Contract Appellate Immigration Attorney

A little about us!

Our vision is to live in a world where people have the right to move and resettle across borders with dignity and respect.We work towards this vision through our mission: defending immigrants against deportation, promoting community education and empowerment, and engaging in policy advocacy. We also work towards this vision internally by building a horizontal, consensus-based organization.

We started in 2013 with a team of 1.5 and now are 20 (2 based in San Jose and 18 in San Francisco). Our majority POC staff and board of directors are diverse in their migration backgrounds, and extremely supportive of each other. What brings us together is our dedication to our work, each other, and the larger movement for immigrants’ rights.

We are hiring a contract appellate immigration attorney to primarily supervise Pangea attorneys representing clients in habeas petitions and appeals.

This role is well-suited for a senior practitioner seeking flexible part-time work. This is an independent contractor position, not an employee role. The contractor will exercise professional discretion and autonomy in how work is performed, while collaborating closely with Pangea’s legal team on assigned matters.

Scope of Contracted Services

The contractor may provide some or all of the following services, as agreed in individual case or project assignments:

• Supervision of Pangea attorneys, including mentorship, document review, and editing for Pangea legal team members representing clients in habeas petitions and appeals;
• Representation before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and in federal courts, primarily petitions for review at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and in habeas petitions before federal district courts in California. Representation includes: entering appearance; developing case strategy; compiling and/or reviewing evidence; conducting legal research; drafting and submitting motions and briefs; negotiating with opposing counsel; and appearing at oral argument in individual cases. Representation may also involve direct communication with and counseling of clients, together with other Pangea staff, depending on capacity and language abilities;
• Coordination with external litigation partners;
• Development of template briefs or language on novel legal issues likely to impact numerous Pangea clients; and
• Maintenance of knowledge of relevant new BIA, circuit court, and Supreme Court precedent decisions, and dissemination of updates and analysis to Pangea’s legal team.

Required Qualifications

• Active license to practice law in the United States
• Significant experience in appellate immigration litigation (5+ years)
• Experience with habeas litigation
• Exceptional legal research, writing, and issue-spotting skills
• Ability to manage assigned matters independently and meet court-imposed deadlines
• Strong professional judgment and attention to detail

Preferred Qualifications

• California bar membership
• Admission to practice before the Ninth Circuit
• Prior experience collaborating with nonprofit or movement-based legal organizations

Engagement Structure

• Independent contractor relationship; no employee benefits
• Part-time, flexible hours, with workload defined by mutual agreement (open to as little as 10 hours/week and as much as 35 hours/week)
• Compensation on an hourly or project basis, commensurate with experience
• Contractor provides their own workspace, equipment, and professional tools