Immigration Attorney Full-time

Associate Attorney - Immigration, Federal & FOIA Litigation

Gahagan Law Firm, L.L.C. - Metairie, Louisiana

Salary: $75,000-$85,000

Full-Time | 40 Hours Per Week | Hybrid Opportunity After Training

Graduating law students and newly admitted attorneys are strongly encouraged to apply. Prior immigration-law experience is NOT required.

The Opportunity
Gahagan Law Firm, L.L.C. is seeking a talented graduating law student, newly admitted attorney, or early-career attorney who wants to develop into an accomplished immigration lawyer and federal litigator.

This is a training-focused Associate Attorney position . We are looking for a candidate with strong legal research and writing abilities, intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, sound judgment, a strong work ethic, and a desire to learn.

The Associate Attorney will work directly under Michael W. Gahagan, the firm's owner, and will be personally trained and supervised by Mr. Gahagan , a nationally recognized expert in immigration law and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation.

The Associate will receive hands-on training in immigration law, Immigration Court practice, federal litigation, FOIA litigation, legal research and writing, case strategy, client representation, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence and modern legal technology.

About Gahagan Law Firm
Gahagan Law Firm is a Louisiana law firm concentrating in immigration law and federal immigration litigation , with offices in Metairie and Lafayette, Louisiana .

The firm's practice includes removal and deportation defense, asylum, family-based immigration, USCIS and Immigration Court representation, Administrative Procedure Act (APA) litigation, mandamus actions, habeas corpus, federal FOIA litigation , federal appeals, and other complex immigration and federal litigation.

Our goal is not simply to hire another attorney. We want to develop an attorney who can become an excellent legal writer, immigration practitioner, and federal litigator and assume increasingly sophisticated responsibilities.

What You Will Do
The Associate Attorney will work on actual immigration and federal litigation matters. Responsibilities may include:

Conducting legal research involving immigration, administrative, constitutional, and federal law;

Drafting motions, briefs, complaints, memoranda, and other federal court pleadings;

Assisting with FOIA litigation and analyzing federal agency records and FOIA productions;

Preparing APA, mandamus, habeas corpus, and other federal immigration litigation;

Preparing immigration petitions, applications, motions, briefs, and evidence;

Meeting with clients and helping develop case strategy;

Preparing clients and witnesses for interviews and hearings;

Representing clients before Immigration Courts, USCIS, and EOIR;

Assisting with federal district and appellate court matters;

Managing evidence, deadlines, administrative records, and case files; and

Using modern legal technology and responsible AI-assisted tools for research, drafting, document analysis, and litigation preparation.

The Associate should expect to learn by doing and receive progressively greater responsibility as the attorney develops.

Strong New Attorneys Are Encouraged to Apply
Prior immigration experience is not required.

For graduating law students and newly admitted attorneys, the firm will place significant weight on:

Law school academic performance;

Legal research and writing ability;

Quality of the applicant's writing sample;

Law review, moot court, clinics, judicial internships, or similar experience;

Analytical ability and intellectual curiosity;

Attention to detail and work ethic;

Interest in litigation;

Ability to accept and apply constructive feedback; and

Willingness to embrace technology and new methods of practicing law.

Immigration, federal litigation, and FOIA experience are helpful but not required. Spanish or another second language is a plus but is not required.

We are prepared to train the right attorney.

Bar Examination Requirement
Graduating law students may apply before taking a bar examination, and applicants awaiting bar results may also apply.

However, Gahagan Law Firm will not issue an employment offer for this Associate Attorney position until the applicant has successfully passed a state bar examination.

Louisiana Bar admission is strongly preferred. Federal court admission is not required when applying. The successful Associate will obtain appropriate federal court admissions when eligible and necessary.

AI & Legal Technology
Gahagan Law Firm actively incorporates modern legal technology, including the responsible use of artificial intelligence , into legal research, document analysis, drafting, litigation preparation, case management, and law-office operations.

Applicants are not expected to be AI experts . They are expected to be willing to learn.

We are particularly interested in candidates who are comfortable with technology, curious about emerging tools, and interested in finding more effective and efficient ways to perform legal work while maintaining accuracy, independent legal judgment, confidentiality, and professional responsibility.

Qualifications
The ideal applicant will have:

A J.D. from an accredited law school, or be on track to receive a J.D. before employment;

Successful completion of a state bar examination before an employment offer is issued;

Strong legal research, analytical, and writing abilities;

Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills;

Intellectual curiosity and the ability to learn complex areas of law;

Professional judgment and commitment to ethical practice;

Interest in immigration law, federal litigation, administrative law, or FOIA litigation;

Interest in developing courtroom and litigation skills;

Willingness to receive instruction and constructive feedback; and

Willingness to learn and use modern legal technology and responsible AI tools.

Compensation & Benefits
Salary: $75,000-$85,000 per year , depending on experience and qualifications.

For newly admitted attorneys, compensation will take into consideration law school performance, legal research and writing ability, the quality of the writing sample, academic accomplishments, and other indicators of professional potential.

This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week position .

Benefits include:

Monthly health-insurance stipend;

Paid malpractice insurance after the probationary period;

Two weeks of paid annual vacation after the probationary period;

Paid holidays; and

Firm-paid tuition for required state-bar CLE courses after the probationary period.

Location, Training & Hybrid Work
Gahagan Law Firm has offices in Metairie and Lafayette, Louisiana .

All initial training will take place in person at the Metairie office , where the Associate will work directly under and be trained by Michael W. Gahagan.

After successfully completing training and demonstrating the ability to perform assigned responsibilities independently, hybrid work may be available , depending upon the attorney's responsibilities and the needs of the firm.

Why Gahagan Law Firm?
This position offers a new attorney the opportunity to develop experience in Immigration Court advocacy, federal district and appellate litigation, FOIA litigation, administrative law, persuasive legal writing, client counseling, case strategy, and emerging legal technology.

Most importantly, the Associate will work directly under and be trained by Michael W. Gahagan , a nationally recognized expert in immigration law and FOIA litigation.

The Associate is not expected to know everything on the first day. We are looking for someone who can learn quickly, work hard, accept feedback, exercise professional judgment, embrace technology, and progressively assume greater responsibility.

For the right candidate, this is an opportunity to begin developing a sophisticated immigration and federal litigation practice early in a legal career.

Gahagan Law Firm, L.L.C. is an equal opportunity employer

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