Job Title: Deputy Director, Legal (Threat Assessment)
Job Responsibilities:
The Deputy Director, Legal is tasked with leading and collaborating with the Legal and other department staff at the organization to advance programmatic work based on the organization's strategic framework. This position is a crucial part of a team dedicated to confronting serious and novel threats to immigrants. The role involves a mix of substantive and strategic work, supervision, and management duties. Key responsibilities include:
- Supporting the Legal Director and litigation-focused staff in developing and executing litigation and legal advocacy strategies.
- Collaborating with the Policy Department and other Advocacy Departments to ensure maximum impact in law and policy, movement power building, and narrative change work.
- Leading litigation teams in the development and conduct of impact litigation on various issues, preparing legal documents, conducting discovery, presenting oral arguments, and handling appeals.
- Overseeing and advancing plaintiff-driven, community-grounded impact litigation in combination with other core strategies like policy advocacy and communications.
- Identifying potential new cases and playing a role in developing those cases.
- Serving as a legal and litigation expert in coalitions with external partners.
- Advancing administrative and legislative advocacy by providing legal analysis and technical assistance to colleagues, government officials, the media, and advocates nationwide.
- Representing the organization in media about relevant legal work and litigation in coordination with the Strategic Communications department.
Management, Leadership, and Supervision Duties:
- Participating in leadership and management of the Legal Department, including project management, skills development, and team support.
- Supervising, supporting, and mentoring Staff Attorneys, Senior Staff Attorneys, and Legal Fellows in job performance and development of litigation and professional skills.
- Leading and building effective case teams and collaborating with staff across the organization to support ongoing programmatic work.
- Reporting programmatic developments and collaborating on constructive solutions.
- Managing employee work schedules, assignments, and providing insights to workgroups.
- Assisting in managing the quarterly Board reporting process and developing, tracking, and revising the departmental budget.
- Partnering with the Development and/or Finance Departments for grant applications and administration.
- Leading or participating in larger cross-functional/departmental projects.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- Supporting recruitment, interviewing, and hiring of staff and overseeing onboarding and training.
- Overseeing daily workflow and acting as a coach and mentor, providing feedback and addressing discipline and performance issues.
- Managing outside consultants, third-party administrators, and vendors.
Shared Organization Responsibilities:
- Championing the organization's mission of advancing the rights of immigrants with low income and demonstrating a commitment to human rights, and racial, economic, and social justice.
- Actively participating in organizational meetings and developing relationships with colleagues.
- Taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures, and designing feedback loops into work.
- Acting with integrity, being direct and truthful, and maintaining consistency between words and actions.
- Committing to the organization's values of racial justice and equity, valuing diversity, fostering partnerships, and striving for transparency and honesty.
Education and Experience Information:
- JD degree and active membership in good standing of a State Bar Association required.
- 8+ years of litigation experience, at least 6 of which must be complex federal civil litigation, and 4+ years of people management experience.
- Demonstrated experience in the investigation, development, and litigation of impact cases.
- Success in leading case teams and supervising or mentoring other attorneys, fellows, and/or interns.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Expertise in civil rights or anti-discrimination law, federal class action litigation, or another substantive area of law impacting immigrants with low income is strongly preferred.
- Proficiency in non-English languages spoken by Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, African, Caribbean, and Arab communities preferred. Fluency in more than one language is desirable.
Salary Information:
The salary range for this role is $111,800 - $139,800, with a competitive offering in the nonprofit sector to ensure equity across the organization.
Additional Information:
The role involves up to 30% overnight interstate travel, generally quarterly, to the organization's Washington, . office or another location within the US. Remote work is possible from specific states. Physical demands include remaining in a stationary position for prolonged periods and communicating with others to exchange information.
