Lead Removal Defense Attorney

C.R. Wannamaker Law•Remote_TX, TX

22h

About The Position

The Lead Attorney owns legal outcomes and quality control for an assigned region within the Removal Defense Department. The position carries a reduced personal caseload to preserve capacity for case-strategy leadership, quality control, mentorship, and escalation support across the regional team. The Lead Attorney is the first point of contact for complex or high-risk case decisions and works closely with the Director of Legal Strategy on legal matters. The role provides functional, operational, and managerial legal oversight for assigned Associate Attorneys, as well as legal direction and work-product review for assigned paralegals and legal assistants. It also coordinates regional workflows and staffing, monitors caseloads and deadlines, supports attorney onboarding and training, and represents the region in leadership meetings.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited law school.
Active bar license in good standing in a jurisdiction relevant to the assigned region.
Substantial experience in removal defense and immigration court practice, including direct EOIR litigation experience.
Working knowledge of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the categorical approach to inadmissibility and deportability, and related removal-defense doctrine.
Demonstrated ability to manage an active caseload while reviewing and directing the work of other attorneys.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to provide direct, constructive case-strategy feedback and legal guidance.
Sound professional judgment and ability to identify, assess, and appropriately escalate complex or high-risk legal issues.
Ability to work effectively within a distributed leadership structure and collaborate across attorney, paralegal, legal assistant, and operational teams.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in a lead, supervising, or managing attorney role.
Experience working across a distributed, multi-time-zone team.
Familiarity with SIJS, VAWA, T-visa, U-visa, or other humanitarian relief pathways as they intersect with removal defense.

Responsibilities

Carry a reduced, region-specific caseload that allows time for legal leadership, quality control, and escalation support.
Provide day-to-day case-strategy guidance and legal direction to assigned Associate Attorneys, including shared or cross-region attorneys supporting the team.
Serve as the regional escalation point for complex legal issues, case-strategy changes, and matters presenting elevated professional-responsibility risk.
Review case files and filings prepared by Associate Attorneys for compliance with firm standards and applicable professional-responsibility requirements.
Provide functional legal oversight and direction to assigned attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants, including case strategy, work-product review, and legal guidance.
Coordinate with regional Paralegals and the Lead Paralegal regarding caseload distribution, staffing needs, and workflow issues affecting the region.
Escalate operational gaps or overlapping issues to the VP for Strategic Initiatives and legal-strategy questions to the Director of Legal Strategy, consistent with the department’s dual reporting structure.
Monitor case aging, deadlines, and caseload balance across the region, and escalate resourcing concerns before they become compliance risks.
Support onboarding, mentorship, and firm-wide training initiatives for newly assigned and existing Associate Attorneys.
Represent the region in regular leadership meetings alongside other members of leadership.
Maintain clear communication and collaboration across the regional case team to support consistent legal strategy, timely escalation, and high-quality representation.
Perform other legal leadership and case-related duties as assigned, consistent with the scope of the position.