Temporary Staff Attorney - Pennsylvania Farmworker Project

Position

Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) seeks to immediately hire a temporary, full-time attorney for its PA Farmworker Project for a minimum of two years. This attorney will join a dynamic team advocating on behalf of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers throughout Pennsylvania. The position is based out of our Philadelphia office with a hybrid remote work schedule available.

While our need is immediate, we will consider applications from otherwise qualified candidates who will be eligible to sit for the July 2026 PA Bar Examination and start in the fall of 2026.

Description of the Team

PFP is a legal unit of Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) that serves farmworkers throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PFP is devoted to ensuring that the legal rights and dignity of Pennsylvania’s agricultural workers are protected. We do this through a wide array of legal advocacy, community education and engagement, and direct representation of farmworkers. The vast majority of those farmworkers are monolingual Spanish speakers who migrate to Pennsylvania from other parts of the U.S., Mexico and Central America. They are often isolated from major city centers, making them a uniquely vulnerable population. PFP performs routine and consistent outreach to farmworkers throughout the state to educate them about their legal rights and to build trust.

Responsibilities

The Temporary Attorney will handle a full farmworker legal services caseload consisting of a variety of legal matters including:

• Federal and state employment law violations, including wage and hour issues, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, termination, employment contracts, and other matters;
• Immigration-related casework, including screenings and petitions for T- and U-visas for victims of human trafficking and other crimes in the workplace;
• Tax matters that commonly occur with migrant and seasonal farmworkers;
• Unemployment compensation matters;
• Advice and counsel on a variety of other matters including workplace injuries, health and safety concerns, pesticide exposure, and generally any other legal issue that a farmworker may confront while in Pennsylvania;
• Informed referrals to a network of legal practitioners.

The Temporary Attorney will collaborate with PFP’s team to regularly meet with farmworkers throughout Pennsylvania on farmworker outreach trips. Outreach responsibilities include:

• Routine visits to farm labor camps throughout the state to build trust with farmworkers, provide extensive community education, raise general awareness of the PFP, and provide educational and instructive materials;
• Working with the PFP team to create educational social media content and maintain our community-facing Facebook and Instagram pages;
• Providing regular Know-Your-Rights education to service providers and the community that they serve;
• Attending regular meetings of national farmworker advocacy and legal services coalitions.

Qualifications

• Law degree and admission to the Pennsylvania Bar or a willingness to waive into the Pennsylvania bar from another state are preferred. Candidates of all levels will be considered, including candidates who anticipate graduating from law school and sitting for the PA Bar in 2026.
• Professional proficiency in written and spoken Spanish;
• Demonstrated commitment to client-centered advocacy, workers’ rights, immigrants, victims of crime, and low-income individuals;
• Cultural competence, including understanding the unique needs of low-income immigrants and ability to build trust within client communities;
• High degree of self-motivation, time management, and organization;
• Desire to work as part of a small, close-knit team and seek external support from a network of national practitioners (especially when that issue-area expertise is not available within the organization);
• Experience in employment law and litigation, especially experience representing immigrant workers, is preferred;
• Driver’s license;
• Willingness to work irregular hours and travel throughout Pennsylvania on outreach.

Salary is commensurate with years of experience based on union scale. Attorney 2 on that scale (one full year of practice since the attorney passed the bar exam and has been actively practicing law) salary is currently $71,000. Attorney 5 (four full years of practice) on that scale is currently $81,000.

PLA offers a generous benefits package in addition to salary, including: high quality PPO health insurance with premiums paid in full for employee and family, cash incentives for health insurance opt out, vacation, personal, and sick leave, thirteen (13) paid holidays, 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution based on years of service, paid parental leave, life insurance and short and long- term disability benefits.

Professional proficiency in written and spoken Spanish required. Candidates without this qualification will not be considered at this time.