H-1B Visa Associate Attorney Jobs
Associate Attorney roles qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations because they require a Juris Doctor and active bar admission. Law firms and corporate legal departments sponsor H-1B petitions for associates in litigation, transactional, and compliance practices, with cap-subject and cap-exempt employer options available.
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Get Access To All JobsCompany Description
Appointment Type: Permanent Exempt (PEX) position; individuals who are appointed to Exempt Positions are appointed at the pleasure of their appointing officer and are considered to be "at-will."
Application Opening: September 18, 2026
Application Deadline: Continuous, earliest close 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 2, 2026
Compensation Range: $158,548 - $277,810
Recruitment ID: RTF0167143-01097721
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is looking for a qualified and motivated complex commercial litigator to join its office.
About The Office
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is an innovative, nationally-recognized municipal law office working to protect and advance the rights and interests of the City and County of San Francisco and its residents. With nearly 350 talented and dedicated employees, the Office provides exceptional legal services to the City’s Mayor, Board of Supervisors, officials, and departments. Our work empowers City leaders with effective, responsive, and creative legal solutions and representation so they can deliver critical public services, and our affirmative advocacy enhances the lives and wellbeing of San Francisco’s residents and visitors. The Office recognizes that diversity in the backgrounds, identities, and experiences of our employees enriches our workplace and enhances our work. We aspire to recruit, employ, retain, and promote talented individuals representing the full spectrum of our community, and welcome all candidates, including candidates of any race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and age, and candidates with disabilities. We have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of people want to come and stay, grow professionally, and find purpose and engagement, and where all employees feel welcomed and respected, and valued for their work and contributions to the Office and the City. The Office provides a hybrid work schedule for eligible employees.
Job Description
About the Position
This position would be part of the Tax Team. Litigators on the Tax Team work primarily on defending the City in tax refund lawsuits. Issues litigated in these cases include federal and state constitutional doctrines (e.g., Commerce, Due Process, and Equal Protection Clauses, state preemption of city taxing power); valuation of taxable and nontaxable property; interpreting complex federal, state, and local laws and regulations; and the application of the City’s taxes to the diverse and emerging industries comprising San Francisco’s business community. Amounts in dispute range from the tens of thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars. Experience with state or local tax matters is not required as litigators on the Tax Team benefit from the subject matter expertise of the Team’s advice attorneys and collaborate with auditors and appraisers in the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector and the Office of the Assessor-Recorder.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
* Licensed to practice law in California.
Desired Qualifications
Five or ideally more years of civil litigation experience.
Experience with complex litigation, ideally litigation involving financial transactions or financial issues (for example, business litigation).
Experience with litigation involving constitutional issues and/or statutory interpretation issues.
Experience with complex motion practice and/or appeals.
Ability to assume a high degree of responsibility quickly, work both independently and collaboratively, and identify and assess substantive and procedural legal issues.
Ability to work effectively and efficiently, meet multiple competing deadlines, manage workload changes, and dive into new assignments quickly.
Excellent written and oral communication and advocacy skills.
Ability to manage, investigate, and litigate multiple matters.
Ability to handle all phases of litigation, including written discovery, depositions, motion practice, settlement negotiations, non-jury trials, and appeals.
Experience handling court appearances and oral argument.
Familiarity with California civil procedure and San Francisco local rules.
Experience with e-discovery.
Demonstrated interest, comfort, and good working knowledge of sophisticated document review tools.
Ability to work effectively with paralegals, legal assistants, investigators, and other colleagues.
Ability to exercise excellent judgment, adapt to changes, and be curious.
Excellent interpersonal skills and a positive attitude.
Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
Interest and ability to work successfully as part of a team.
Verification
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.
Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application. Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.
Selection Procedures
The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview. Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited to participate in the oral/performance interview.
Additional Information
Salary And Benefits
The Deputy City Attorney position has a 16-step salary scale ranging from $158,548-$277,810. The successful applicant is appointed to a salary step based on years of experience as a lawyer. The City offers robust health, retirement and other benefits.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
Information About the Hiring Process
Conviction History
Employee Benefits Overview
Equal Employment Opportunity
Disaster Service Worker
ADA Accommodation
Right to Work
Copies of Application Documents
* Diversity Statement
How To Apply
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.sf.gov/ and begin the application process.
Select the “Apply Now” button and follow instructions on the screen
Make sure to include your CA Bar Number in the education section on your application
* Upload a Cover Letter and a Resume
Applicants who advance in the selection process must submit three references (at least one from a supervisor) and one writing sample. Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfcityatty.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com). Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records.
Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.
Human Resources Analyst Information:
If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please send your inquiries to Asa Nojd, Human Resources Analyst, at asa.nojd@sfcityatty.org.
The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
Company Description
Appointment Type: Permanent Exempt (PEX) position; individuals who are appointed to Exempt Positions are appointed at the pleasure of their appointing officer and are considered to be "at-will."
Application Opening: September 18, 2026
Application Deadline: Continuous, earliest close 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 2, 2026
Compensation Range: $158,548 - $277,810
Recruitment ID: RTF0167143-01097721
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is looking for a qualified and motivated complex commercial litigator to join its office.
About The Office
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is an innovative, nationally-recognized municipal law office working to protect and advance the rights and interests of the City and County of San Francisco and its residents. With nearly 350 talented and dedicated employees, the Office provides exceptional legal services to the City’s Mayor, Board of Supervisors, officials, and departments. Our work empowers City leaders with effective, responsive, and creative legal solutions and representation so they can deliver critical public services, and our affirmative advocacy enhances the lives and wellbeing of San Francisco’s residents and visitors. The Office recognizes that diversity in the backgrounds, identities, and experiences of our employees enriches our workplace and enhances our work. We aspire to recruit, employ, retain, and promote talented individuals representing the full spectrum of our community, and welcome all candidates, including candidates of any race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and age, and candidates with disabilities. We have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of people want to come and stay, grow professionally, and find purpose and engagement, and where all employees feel welcomed and respected, and valued for their work and contributions to the Office and the City. The Office provides a hybrid work schedule for eligible employees.
Job Description
About the Position
This position would be part of the Tax Team. Litigators on the Tax Team work primarily on defending the City in tax refund lawsuits. Issues litigated in these cases include federal and state constitutional doctrines (e.g., Commerce, Due Process, and Equal Protection Clauses, state preemption of city taxing power); valuation of taxable and nontaxable property; interpreting complex federal, state, and local laws and regulations; and the application of the City’s taxes to the diverse and emerging industries comprising San Francisco’s business community. Amounts in dispute range from the tens of thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars. Experience with state or local tax matters is not required as litigators on the Tax Team benefit from the subject matter expertise of the Team’s advice attorneys and collaborate with auditors and appraisers in the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector and the Office of the Assessor-Recorder.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
* Licensed to practice law in California.
Desired Qualifications
Five or ideally more years of civil litigation experience.
Experience with complex litigation, ideally litigation involving financial transactions or financial issues (for example, business litigation).
Experience with litigation involving constitutional issues and/or statutory interpretation issues.
Experience with complex motion practice and/or appeals.
Ability to assume a high degree of responsibility quickly, work both independently and collaboratively, and identify and assess substantive and procedural legal issues.
Ability to work effectively and efficiently, meet multiple competing deadlines, manage workload changes, and dive into new assignments quickly.
Excellent written and oral communication and advocacy skills.
Ability to manage, investigate, and litigate multiple matters.
Ability to handle all phases of litigation, including written discovery, depositions, motion practice, settlement negotiations, non-jury trials, and appeals.
Experience handling court appearances and oral argument.
Familiarity with California civil procedure and San Francisco local rules.
Experience with e-discovery.
Demonstrated interest, comfort, and good working knowledge of sophisticated document review tools.
Ability to work effectively with paralegals, legal assistants, investigators, and other colleagues.
Ability to exercise excellent judgment, adapt to changes, and be curious.
Excellent interpersonal skills and a positive attitude.
Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
Interest and ability to work successfully as part of a team.
Verification
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.
Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application. Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.
Selection Procedures
The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview. Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited to participate in the oral/performance interview.
Additional Information
Salary And Benefits
The Deputy City Attorney position has a 16-step salary scale ranging from $158,548-$277,810. The successful applicant is appointed to a salary step based on years of experience as a lawyer. The City offers robust health, retirement and other benefits.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
Information About the Hiring Process
Conviction History
Employee Benefits Overview
Equal Employment Opportunity
Disaster Service Worker
ADA Accommodation
Right to Work
Copies of Application Documents
* Diversity Statement
How To Apply
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.sf.gov/ and begin the application process.
Select the “Apply Now” button and follow instructions on the screen
Make sure to include your CA Bar Number in the education section on your application
* Upload a Cover Letter and a Resume
Applicants who advance in the selection process must submit three references (at least one from a supervisor) and one writing sample. Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfcityatty.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com). Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records.
Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.
Human Resources Analyst Information:
If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please send your inquiries to Asa Nojd, Human Resources Analyst, at asa.nojd@sfcityatty.org.
The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
See all 957+ H-1B Visa Associate Attorney Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Associate Attorney Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as an Associate Attorney
Verify your JD satisfies specialty occupation
USCIS requires a direct relationship between your degree field and the role. A foreign law degree paired with a U.S. bar admission generally satisfies specialty occupation, but get your credentials evaluated by a NACES-member agency before applying.
Target cap-exempt employers first
Universities, nonprofit legal aid organizations, and government-affiliated law offices can file H-1B petitions year-round without lottery exposure. Starting your job search there removes timing risk and lets you start sooner.
Search LCA filing history on Migrate Mate
Filter by SOC code 23-1011 to see which law firms and legal departments have certified LCAs for Associate Attorney roles. That filing history tells you which employers have actually gone through the H-1B process for this position.
Confirm bar admission matches the job location
Your H-1B petition ties to a specific worksite state. If you're barred in New York but the role is in California, the employer will need to list waiver or supervised-practice status in the LCA, which some firms won't accommodate.
Ask about premium processing before accepting an offer
If your OPT or other status expires close to October 1, standard H-1B processing timelines can leave a gap. Clarify upfront whether the firm routinely files for premium processing, since not all legal employers do.
Check prevailing wage before negotiating salary
Run the Associate Attorney SOC code and your target metro through OFLC Wage Search before discussing compensation. The DOL wage level in your LCA sets a floor your offer must meet, so knowing Level I through IV ranges strengthens your negotiation position.
H-1B Visa Associate Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Associate Attorney role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes. USCIS recognizes Associate Attorney as a specialty occupation because the role requires at minimum a Juris Doctor in law. You'll also need an active bar license in the relevant jurisdiction. Foreign-educated attorneys can qualify with a credential evaluation confirming equivalency to a U.S. JD, often from a NACES-member evaluator.
Which types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for Associate Attorneys?
Large law firms with established immigration programs sponsor the most H-1B petitions for associates, but corporate legal departments, financial institutions, and healthcare systems with in-house counsel teams also file regularly. Nonprofit legal organizations and university legal clinics are cap-exempt, meaning they can file outside the annual lottery window. You can browse employers with verified LCA filing history for this role on Migrate Mate.
How does the H-1B lottery affect Associate Attorney hiring timelines?
Cap-subject employers must register in the March lottery before filing a petition, with H-1B status starting October 1 at the earliest. If you're on OPT with cap-gap protection, you can keep working past your EAD expiration until October 1 if your petition is timely filed. Cap-exempt employers, including nonprofits and universities, bypass the lottery entirely and can file year-round.
Can a law firm sponsor my H-1B if I passed the bar in a different state than the office location?
It depends on the firm's position and the state's rules. Some states allow supervised practice or waiver admission for out-of-state attorneys, which firms can document in the LCA. Others won't file unless you hold the bar license for the worksite state. Clarify this before accepting an offer, since USCIS will scrutinize whether you're authorized to practice law where you'll actually be working.
What SOC code applies to Associate Attorney roles for the LCA prevailing wage?
Most Associate Attorney roles are filed under SOC code 23-1011 (Lawyers). Your employer's HR or immigration counsel will use this code when certifying the LCA with DOL. The prevailing wage level, from Level I through IV, depends on your experience, supervision, and complexity of work. You can verify the wage range for your target metro using OFLC Wage Search before entering salary negotiations.