Lead Defensive Attorney

Who We Are Political Asylum Lawyers is a Houston‑based immigration law firm focused on asylum cases. We help immigrants across the United States secure their futures through asylum, combining exceptional standards with deep respect for the human reality behind every case. Our work changes lives. We operate with integrity, urgency, and excellence, and we expect every team member to take full ownership of their role.

Working Here Means High‑stakes responsibility, deeply meaningful outcomes, emotionally demanding moments, high standards and constant growth, and mission‑driven teamwork. If you want a career where your skills and hard work create tangible change in the world, this is it.

We're seeking a Lead Defensive Attorney (Spanish‑speaking) 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) to appear frequently there. You will serve as lead counsel in Immigration Court proceedings, shape litigation strategy for asylum cases, and provide final review of all defensive work product. You will supervise junior attorneys, mentoring them to elevate advocacy standards across our team.

This leadership position combines hands‑on courtroom work with strategic oversight, quality control, and professional development responsibilities that directly impact our clients' safety and future. Our work directly affects the safety and future of our clients, often under tight deadlines. You will work with AI tools, adhere to structured workflows, travel throughout the country (up to two trips of one or two nights per month), and maintain a full‑time schedule without billable hour requirements.

• Lead defensive litigation strategy across removal defense cases, ensuring each case is positioned for the strongest possible outcome before the Immigration Courts.
• Represent clients as lead counsel in Master Calendar and Individual Hearings—both virtual and in‑person—preparing clients to testify and ensuring strategic readiness on all procedural and factual issues.
• Provide final review and clearance of all legal filings in defensive cases, ensuring accuracy, legal soundness, strategic coherence, and compliance with firm standards.
• Draft and refine legal briefs and other filings, taking ownership of final work product quality while collaborating with documents originated by junior attorneys or paralegals.
• Mentor and develop attorneys through substantive guidance on legal analysis, persuasive writing, and courtroom advocacy.
• Collaborate across legal teams to ensure cases move efficiently through established workflows while maintaining quality standards.
• Leverage technology, including AI tools, to enhance work product efficiency and quality, exercising professional judgment to refine legal arguments and case strategy.

• Alignment with the firm’s core values of integrity, excellence, accountability, teamwork, and passion.
• Deep, demonstrated commitment to helping immigrants secure their future in the United States through humanitarian relief.
• Minimum three years’ experience, with at least 20 individual hearings completed in removal defense cases, including asylum and related relief.
• Spanish‑language fluency for effective client communication.
• Outstanding legal research, writing, and analytical skills with proven ability to craft persuasive arguments.
• Demonstrated track record of supervising, mentoring, and providing substantive guidance to other attorneys.
• Strong technological proficiency and willingness to use AI tools and structured workflows.
• 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.

Compensation: $120,000 – $140,000 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 systems and 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.