Associate

Fragomen•Valley, AL

12d•$158,000 - $198,000•Hybrid

About The Position

A career as a Business Immigration Associate at Fragomen offers the opportunity to work with a smart, motivated, and diverse peer group in an exciting, dynamic, and challenging environment focused exclusively on immigration. Associates will practice with talented individuals who share a passion for immigration, learning from industry-leading experts in a collegial, team-oriented setting. The firm's dedication to excellence and best practices is enhanced by cutting-edge technological innovation, improving the experience for clients and staff. Associates will develop an expert-level understanding of their client base, the industries they support, and the firm’s practice areas and services. They will act as senior members of the client team, independently overseeing and managing assignments with minimal supervision, utilizing legal precedents to address client situations, and developing creative solutions. This role involves researching complex technical immigration issues, formulating solutions, and completing appropriate documentation. Associates will independently execute case preparation and filing, develop strategies for complex matters, and articulate complex issues to various audiences. Understanding the business strategy of the practice area and the firm is crucial. Building and maintaining strong client relationships with key stakeholders, Partners, and other relevant parties through client meetings, briefings, workshops, and proactive reporting is essential. Proactive communication with clients, adhering to SLAs and team protocols with precise, efficient, thoughtful, and organized responses, is expected. The role includes directly or indirectly supervising junior Associates and other staff, providing mentoring, coaching, and performance management. Ensuring self and team adherence to firm protocols for file maintenance, record keeping, and system usage, including data quality in Connect and other firm technology, is required. Meeting individual and team productivity goals and identifying cross-selling opportunities or billing for out-of-scope services are key. Proactively identifying and implementing process improvements for quality, efficiency, and standardization is encouraged. Participation in marketing and business development opportunities is also expected. Ensuring self and team compliance with documented firm standards and policies to mitigate risk and ensure regulatory, operational, and client compliance is paramount. Collaboration and knowledge sharing with teams locally, regionally, and firmwide are important. Other duties as required.

Requirements

U.S. JD or LLM required
Member of a US State bar or Washington DC bar association
3-5 years of experience at Associate level
Exceptional working knowledge and understanding of immigration law
Prior team management experience preferred
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Dedication to exceptional client service
Demonstrated attention to detail
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment with competing demands
Ability to contribute to a positive work environment

Responsibilities

Develop an expert-level understanding of your client base and the industries you support as well as the firm’s practice areas and services provided.
Positioned as a senior member of the client team, independently oversee, and manage assignments with minimal supervision.
Utilize legal precedents to address specific client situations or requests and develop creative solutions.
Research complex technical immigration issues and formulate solutions, including completion of appropriate documentation.
Independently execute case preparation and filing and develop strategies for complex matters.
Articulate relatively complex issues to a variety of audiences.
Understand the business strategy of the practice area and the firm as a whole.
Build, strengthen, and maintain strong client relationships with key stakeholders in client accounts, as well as Partners and other relevant stakeholders, (e.g., take part in client meetings, briefings, workshops, Q&A sessions, proactively provide client reporting etc.).
Proactively communicate with clients, within SLAs/team protocols and with a precise, efficient, thoughtful, and organized response.
Directly or indirectly supervise junior Associates and other staff, providing mentoring, coaching, and performance management.
Ensure self and team follow firm protocols with respect to file maintenance, record keeping and use of firm's systems including data quality in Connect and other firm technology.
Meet individual and team productivity goals and identify opportunities to cross sell or bill for out-of-scope services.
Proactively identify and implement opportunities to improve quality, efficiency, and standardization of processes, products, or services.
Proactively identify and take part in marketing and business development opportunities.
Ensure self and team follow documented firm standards and policy to mitigate risk and ensure regulatory, operational and client compliance.
Engage, collaborate, and share knowledge with teams locally, regionally, and firmwide.
Other duties as required.