Attorney Advisor Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Attorney Advisor roles at federal agencies and legal nonprofits regularly sponsor H-1B visas for candidates with a J.D. and bar admission in a related jurisdiction. Because the role qualifies as a specialty occupation, your degree field must directly align with the legal practice area the position covers.
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Get Access To All JobsAttorney-Advisor (Contract), IS-0905-13
Application Deadline
December 04, 2026
Department
Office of Contracting & Personal Property Management
Employment Type
Full Time
Location
Washington, DC
Workplace type
Onsite
Compensation
$121,785 - $158,322 / year
Reporting To
Supervisory Attorney Advisor
OVERVIEW
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
About Smithsonian Institution
Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex of 21 museums and galleries, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and 14 education and research facilities. There are more than 6,500 Smithsonian employees, including approximately 500 scientists. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at more than 157 million.
Attorney-Advisor (Contract), IS-0905-13
Application Deadline
December 04, 2026
Department
Office of Contracting & Personal Property Management
Employment Type
Full Time
Location
Washington, DC
Workplace type
Onsite
Compensation
$121,785 - $158,322 / year
Reporting To
Supervisory Attorney Advisor
OVERVIEW
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
About Smithsonian Institution
Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex of 21 museums and galleries, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and 14 education and research facilities. There are more than 6,500 Smithsonian employees, including approximately 500 scientists. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at more than 157 million.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Attorney Advisor Jobs
Align your J.D. specialty to the posting
Attorney Advisor roles are specialty occupations only when the legal subject matter matches your degree concentration. If your J.D. emphasizes tax law but the posting covers administrative law, USCIS may issue an RFE challenging the degree-to-role connection.
Verify bar admission meets the employer's requirement
Some federal agencies and legal offices require active bar membership in a specific state or the D.C. Bar before they'll initiate sponsorship. Confirm the admission requirement before applying so you're not disqualified at the offer stage.
Target agencies with cap-exempt H-1B filing history
Use Migrate Mate to identify federal agencies, nonprofits, and government-affiliated legal offices that file H-1B petitions outside the annual cap, letting you start work immediately after USCIS approves rather than waiting for an October 1 start date.
Request a prevailing wage determination early
Attorney Advisor positions carry a wide wage range depending on agency level and location. Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the prevailing wage for your specific work site before negotiating an offer, so you know the floor the LCA must certify.
Prepare a credential equivalency memo for foreign law degrees
If your law degree was earned outside the U.S., the employer's immigration counsel will need a credential evaluation confirming equivalency to a U.S. J.D. Commission this evaluation before the offer stage to avoid delays in the LCA and I-129 filing timeline.
Clarify PERM eligibility with the hiring agency upfront
Some federal Attorney Advisor positions are Schedule A or excepted-service roles that affect green card sponsorship pathways. Ask HR whether the position supports PERM labor certification or routes through a different EB category before accepting an offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Attorney Advisor role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, but the qualifying connection between your J.D. and the specific legal subject matter of the role is what USCIS scrutinizes. A general J.D. supports most Attorney Advisor petitions, but if the position covers a narrow practice area like patent law or tax, USCIS may expect coursework or prior experience in that specific field. An RFE is common when the degree-to-role fit isn't obvious from the petition record.
Which visa types are realistic for Attorney Advisor candidates without existing U.S. status?
H-1B is the primary path, and many government-affiliated legal offices qualify as cap-exempt institutions, which removes the lottery dependency. TN visa is not available for Attorney Advisor roles because the USMCA profession list does not include general legal advisory positions. J-1 visa is occasionally used for research-focused attorney roles at think tanks or nonprofits, but only through a designated sponsor organization.
How do I find Attorney Advisor jobs where the employer already sponsors visas?
Browse Attorney Advisor listings on Migrate Mate, which shows employers with verified H-1B LCA sponsorship history so you can target organizations that have already filed for roles like yours. This saves you from applying to positions where sponsorship is theoretically possible but practically never approved.
Does bar admission in a foreign country satisfy the specialty occupation degree requirement?
Foreign bar admission alone doesn't satisfy USCIS requirements. You need a credential evaluation confirming your foreign law degree is equivalent to a U.S. J.D., and in many cases the employer will also want confirmation that you've passed a U.S. bar exam or are eligible to sit for one. Some federal agencies additionally require active U.S. bar membership as a condition of employment, independent of the visa petition.
Can a federal agency sponsor a green card for an Attorney Advisor position?
Federal agencies can sponsor green cards, but the pathway depends on the position's appointment type. Competitive service positions may support PERM labor certification under EB-2 or EB-3, while some excepted-service roles use Schedule A or agency-specific mechanisms. The National Interest Waiver under EB-2 is also an option for attorneys with an exceptional record in public interest law, since it doesn't require employer-initiated PERM.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Attorney Advisor jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.