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Agency Description
Asian Americans Advancing Justice
– Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA) is one of the nation’s largest legal and civil rights organizations focused on serving Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs).
Founded in 1983 as the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Advancing Justice-LA serves more than 15,000 individuals and organizations every year.
Through direct services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and organizational capacity building, Advancing Justice-LA focuses on the most vulnerable members of AANHPI communities while building a strong voice for civil rights and social justice.
Advancing Justice-LA is based in downtown Los Angeles, with additional offices in Orange County and Sacramento.
Position Summary
The Litigation Director leads the development, execution, and evaluation of Advancing Justice Los Angeles (AJ-LA) impact litigation practice, overseeing AJ-LAs Impact Litigation program staff.
The Litigation Director collaborates and coordinates across the organization to determine litigation priorities.
This position requires a thorough knowledge of the AJ-LAs services and available resources, both within and outside of the organization.
The Litigation Director acts as AJ-LAs spokesperson for all litigation matters.
Responsibilities and Duties
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 awards).
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 AJ-LAs resource pool of staff attorneys for litigation.
Work with all AJ-LA programs areas, providing litigation support to program staff.
Analyze, draft, and advocate for policy/legislation, in coordination with AJ-LAs policy staff.
Collaborate with Communications and Development departments, to strengthen AJ-LAs 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.
Supervising, mentoring, and coaching direct reports.
The omission of specific job duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.
Other duties as may be assigned and/or requested from other managers/executives from time to time.
Qualifications
Education and Experience
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.
Minimum 4 years supervising a legal team.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
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.
Working Conditions
This job operates in a professional office environment.
This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
Occasional travel may be required.
Physical Requirements
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or listen.
The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies, up to 20 pounds.
Direct Reports
The position supervises the Impact Litigation program staff, which includes attorneys (senior and staff), paralegals, caseworkers, and legal assistants.