licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania
- Admission to practice in federal courts
- Experience working with multicultural immigrant communities
- At least two years of experience representing individuals in removal proceedings or before USCIS
- Clinical experience or other experience demonstrating knowledge of immigration law and practice
- Fluency in Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, or French
- Excellent research, writing, and courtroom advocacy skills
- Knowledge of statutes, procedures, caselaw, and best practices related to immigration representation
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability and willingness to work collaboratively within interdisciplinary teams
- Strong organizational skills to manage a high-volume, fast-paced legal practice
What We Do
The Defender Association of Philadelphia is a nonprofit public-defense organization providing client-centered legal representation to adults and juveniles in Philadelphia, including people facing criminal charges and clients in mental-health proceedings, as well as children in dependency matters. It complements courtroom advocacy with social-service connections, reentry support, community collaboration, and justice-system advocacy, aiming to protect constitutional rights and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations.
