Representation Staff Attorney (Spanish-Speaking)

Who We Are

Political Asylum Lawyers is a Houston-based immigration law firm focused on asylum cases. We help immigrants all over the United States secure their futures here through asylum, combining exceptional standards with deep respect for the human reality behind every case. 

Our work changes lives. The standards we maintain, the discipline behind our work, and the way we show up every day can determine whether someone is able to stay safe and build a stable future in the United States. That is why we operate with integrity, urgency, and excellence, and why we expect every team member to take full ownership of their role.

Everything we do is guided by our core values: integrity, excellence, accountability, teamwork and passion. 

Working here means:

• High-stakes responsibility: our work is of great consequence for our clients
• Deeply meaningful outcomes: our work changes lives for the better
• Emotionally demanding moments: resilience and maturity are essential
• High standards and constant growth: excellence and continuous improvement are expected
• Mission-driven teamwork: we’re passionate about helping immigrants secure their future in the United States through asylum, and we know that meeting our high standards requires each of us to take ownership, communicate proactively, and support one another

If you want a career where your skills and hard work create tangible change in the world, this is it.

Learn more about what it’s like to work with us here:  politicalasylumlawyers.com/careers

The Role

We are seeking a Spanish-speaking Representation Staff Attorney located in Orlando, Dallas or Houston. You will work from home, but must live within an hour’s drive of your city’s nondetained Immigration Court(s), as you will appear there frequently. 

You will serve as counsel for our clients in their most decisive moments: representing them in Immigration Court and in asylum interviews before USCIS. You should expect to appear in court or at USCIS at least twice a week. Your core work is preparing clients to testify and then representing them effectively when it counts -in Master Calendar Hearings, Individual Hearings, and affirmative asylum interviews.

This is a hands-on representation role, with minimal time dedicated to producing written work product. You will spend most of your time preparing clients and appearing on their behalf, not drafting. Applications, motions, briefs and evidence are handled by other attorneys; your focus is courtroom and interview advocacy.

You'll work with Artificial Intelligence, including large language models and other software programs we use to work more efficiently in building the strongest cases possible for our clients. We follow structured workflows, and adherence to these processes is required. At the same time, this role calls for sound judgment, strategic thinking, and the ability to craft and strengthen legal arguments.

Travel throughout the country is required; you should plan on up to two trips of one or two nights per month. Work hours generally align with a full-time schedule. You will track your time, but there are no billable hour requirements, and we do not promote excessive workweeks typical of many law firms.

What You’ll Do

Responsibilities

Your day-to-day responsibilities will vary based on the firm’s needs, but will include a combination of the following:

• Represent clients as counsel in Immigration Court - both Master Calendar and Individual Hearings, virtual and in-person - and in affirmative asylum interviews before USCIS, appearing at least twice a week
• Prepare clients to testify, walking them through their testimony and ensuring they are ready for the procedural and factual issues in their hearings and interviews
• Build genuine rapport with clients, earning the trust that helps people who have survived trauma feel safe, supported, and ready to share their stories and testify 
• Develop case strategy for the hearings and interviews you handle, ensuring each client is positioned for the strongest possible outcome
• Collaborate across legal teams to ensure cases move efficiently through established workflows while maintaining quality standards
• Leverage technology, including AI tools, to prepare more effectively and stay organized across a high volume of appearances, adhering to structured workflows while exercising professional judgment
• Travel to represent clients at Immigration Courts and USCIS offices throughout the country, planning for up to two trips of one or two nights per month

Requirements

Who You Are

Qualifications

We're looking for professionals who combine technical competence with genuine passion for our mission. The ideal candidate brings:

• Alignment with the firm’s core values of integrity, excellence, accountability, teamwork and passion
• Demonstrated commitment to helping immigrants secure their future in the United States through humanitarian relief 
• Experience with or readiness to handle claims for asylum and related relief, including representing clients in Immigration Court hearings and asylum interviews
• Spanish-language fluency for effective client communication 
• Strong courtroom and interview advocacy instincts, with the ability to prepare clients to testify and represent them effectively under pressure
• Strong technological proficiency and willingness to use AI tools and structured workflows to enhance legal work
• Exceptional attention to detail with ability to perform at a high level without close supervision
• Proven ability to work under pressure, manage competing deadlines, and maintain quality standards in high-stakes situations 
• Ability to thrive in a mission-driven environment that values excellence, integrity, and continuous improvement
• Residence within one hour's drive of the nondetained Immigration Court(s) in Orlando, Dallas, or Houston 
• Admission to a U.S. state bar in good standing

Benefits

What We Offer

Compensation: $110,000 - $130,000 annually 

• Insurance: 100% of premiums covered for top-notch health insurance, plus dental and vision insurance
• Retirement benefits: 401(k) with employer matching
• Generous time off: Four weeks of vacation annually, plus 11 U.S. federal holidays off
• Comprehensive onboarding and training program: we invest in bringing you up to speed on our system and our approach to asylum cases, and are happy to provide funding and time for professional development opportunities
• Bar dues and continuing legal education fees: We cover your professional costs    
• Career advancement paths: We often promote from within 

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a resume and a cover letter, both of which must be in English.

Your application won’t be considered without a cover letter. Your cover letter should explain why you’re uniquely qualified for this particular position, and why you would be a great fit for our law firm. Generic, copy/paste cover letters will be discarded.

Upload your cover letter and resume, in PDF format, through the software program where you’re viewing this announcement.

Please do not call or email us about this opening.