"Staff Attorney"

Position Summary

The Center for Immigration Law and Policy seeks a staff attorney to engage in creative, high-quality research, analysis and litigation related to immigration law and policy. The Staff Attorney will further the Center's mission by conducting legal and multi-disciplinary research on a range of immigration law and policy related issues, with a particular focus on the Center's work related to exploring state and local-level innovation in immigration law. The Staff Attorney will also participate actively in the Center's litigation projects, including potential new litigation as well as current cases involving access to humanitarian protection in the border region, immigration detention, the Temporary Protected Status program, and others. The Staff Attorney will provide research and writing support to senior scholars at the Center and will contribute to reports, academic articles, public comments, and other Center work. This is anticipated to be a two-year, grant-funded position, beginning in late Summer or early Fall 2025, and will be based in Los Angeles, California. The Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law is a dynamic Center that generates innovative ideas at the intersection of immigration scholarship and practice; serves as a hub for transforming those ideas into meaningful changes in immigration policy at the local, state, and national level; and empowers students with unique opportunities for experiential learning through work with academics, practitioners, policymakers, and activists. For more information, please visit our website at https://law.ucla.edu/academics/centers/center-immigration-law-and- policy.

Special Instructions to Applicants

This is a one-year contract appointment with the possibility of extension.
This role requires 2x/week on campus.
Please include cover letter with application submission.

Salary & Compensation

*UCLA provides a full pay range. Actual salary offers consider factors, including budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business considerations. Salary offers at the top of the range are not common. Visit UC Benefit package to discover benefits that start on day one, and UC Total Compensation Estimator to calculate the total compensation value with benefits.

Qualifications

• Two to four years relevant legal research and/or litigation experience (Preferred)
• Demonstrated ability to perform the highest-caliber legal research and writing. (Required)
• Demonstrated experience with or substantive knowledge of immigration law. (Preferred)
• Excellent skill in speaking effectively and persuasively to individuals and groups from various social contexts, including members of immigrant communities, advocates, and academic audiences. (Required)
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to work effectively under conditions of heavy workload, frequent interruptions, distractions, and deadlines. (Required)
• Knowledge of immigrant communities both in Southern California and nationwide. (Preferred)

Education, Licenses, Certifications & Personal Affiliations

• Juris Doctor (JD) Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. (Required)
• Attorney admitted to practice law in California or willingness to take the California Bar Exam. no later than Feb. 2026. (Preferred)

Special Conditions for Employment

• Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.
• Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.
• Age Requirement: Candidate(s) must be 18 years or older to be eligible to be hired.
• Ability to travel and work occasional evenings and weekends as needed to fulfill job responsibilities.

Schedule

Monday - Friday | 8 a.m-5 p.m

Union/Policy Covered

RP-Research and Public Service PR