Green Card Contract Attorney Jobs
Contract Attorney green card sponsorship follows the EB-2 or EB-3 employment-based path, requiring PERM labor certification from the Department of Labor before the employer files an I-140 petition with USCIS. Law firms and corporate legal departments sponsor foreign attorneys for permanent roles in litigation support, contract drafting, and regulatory compliance.
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Kimley-Horn is looking for a Regional Contract Attorney to join our Charlotte, NC office! This is not a remote position.
Responsibilities:
- Coordinate the activities of the contract reviewers, managing the flow of contracts, providing training, and helping resolve complex contract issues
- Review, negotiate, and help resolve a significant number of contracts for both public and private sector clients
- Will work with professional staff to address contracting needs across offices, while making sure there are appropriate resources and addressing specific problem areas
- Organize and manage contract activities that result in high quality reviews, clear advice to project managers on how to proceed, and dedicated partnership to resolve issues
- Coordinate with General Counsel as appropriate on individual issues and the overall quality of contract reviews
QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years experience in a related role
- JD from an accredited law school
- Relevant experience related to reviewing and resolving contracts (Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry preferred)
- Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills
- Strong sense of urgency and self-initiative to meet deadlines
- Detail-oriented team player with an ability to contribute to a positive work environment
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Knowledge of AEC private and public sector contracts
- Prior experience in the AEC Industry
WHY KIMLEY-HORN?:
At Kimley-Horn, we do things differently. People, clients, and employees are at the forefront of who we are. Clients know we prioritize achieving their goals and growing their success. Employees know our culture and approach to business are built on a desire to provide an environment for everyone to flourish. Our commitment to quality is only as good as the people behind it—that’s why we welcome and develop passionate, hardworking, and proactive employees. We take pride in how our employee retention, robust benefits package, and company values have led to Kimley-Horn’s placement on the Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work” list for 18 years!
KEY BENEFITS AT KIMLEY-HORN:
- Exceptional Retirement Plan: 2-to-1 company match on up to 4% of eligible compensation (salary + bonus) and additional profit-sharing contribution.
- Comprehensive Health Coverage: Low-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
- Time Off: Personal leave, flexible scheduling, floating holidays, and half-day Fridays.
- Financial Wellness: Student loan matching in our 401(k), and performance-based bonuses.
- Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement and extensive internal training programs.
- Family-Friendly Benefits: New Parent Leave, family building benefits, and childcare resources.
Overview:
Kimley-Horn is looking for a Regional Contract Attorney to join our Charlotte, NC office! This is not a remote position.
Responsibilities:
- Coordinate the activities of the contract reviewers, managing the flow of contracts, providing training, and helping resolve complex contract issues
- Review, negotiate, and help resolve a significant number of contracts for both public and private sector clients
- Will work with professional staff to address contracting needs across offices, while making sure there are appropriate resources and addressing specific problem areas
- Organize and manage contract activities that result in high quality reviews, clear advice to project managers on how to proceed, and dedicated partnership to resolve issues
- Coordinate with General Counsel as appropriate on individual issues and the overall quality of contract reviews
QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years experience in a related role
- JD from an accredited law school
- Relevant experience related to reviewing and resolving contracts (Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry preferred)
- Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills
- Strong sense of urgency and self-initiative to meet deadlines
- Detail-oriented team player with an ability to contribute to a positive work environment
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Knowledge of AEC private and public sector contracts
- Prior experience in the AEC Industry
WHY KIMLEY-HORN?:
At Kimley-Horn, we do things differently. People, clients, and employees are at the forefront of who we are. Clients know we prioritize achieving their goals and growing their success. Employees know our culture and approach to business are built on a desire to provide an environment for everyone to flourish. Our commitment to quality is only as good as the people behind it—that’s why we welcome and develop passionate, hardworking, and proactive employees. We take pride in how our employee retention, robust benefits package, and company values have led to Kimley-Horn’s placement on the Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work” list for 18 years!
KEY BENEFITS AT KIMLEY-HORN:
- Exceptional Retirement Plan: 2-to-1 company match on up to 4% of eligible compensation (salary + bonus) and additional profit-sharing contribution.
- Comprehensive Health Coverage: Low-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
- Time Off: Personal leave, flexible scheduling, floating holidays, and half-day Fridays.
- Financial Wellness: Student loan matching in our 401(k), and performance-based bonuses.
- Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement and extensive internal training programs.
- Family-Friendly Benefits: New Parent Leave, family building benefits, and childcare resources.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Green Card Sponsorship as a Contract Attorney
Align your bar credentials before applying
PERM requires the job's minimum requirements to match what you actually hold. If the role specifies admission to a U.S. state bar, confirm your credential equivalency and foreign-degree evaluation are documented before any employer begins the recruitment phase.
Target corporate legal departments over law firms
In-house legal teams at mid-size and large corporations sponsor Contract Attorney roles more consistently than law firms, which often treat these positions as temporary. PERM requires a permanent, full-time opening, so in-house roles are structurally better suited to the green card process.
Search Migrate Mate for verified green card sponsors
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with documented employment-based green card sponsorship history for legal roles. Focusing on employers who have completed PERM filings before cuts your search down to companies already familiar with the process and committed to it.
Verify the prevailing wage tier before negotiating
DOL sets prevailing wages for Contract Attorney roles by location and experience level using the OFLC Wage Search. The wage your employer offers must meet or exceed the certified level, so confirming the applicable tier before accepting an offer prevents compliance issues during PERM filing.
Understand how priority dates affect your timeline
Nationals of India and China face significant priority-date backlogs in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories. File your I-140 as early in the process as possible so your priority date is established, and monitor the monthly USCIS Visa Bulletin to track when your date becomes current.
Preserve your priority date if you change employers
Once your original I-140 is approved, the priority date can carry over to a new employer's I-140 petition. If your I-485 has been pending 180 days or more, AC21 portability also allows you to move to a same or similar occupation without restarting the green card process from scratch.
Green Card Contract Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
Which green card category covers Contract Attorney roles, EB-2 or EB-3?
Most Contract Attorney positions are sponsored under EB-2, which covers roles requiring an advanced degree or a bachelor's degree plus five years of progressive experience. EB-3 applies when the role requires only a bachelor's degree. The employer's PERM labor certification specifies the minimum requirements, which determines the category and directly affects your priority date.
How is green card sponsorship different from H-1B sponsorship for a Contract Attorney?
Green card sponsorship is permanent. The employer files a PERM labor certification with the Department of Labor, demonstrating no qualified U.S. worker is available, then files an I-140 immigrant petition with USCIS. Unlike H-1B visa, there is no lottery, but there are per-country numerical limits that create priority-date backlogs for nationals of India and China. The process typically spans years, not months.
What does the PERM recruitment process mean for a Contract Attorney position?
Before filing PERM, your employer must conduct a good-faith recruitment campaign to test the U.S. labor market, including job postings, newspaper advertisements, and sometimes campus recruiting. The employer documents that no minimally qualified U.S. worker applied. The job description used in recruitment must reflect the actual duties and minimum requirements of the Contract Attorney role and cannot be tailored around your specific credentials.
How do I find employers who sponsor green cards for Contract Attorney jobs?
Search Migrate Mate to identify employers with verified employment-based green card sponsorship history for legal roles. Focusing your search on companies that have completed PERM filings before is the most efficient approach because these employers already have internal processes and legal counsel familiar with the requirements, making a successful sponsorship far more likely.
Can I change employers after my green card process has started?
Yes, under two distinct rules. If your original I-140 petition was approved, a new employer can file a fresh I-140 and you can retain your original priority date. Separately, if your I-485 adjustment of status application has been pending for 180 days or more, AC21 portability lets you move to a same or similar occupation without losing your place in the queue, even with a new employer.