Application Guide
How to Apply for Appellate Immigration Attorney
at Pangea Legal Services
🏢 About Pangea Legal Services
Pangea Legal Services is unique for its holistic approach combining direct legal defense with community education and policy advocacy, specifically focused on creating systemic change for immigrant rights. Their mission-driven culture appeals to attorneys who want to work at the intersection of litigation and social justice, with a clear vision for border justice.
About This Role
This Appellate Immigration Attorney role involves representing clients before the BIA and federal courts (primarily the Ninth Circuit), while also mentoring junior attorneys on habeas petitions and appeals. The position is impactful because it combines high-stakes appellate advocacy with internal capacity-building, directly shaping legal strategies that affect numerous deportation defense cases.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve drafting a petition for review for the Ninth Circuit while simultaneously reviewing a junior attorney's habeas brief, then researching recent BIA decisions to update internal templates. You'd likely participate in team strategy sessions balancing individual case needs with broader legal advocacy goals.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Pangea Legal Services Is Looking For
- Has 3+ years of specific appellate experience in immigration law, not just general litigation
- Demonstrates exceptional brief-writing skills with samples showing complex legal analysis
- Shows ability to both supervise others and stay current on rapidly evolving BIA and Ninth Circuit precedent
- Balances meticulous attention to detail with understanding of broader immigration policy implications
📝 Tips for Applying to Pangea Legal Services
Highlight specific Ninth Circuit or BIA cases you've worked on, especially those involving novel legal arguments
Include writing samples that demonstrate both persuasive advocacy and template creation for recurring issues
Show understanding of Pangea's dual focus on individual representation and systemic change in your materials
Mention any experience with California federal district courts for habeas petitions
Demonstrate how you've mentored others or created systems to improve team efficiency in appellate work
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your specific appellate experience in immigration law, particularly before the Ninth Circuit', 'Examples of creating templates or systems to handle recurring legal issues efficiently', "How your approach aligns with Pangea's mission of combining direct service with systemic advocacy", 'Experience supervising or mentoring other attorneys in complex legal work']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Pangea's specific policy advocacy positions and recent campaigns
- → Recent Ninth Circuit immigration decisions that impact their client base
- → Their organizational structure and how the legal team collaborates with community education
- → Specific cases or clients Pangea has represented that demonstrate their approach
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing only on trial-level experience without demonstrating specific appellate expertise
- Generic statements about immigration law without showing knowledge of current BIA/Ninth Circuit trends
- Failing to connect your experience to Pangea's specific mission of combining litigation with systemic change
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Pangea Legal Services!