OPT Tax Attorney Jobs
Tax Attorney jobs on OPT are available at law firms, multinational corporations, and Big Four accounting firms. Most roles require a J.D. and bar admission, which can affect your OPT timeline. STEM OPT extension does not apply to law degrees, so your 12-month window is fixed.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Cooley LLP has an opportunity available for an associate to join our tax practice.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Our ideal candidate will have:
- 3-5 years of tax experience, including advising on some combination of mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions and international transactions
- A high level of motivation, initiative and excellent problem solving skills
- Strong client relations skills and experience handling several concurrent ongoing matters
- A high level of academic achievement from a nationally recognized law school
An LLM is preferred, but not required. Candidates can be based in our Chicago, Colorado, New York, Palo Alto, San Diego, Santa Monica, or Washington, DC offices.
COMPENSATION
- The expected annual pay range for this position is $260,000-$365,000. Please note that final offer amount will be dependent on geographic location, applicable experience and skillset of the candidate.
BENEFITS
We offer a full range of elective benefits including:
- Medical
- Health savings account (with applicable medical plan)
- Dental
- Vision
- Health and/or dependent care flexible spending accounts
- Pre-tax commuter benefits
- Life insurance
- AD&D
- Long-term care coverage
- Backup care for children and/or adults
- Other parental support benefits
In addition to elective benefit options, benefited employees receive:
- Firm-paid life insurance
- AD&D
- LTD
- Short term medical benefits
- Accruing vacation time at the rate of four weeks per year
- Sick time at the rate of two weeks per year
- 10 paid holidays each year
We provide generous parental leave and fertility benefits. New employees will attend a detailed benefit orientation to learn more about our many benefits and resources.
EOE.
INTRODUCTION
Cooley LLP has an opportunity available for an associate to join our tax practice.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Our ideal candidate will have:
- 3-5 years of tax experience, including advising on some combination of mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions and international transactions
- A high level of motivation, initiative and excellent problem solving skills
- Strong client relations skills and experience handling several concurrent ongoing matters
- A high level of academic achievement from a nationally recognized law school
An LLM is preferred, but not required. Candidates can be based in our Chicago, Colorado, New York, Palo Alto, San Diego, Santa Monica, or Washington, DC offices.
COMPENSATION
- The expected annual pay range for this position is $260,000-$365,000. Please note that final offer amount will be dependent on geographic location, applicable experience and skillset of the candidate.
BENEFITS
We offer a full range of elective benefits including:
- Medical
- Health savings account (with applicable medical plan)
- Dental
- Vision
- Health and/or dependent care flexible spending accounts
- Pre-tax commuter benefits
- Life insurance
- AD&D
- Long-term care coverage
- Backup care for children and/or adults
- Other parental support benefits
In addition to elective benefit options, benefited employees receive:
- Firm-paid life insurance
- AD&D
- LTD
- Short term medical benefits
- Accruing vacation time at the rate of four weeks per year
- Sick time at the rate of two weeks per year
- 10 paid holidays each year
We provide generous parental leave and fertility benefits. New employees will attend a detailed benefit orientation to learn more about our many benefits and resources.
EOE.
See all OPT Tax Attorney Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Tax Attorney
Target employers with established foreign national hiring
Large law firms and multinational legal departments hire international attorneys regularly and understand OPT work authorization. Smaller boutique firms may be unfamiliar with the process, requiring more upfront education from you about your eligibility.
Clarify your bar admission status early
Many Tax Attorney roles require active bar admission in at least one U.S. state. Confirm whether your state allows foreign-educated attorneys to sit for the bar, and disclose your admission status clearly in applications to avoid wasted interviews.
Apply early to account for OPT processing time
USCIS processing for OPT authorization can take 90 days or more. Submit your application to your DSO as soon as you have a graduation date confirmed, so your EAD arrives before your intended start date with an employer.
Frame H-1B sponsorship as a future conversation, not an immediate ask
Raise visa sponsorship after an employer has shown genuine interest in you. Law firms and legal departments weigh sponsorship decisions carefully. Demonstrating your value through credentials and interview performance first puts you in a stronger negotiating position.
Highlight your international tax knowledge as a differentiator
OPT candidates with cross-border tax experience, fluency in a second language, or familiarity with foreign tax regimes are genuinely valuable in international tax practices. Lead with these qualifications explicitly rather than burying them in a generic skills section.
Understand that LL.M. degrees open additional doors
A Tax LL.M. from a U.S. law school generates its own OPT eligibility separate from your J.D. This gives you a second 12-month window to work and find an employer willing to sponsor your H-1B visa, which is worth planning around strategically.
Tax Attorney OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Tax Attorney on OPT?
Yes, if your J.D. or Tax LL.M. is from an accredited U.S. law school and your work is directly related to your legal studies. Most Tax Attorney roles qualify because legal practice is the intended outcome of a law degree. Your EAD card is the document that authorizes employment, and you must have it in hand before starting work.
Does the STEM OPT extension apply to Tax Attorney jobs?
No. STEM OPT extension is only available for degrees on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program list, and law degrees are not included. Tax Attorneys on J.D. OPT have a 12-month window. If you completed a Tax LL.M., that degree also does not qualify for STEM extension, giving you a second 12-month period but no 24-month extension.
What visa typically sponsors Tax Attorneys after OPT?
The H-1B is the most common sponsorship path, and Tax Attorney roles qualify as specialty occupations requiring a J.D. Large law firms, Big Four accounting firms, and corporate legal departments have the infrastructure to sponsor and are the most realistic employers. Cap-exempt organizations like universities and nonprofits can also sponsor without entering the H-1B lottery.
How do I find Tax Attorney jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Browse Migrate Mate, which filters jobs specifically for international students on OPT and visa sponsorship. Many job postings do not explicitly state OPT eligibility, so targeting employers with documented histories of hiring international attorneys is more effective than filtering by keywords alone. Large firms and legal departments of Fortune 500 companies are your best starting point.
Does bar admission affect my OPT eligibility for Tax Attorney roles?
Bar admission is a professional licensing requirement, not an immigration one. OPT authorizes you to work in your field of study, but employers can still require bar admission as a job condition. Some firms hire pending bar admission or in a paralegal-equivalent capacity while you wait for results. Confirm the role's admission requirements before applying to avoid timeline mismatches.