Legal Counsel Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Legal counsel professionals are sponsored through H-1B visa at AmLaw 100 firms like Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, and Skadden, and through L-1 visa transfers at multinational firms like Baker McKenzie and DLA Piper. Practicing U.S. law requires bar admission, which for foreign-trained lawyers typically means completing an LL.M. and passing a state bar exam.
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Get Access To All JobsCorporate Counsel
A minority-owned professional recruitment and staffing advisory firm assisting clients with direct hire and contract talent search solutions across a variety of skillsets and industries, Russell Tobin is disrupting the industry with our total dedication to creating bespoke programs that enable our clients to meet their exact recruiting goals. How do we accomplish this? With an empowering corporate culture based on continuous learning, accountability, and growth—and the result is an impressive roster of clients, long-lasting business relationships, and one of the best places to work in the staffing sector.
Pride Global is seeking an attorney to join our legal team as a Corporate Counsel based in our beautiful Midtown Manhattan office at the top of the Graybar Building. This is a unique leadership opportunity where you will be handling business transactions, human resources issues, compliance, collections matters, contracts and agreements, and commercial litigation.
Responsibilities:
- Work in-house to advise executives, account managers, and associates on strategic legal and business matters
- Draft, review, and negotiate various commercial, vendor, employment, privacy, and real estate contracts
- Research and interpret employment and labor law issues across all US jurisdictions (experience with California law a plus)
- Devise and draft policies, standards, and procedures to foster compliance with applicable laws and regulations; in coordination with operations teams
- Work with a small team of corporate attorneys and legal assistants in the US and abroad
- Conduct and manage investigations related to human resources and employment matters
Qualifications
- Must be licensed to practice law in New York State
- JD from an accredited law school with a strong academic record
- 3+ years of legal experience with experience working in an in-house environment (combination of in-house and litigation experience preferred)
- Experience with review, drafting, and negotiating contracts
- Experience with employment law and human resources
- Experience with Intellectual Property law and privacy a plus
- Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal, and ability to maintain a business-minded approach to the law
- Ability to use good judgment, make good decisions, and consider the needs of all stakeholders
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, demanding environment that supports multiple global brands
- Missing something? If this sounds like a great job you can do, but you’re missing a few qualifications, we encourage you to apply anyway. We understand a diverse workplace requires a diversity of experience—and we want to include yours in the mix if you've got the skills we need!
Important Details:
- Full-time, 8:30 – 5:30
- Onsite in our New York, NY office
- $120,000 - $130,000
Benefits
Pride Global offers eligible employees comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision plans), supplemental coverage (accident insurance, critical illness insurance and hospital indemnity), a 401(k)-retirement savings, life & disability insurance, an employee assistance program, identity theft protection, legal support, auto and home insurance, pet insurance, and employee discounts with some preferred vendors.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Pride Global is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of the race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, reproductive health decision making, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Fair Chance Employment
Pride Global is a Fair Chance employer. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable state and local Fair Chance laws and ordinances, including, the California Fair Chance Act and all applicable local Fair Chance ordinances.
Accommodations
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of this role, please contact us.
Corporate Counsel
A minority-owned professional recruitment and staffing advisory firm assisting clients with direct hire and contract talent search solutions across a variety of skillsets and industries, Russell Tobin is disrupting the industry with our total dedication to creating bespoke programs that enable our clients to meet their exact recruiting goals. How do we accomplish this? With an empowering corporate culture based on continuous learning, accountability, and growth—and the result is an impressive roster of clients, long-lasting business relationships, and one of the best places to work in the staffing sector.
Pride Global is seeking an attorney to join our legal team as a Corporate Counsel based in our beautiful Midtown Manhattan office at the top of the Graybar Building. This is a unique leadership opportunity where you will be handling business transactions, human resources issues, compliance, collections matters, contracts and agreements, and commercial litigation.
Responsibilities:
- Work in-house to advise executives, account managers, and associates on strategic legal and business matters
- Draft, review, and negotiate various commercial, vendor, employment, privacy, and real estate contracts
- Research and interpret employment and labor law issues across all US jurisdictions (experience with California law a plus)
- Devise and draft policies, standards, and procedures to foster compliance with applicable laws and regulations; in coordination with operations teams
- Work with a small team of corporate attorneys and legal assistants in the US and abroad
- Conduct and manage investigations related to human resources and employment matters
Qualifications
- Must be licensed to practice law in New York State
- JD from an accredited law school with a strong academic record
- 3+ years of legal experience with experience working in an in-house environment (combination of in-house and litigation experience preferred)
- Experience with review, drafting, and negotiating contracts
- Experience with employment law and human resources
- Experience with Intellectual Property law and privacy a plus
- Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal, and ability to maintain a business-minded approach to the law
- Ability to use good judgment, make good decisions, and consider the needs of all stakeholders
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, demanding environment that supports multiple global brands
- Missing something? If this sounds like a great job you can do, but you’re missing a few qualifications, we encourage you to apply anyway. We understand a diverse workplace requires a diversity of experience—and we want to include yours in the mix if you've got the skills we need!
Important Details:
- Full-time, 8:30 – 5:30
- Onsite in our New York, NY office
- $120,000 - $130,000
Benefits
Pride Global offers eligible employees comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision plans), supplemental coverage (accident insurance, critical illness insurance and hospital indemnity), a 401(k)-retirement savings, life & disability insurance, an employee assistance program, identity theft protection, legal support, auto and home insurance, pet insurance, and employee discounts with some preferred vendors.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Pride Global is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of the race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, reproductive health decision making, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Fair Chance Employment
Pride Global is a Fair Chance employer. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable state and local Fair Chance laws and ordinances, including, the California Fair Chance Act and all applicable local Fair Chance ordinances.
Accommodations
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of this role, please contact us.
See all 5,584+ Legal Counsel Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Legal Counsel Jobs
Complete an LL.M. at a Top U.S. Law School
An LL.M. from NYU, Columbia, Harvard, Georgetown, or Berkeley opens the pathway to bar admission and provides access to law firm recruiting pipelines that lead to H-1B sponsorship. These programs have established relationships with AmLaw 100 firms that recruit LL.M. graduates for associate positions.
Target International Practice Groups at Large Firms
AmLaw 100 firms with cross-border M&A, international arbitration, and trade practices actively seek attorneys with foreign legal training and language skills. Baker McKenzie, White & Case, Freshfields, and Cleary Gottlieb specifically recruit LL.M. graduates with dual-jurisdiction expertise. Your foreign law knowledge is a competitive advantage in these groups.
Use Multinational Firm L-1 Transfers
If you practice at Baker McKenzie, DLA Piper, Clifford Chance, Allen & Overy, or Linklaters, transferring to the U.S. office on L-1 avoids the H-1B lottery and leverages your existing firm relationships. Build at least one year of strong performance in a practice area with U.S. client overlap before requesting the transfer.
New York and California Allow Foreign-Educated Bar Applicants
New York permits foreign-educated lawyers with an LL.M. to sit for the bar exam without a J.D. California has similar provisions. Washington D.C. allows admission based on reciprocity in certain circumstances. Choose your LL.M. program and bar jurisdiction strategically based on which state's admission rules best fit your educational background.
In-House Tech Roles Offer Higher Total Compensation
Corporate legal departments at Google, Amazon, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft sponsor in-house counsel for commercial contracts, product counsel, privacy, and IP roles. Total compensation at these companies ($180,000 to $350,000) often exceeds law firm pay when equity is included. Target in-house roles after gaining 3 to 5 years of law firm experience and bar admission.
IP and Patent Law Commands a Premium for Technical Degrees
If you hold both a law degree and a technical degree in engineering, computer science, or life sciences, patent prosecution and IP litigation roles are among the highest-paid and most sponsorship-friendly legal positions. The USPTO patent bar requires a technical degree, which creates a natural barrier that limits domestic competition and strengthens employer motivation to sponsor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the typical salary for sponsored Legal Counsel roles in the U.S.?
First-year associates at top law firms (AmLaw 100) earn $225,000 in base salary with bonuses pushing total compensation to $250,000 to $300,000. Mid-level associates earn $300,000 to $420,000. In-house counsel at technology companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta earn $180,000 to $350,000 in total compensation. General counsel and deputy GC roles at large companies pay $300,000 to $600,000 or more. Smaller firms and regional practices pay significantly less, with associates starting at $80,000 to $150,000.
Which visa types do Legal Counsel professionals typically use?
H-1B visa is the primary pathway for attorneys with J.D. or LL.M. degrees and U.S. bar admission, with strong specialty occupation classification. L-1 intracompany transfers are common at multinational law firms like Baker McKenzie, DLA Piper, and Clifford Chance that move lawyers between international offices. O-1 visa is used for attorneys with extraordinary ability in their practice area. E-3 visa is available for Australian nationals with bar admission. TN visa availability is limited because Lawyer is not a standard USMCA profession.
What types of employers sponsor Legal Counsel?
AmLaw 100 law firms are the most frequent sponsors, including Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Skadden, Davis Polk, and Sullivan & Cromwell. Multinational firms like Baker McKenzie, DLA Piper, and Clifford Chance sponsor through both H-1B and L-1. Corporate legal departments at Google, Amazon, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and Fortune 500 companies sponsor in-house counsel. Big Four firms sponsor for tax law and legal advisory roles. Boutique firms specializing in international trade, IP, or immigration law also sponsor.
How to find Legal Counsel jobs with visa sponsorship?
To find Legal Counsel jobs with visa sponsorship, use Migrate Mate, which specializes in connecting international legal professionals with employers offering H-1B, O-1, and other work visas. Focus on multinational corporations, tech companies, financial institutions, and large law firms that regularly sponsor foreign attorneys. These employers typically have established immigration processes and actively recruit international legal talent for corporate counsel, compliance, and specialized legal advisory roles.
Do I need U.S. bar admission to be sponsored as Legal Counsel?
For roles involving the practice of U.S. law, yes. Most attorney positions require admission to a state bar, which for foreign-trained lawyers typically means completing an LL.M. at a U.S. law school and passing a state bar exam. New York and California are the most common states for foreign-educated attorneys to seek admission. Some legal advisory roles that do not involve practicing U.S. law (international arbitration, foreign law advisory) may not require bar admission.
What is the most common pathway for foreign-trained lawyers to work in the U.S.?
The established pathway is completing an LL.M. at a U.S. law school (typically one year), sitting for the bar exam in a state that permits foreign-educated lawyers (New York, California, D.C.), obtaining bar admission, and then securing H-1B sponsorship from a law firm or corporate legal department. Many LL.M. graduates work on OPT during their first year after the program while studying for and passing the bar exam. Top LL.M. programs at NYU, Columbia, Harvard, Georgetown, and Berkeley have the strongest placement rates at sponsoring firms.