- Lead all active and potential litigation cases, guiding litigation strategy and ensuring high quality of litigation-related work-product, and oversee case-related expenses and awards;
- Active participation in the decision-making body that approves acceptance of impact litigation cases;
- Oversee co-counsel relationships, including identifying, communicating, and resolving issues discovered during engagements;
- Provide day-to-day supervision to attorneys and litigation support staff, including the administration of human resources procedures;
- Oversee evolution of in-house document exemplar bank;
- In coordination with CEO and Pro Bono Director, cultivate relationships with private bar for staff professional development opportunities and fundraising potential (e.g., firm monetary support, individual donations, cy pres);
- Act as organization spokesperson for all litigation, including with media, community stakeholders, donors, and with Advancing Justice affiliates;
- Design and implement litigation-related professional development plan and related in-house supporting resources for all attorneys so as to expand Advancing Justice-LA’s resource pool of staff attorneys for litigation;
- Work with all Advancing Justice-LA programs areas, providing litigation support to program staff;
- Analyze, draft, and advocate for policy/legislation, in coordination with Adavancing Justice-LA’s policy staff;
- Collaborate with Communications and Development departments, to strengthen Advancing Justice-LA’s mission and litigation priorities, including grant proposal/report drafting;
- Maintain and comply with the highest degree of professional standards in client confidentiality and personal conduct, as well as oversee compliance with those standards by staff involved in litigated cases;
- Build a team-centered client service model, and monitor issues related to services to manage cooperation, ongoing engagements, and client expectations;
- The position supervises the Impact Litigation program staff, who could include: Attorneys (Senior and Staff), Paralegals, Caseworkers, and Legal Assistants.
- All other duties as assigned
- Juris Doctorate and must be an active member of the California State Bar;
- Minimum eight years of impact litigation experience in both state and federal courts, ideally with background in addressing social justice issues
- Experience with fee generation in civil rights cases and development of innovative funding sources for litigation;
- Successful track record forging alliances and coalitions and moving people to take collective action;
- An ability to develop and implement multi-faceted advocacy campaigns that include litigation, advocacy, communications, public education and community organizing;
- Demonstrated experience working with Asian American, Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islander communities;
- Demonstrated success in managing lawyers and staff in fast-paced litigation;
- Effective interpersonal and communication skills, including ability to write and speak persuasively to diverse audiences, including general public, media, lawyers, advocates, funders, donors, and opinion leaders;
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles is the nation’s largest Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) legal and civil rights organization and serves more than 15,000 individuals and organizations every year. Founded in 1983 as the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Advancing Justice-LA’s mission is to advocate for civil rights, provide legal services and education, and build coalitions to positively influence and impact Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to create a more equitable and harmonious society. Through direct legal services, impact litigation, policy analysis and advocacy, leadership development and capacity building, Advancing Justice-LA seeks to serve the most vulnerable members of the AANHPI community while also building a strong AANHPI voice for civil rights and social justice. Advancing Justice–LA is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply, regardless of race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, disability, HIV status, marital or domestic partner status, or religious affiliation.
