Legal Director
Job Opportunity
Legal Director
Asian Law Caucus (ALC)
Location: Hybrid work schedule (Oakland or San Francisco, CA
)
Due Date: September 30, 2024 Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications will be considered on a rolling basi
s.
Start date: As soon as possi
ble
Type: Regular, Full-Time, Exempt, Management Posi
tion
Compens
ationThis is a regular, full-time, exempt position. The annual compensation depends on years of relevant experience; the range is from $165,000 to $200
,000.
Be
nefitsALC’s comprehensive benefits package includes generous vacation and paid holidays; medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage (ALC pays 100% of premiums for employees and 75% for qualified dependents); a flexible spending account (FSA); and a 401K retirement plan with employer non-elective contribution and
match.
The Oppo
rtunityALC seeks an experienced social justice attorney to join its executive team. This is a unique opportunity to guide and expand movement lawyering at an anchor civil rights organization. The Legal Director will play a key role in our community lawyering model of direct legal services and community engagement that feeds into policy advocacy and impact litigation. The Legal Director will provide strategic vision, expertise, and leadership in the delivery of high-quality, client-centered legal services and impact liti
gation.In partnership with organizational leaders, the Legal Director will oversee the development of legal strategies that are complementary to and integrated into our broader work to achieve advocacy goals across our six issue areas: Community Safety, Immigrant Rights, Workers’ Rights, Housing Rights, National Security and Civil Rights, and Voting Rights. The Legal Director will forecast key trends in the law that may impact our work and has the ability to assess the broader legal landscape. As a member of the Executive Team, the Legal Director will establish organizational goals and guide the allocation of resources for lega
l work.In addition, the Legal Director will play a critical oversight role in strengthening ALC’s infrastructure to sustain robust legal services and impact litigation. Working with ALC’s operations team, the Director will oversee legal management and support systems and protocols. The ideal candidate has significant experience managing attorneys and legal staff, expertise in issues impacting low-income Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities, including Arab, Middle Eastern, and South Asian communities, and is committed to community lawyering principles and building leadership and power with and for impacted commu
nities.Candidates should bring a leadership style grounded in principles of equity and inclusion and be able to partner with ALC’s leadership and staff to build connectivity and cohesion across the organization. The Legal Director is a member of ALC’s executive team and reports to the Executive Di
rector.
The Orga
nizationAsian Law Caucus (ALC) is the nation’s first legal and civil rights organization serving low-income, immigrant, and marginalized Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander communities. Since 1972, ALC has fought to protect access to affordable housing in San Francisco’s Chinatown, litigated high-profile civil rights cases, advocated for the passage of landmark policy changes, and provided an array of services to low-income immigrants and communities of color. Today, with a staff of 60 we bring together legal services, community empowerment, and policy advocacy to fight for immigrant justice, economic security, and a stronger, multiracial democracy. Our work is rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area and California and expands to states across the country, including places where immigrant, Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, and Pacific Islander communities are rapidly
growing.
Respons
- ibilitiesOversee impact and strategic litigation, including amicus and appellate matters and individual cases as app
- ropriate.Supervise 4-6 direct reports, including Senior Counsels, a Legal Operations Manager, and a Senior Paralegal; mentor and advise ALC attorneys at all levels to help develop lega
- l skills.Assess, evaluate, and enhance ALC’s work at the intersection of direct legal services and impact litigation, collaborating with our program, policy, and communications teams to advance our strategic pr
- iorities.Develop and maintain in-depth knowledge of ALC’s practice areas and key legal issues affecting API communities to increase organizationa
- l impact.Oversee case strategy screen development and case
- staffing.Oversee Legal Operations role in legal intake processes, conflict checks, document retention, and confide
- ntiality.Ensure that Legal Department staff members and projects have clearly defined roles, goals, and systems for effectively managing impact li
- tigation.Build capacity for ALC’s legal work by expanding and maintaining relationships with civil rights, legal aid, and pro bono
- partners.Provide analysis of court rulings and legal strategy for staff; articulate ALC’s legal analysis to the public and the media as requested by the Executive Director and Communications
- Director.Work with ALC’s Program Directors and Supervising Attorneys to guide professional development for attorneys, including supporting the development of legal analysis, writing, oral argument, and presentation skills; provide mentorship and ensure ongoing professional development of departme
nt staff.
All ALC staff are expected to participate in regular check-in meetings with their supervisor/supervisees, staff meetings, team meetings, and other organization meetings, as required. This includes two (2) annual retreats, an anniversary celebration dinner, and meetings as needed in the San Francisco
Bay area.The above statements are not intended to encompass all functions of the position; rather, they are intended to provide a general framework of the requirements of the position. Job incumbents may be required to perform other functions not specifically addressed in thi
s posting.
Qua
- lificationsJ.D. and membership in good standing in the Californi
- a State Bar10+ years of experience in civil litigation, including all aspects of civil trial and appellate litigation in state/federal court, including case development and filing, discovery, motions practice, evidentiary proceedings, trials, appeals, mediation, settlements, and budgets, with a strong background in civil rights and public in
- terest law.Experience in direct legal service
- s is a plusSuccessful management experience, ideally in a legal non-profit or social justice o
- rganizationKnowledge and understanding of substantive law and civil rights issues related to AL
- C’s missionStrong legal skills and ability to analyze system-level problems and demonstrated track record of creativ
- e lawyeringExperience with community lawyering and building power for and with grassroots community organizations and
- individualsA trusted colleague who works effectively within a nonprofit management team toward organizational goals and
- objectivesExcellent research, analytical, written, and oral communica
tion skills
Applica
tion ProcessInterested candidates should submit via email to jobs@asianlawcaucus.org (as PDF attachments), the following by Septemb
- er 30, 2024:Cover letter explaining your interest in
- the po
- sitionResumeWriting sample (no more than ten
- (10) pages)Three (3) professiona
l referencesPlease indicate “Legal Director” in the s
ubject line.
ALC is committed to the principles of equal employment. We are committed to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. It is our intent to maintain a work environment that is free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation based on an individual’s race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, reproductive health decision-making, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender (including gender identity and gender expression), age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, height, weight, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. ALC is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy in regard to all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges o
f employment.