J-1 Visa Paralegal Jobs
Paralegal roles in the United States are accessible to international professionals through J-1 visa sponsorship, most commonly under the Trainee category for early-career legal professionals or the Intern category for current students. A designated sponsor organization issues your DS-2019 and oversees your training plan with the host law firm or legal department.
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Get Access To All JobsJob no: 506786
Work type: Full-Time
Location:
University City - Philadelphia, PA
Categories: Drexel University, Kline School of Law
Job Summary
The Visiting Assistant Professor (VAP) offers an attorney with an interest in clinical teaching and immigration and asylum law the opportunity to refine their teaching and supervisory skills while working together with the clinic director in a law school clinical program. The VAP will work closely with the Director of Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic to supervise students and provide direct legal services to non-citizens in immigration-related matters. Essential duties include supervising Clinic students’ casework, some direct client representation, and preparing and teaching clinic seminar classes. The VAP may have opportunities to collaborate with faculty and students in the Law School’s other clinics. The VAP can also work on scholarships, attend and participate in faculty workshops, and engage in advocacy and service projects related to the Clinic’s mission.
This is a 12-month, non-tenure track, potentially renewable position at the Law School campus in Philadelphia, PA. The position is expected to begin in the summer of 2026 and continue for one year with the potential option of a renewal for a second year. It does not lead to tenure or permanent appointment.
This position is grant-funded; employment is contingent upon the continued availability of those funds.
Essential Functions
- Supervise students in the Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic in their casework and advocacy project; co-teach clinic seminar classes; and perform other work related to running the clinical course.
- Provide representation for the clinic’s existing clients along with students, as well as during transitions between semesters and over the summer; conduct intake interviews with prospective clients.
- Coordinate grant reporting information as needed.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum of a J.D. Degree.
- Minimum of at least one year of experience representing clients, preferably in immigration law matters.
- Must be a licensed attorney in good standing who has an active membership to a bar in any U.S. jurisdiction.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Excellent trial lawyering skills.
- Proactive communicator with creative, solution-focused orientation, including the ability to work collaboratively with others to develop new ideas and effectively incorporate feedback.
- Demonstrated ability and willingness to zealously pursue creative and collaborative legal services and strategies.
- Excellent time management and ability to produce high quality work on tight deadlines.
- Excellent professional judgment.
- Ability to hit the ground working, multi-task, and work independently.
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong interest in working on behalf of non-citizens.
- Commitment to working with and mentoring students.
- Successful track record of and a demonstrated commitment to working effectively with diverse and vulnerable client populations.
- Flexibility and adaptability to changing circumstances, needs, and interests within the clinic and community.
- Proficiency in a second language is preferred but not required.
Physical Demands
- Typically sitting at a desk/table
- Lifting demands: 25lbs
Location
- University City - Philadelphia, PA
Additional Information
This is a Full-Time Faculty position classified as Exempt. The offered salary is based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review. For information about benefits, please review Drexel’s Full-Time Faculty Benefit Fact Sheet or Part-Time Faculty Benefit Fact Sheet.
Special Instructions to the Applicant
Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application.
Additional Required Documents:
- A letter of interest that includes discussion of why you are seeking the position and your relevant qualifications and experience.
- A list of 3 references along with contact information.
- Applicants with less than five years of post-law school practice experience should also submit an informal or official law school transcript.
Evaluation of applicants will begin immediately. The deadline for applying is June 30, 2026, though later applications may be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
For further information, contact Professor Richard Frankel, the Associate Dean for Experiential Learning.
Advertised: Jun 3 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Jul 3 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Job no: 506786
Work type: Full-Time
Location:
University City - Philadelphia, PA
Categories: Drexel University, Kline School of Law
Job Summary
The Visiting Assistant Professor (VAP) offers an attorney with an interest in clinical teaching and immigration and asylum law the opportunity to refine their teaching and supervisory skills while working together with the clinic director in a law school clinical program. The VAP will work closely with the Director of Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic to supervise students and provide direct legal services to non-citizens in immigration-related matters. Essential duties include supervising Clinic students’ casework, some direct client representation, and preparing and teaching clinic seminar classes. The VAP may have opportunities to collaborate with faculty and students in the Law School’s other clinics. The VAP can also work on scholarships, attend and participate in faculty workshops, and engage in advocacy and service projects related to the Clinic’s mission.
This is a 12-month, non-tenure track, potentially renewable position at the Law School campus in Philadelphia, PA. The position is expected to begin in the summer of 2026 and continue for one year with the potential option of a renewal for a second year. It does not lead to tenure or permanent appointment.
This position is grant-funded; employment is contingent upon the continued availability of those funds.
Essential Functions
- Supervise students in the Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic in their casework and advocacy project; co-teach clinic seminar classes; and perform other work related to running the clinical course.
- Provide representation for the clinic’s existing clients along with students, as well as during transitions between semesters and over the summer; conduct intake interviews with prospective clients.
- Coordinate grant reporting information as needed.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum of a J.D. Degree.
- Minimum of at least one year of experience representing clients, preferably in immigration law matters.
- Must be a licensed attorney in good standing who has an active membership to a bar in any U.S. jurisdiction.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Excellent trial lawyering skills.
- Proactive communicator with creative, solution-focused orientation, including the ability to work collaboratively with others to develop new ideas and effectively incorporate feedback.
- Demonstrated ability and willingness to zealously pursue creative and collaborative legal services and strategies.
- Excellent time management and ability to produce high quality work on tight deadlines.
- Excellent professional judgment.
- Ability to hit the ground working, multi-task, and work independently.
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong interest in working on behalf of non-citizens.
- Commitment to working with and mentoring students.
- Successful track record of and a demonstrated commitment to working effectively with diverse and vulnerable client populations.
- Flexibility and adaptability to changing circumstances, needs, and interests within the clinic and community.
- Proficiency in a second language is preferred but not required.
Physical Demands
- Typically sitting at a desk/table
- Lifting demands: 25lbs
Location
- University City - Philadelphia, PA
Additional Information
This is a Full-Time Faculty position classified as Exempt. The offered salary is based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review. For information about benefits, please review Drexel’s Full-Time Faculty Benefit Fact Sheet or Part-Time Faculty Benefit Fact Sheet.
Special Instructions to the Applicant
Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application.
Additional Required Documents:
- A letter of interest that includes discussion of why you are seeking the position and your relevant qualifications and experience.
- A list of 3 references along with contact information.
- Applicants with less than five years of post-law school practice experience should also submit an informal or official law school transcript.
Evaluation of applicants will begin immediately. The deadline for applying is June 30, 2026, though later applications may be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
For further information, contact Professor Richard Frankel, the Associate Dean for Experiential Learning.
Advertised: Jun 3 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Jul 3 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
See all J-1 Visa Paralegal Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Paralegal
Frame your credentials around U.S. training objectives
Your DS-2019 training plan must show a skills gap that only U.S. legal experience can fill. Map your foreign paralegal credentials, coursework, or bar-adjacent certifications to specific practice areas your host employer covers, like litigation support or contract review.
Target law firms with established J-1 host histories
Search Migrate Mate to identify U.S. legal employers who have hosted J-1 visa exchange visitors before. Host experience signals familiarity with DS-2019 compliance, structured training plans, and the supervision requirements your designated sponsor will enforce.
Verify your program category before approaching sponsors
If you're a currently enrolled student, the Intern category applies. If you've graduated or have prior work experience, you qualify for Trainee. Approaching a sponsor with the wrong category wastes time and can delay your DS-2019 issuance by weeks.
Confirm your host employer's training supervision capacity
Designated sponsors require host employers to assign a qualified supervisor who documents your progress. Ask hiring contacts early whether a licensed attorney or senior paralegal is available to fulfill that role before your training plan is submitted.
Check whether your role triggers the two-year home residency requirement
Paralegal trainees funded by their home government or coming from countries on the Exchange Visitor Skills List may face a two-year home residency requirement. USCIS and the State Department determine this based on your DS-2019 funding source and nationality, not your job title.
Align your training plan duration with realistic task progression
J-1 Trainee programs for paralegal roles run up to 18 months. Sponsors reject plans that pile all substantive tasks into the final phase. Structure your plan so that discovery support, drafting, and client-file management are distributed across distinct, measurable time blocks.
Paralegal J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category covers paralegal roles?
The answer depends on where you are in your education and career. Current law or legal studies students typically use the Intern category, which is tied to enrollment. Graduates or early-career legal professionals with prior paralegal or legal assistant experience qualify for the Trainee category, which allows up to 18 months of structured U.S. legal training with a host employer.
Who actually sponsors my J-1 visa for a paralegal position?
The visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not your employer. Organizations like Cultural Vistas or AIPT issue your DS-2019 form and monitor compliance throughout your program. The law firm or legal department where you work is your host employer. These are two separate entities with distinct responsibilities, and confusing them can stall your application.
How do I find U.S. legal employers open to hosting J-1 paralegal trainees?
Use Migrate Mate to search for paralegal and legal professional roles at employers who have demonstrated openness to international exchange visitors. Many law firms and corporate legal departments that host J-1 trainees don't advertise that status on general job boards, so a targeted search focused on J-1-compatible employers significantly narrows your outreach list.
What does a valid J-1 training plan for a paralegal role need to include?
Your designated sponsor requires a written training plan that breaks the program into phases, each with specific learning objectives and timelines. For paralegal roles, this typically includes phases covering legal research and citation, document drafting, discovery management, and client file organization. The host employer's supervising attorney or senior paralegal must be named, and the plan must demonstrate a progression of responsibility, not just repeated tasks.
Can I stay in the U.S. and find a different visa after my J-1 paralegal program ends?
Potentially, but your options depend on whether you carry the two-year home residency requirement. If you do, you must return home before changing to most other nonimmigrant or immigrant visa categories, unless you obtain a waiver. If you don't carry the requirement, a change of status to a work visa like H-1B visa is theoretically possible, but it requires a separate employer petition and is subject to that visa category's own rules and timelines.