Director, Legal Strategy

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About the Organization

Founded in 1979, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) is the leading advocacy organization in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their loved ones. NILC’s mission is grounded in the belief that everyone living in the U.S. regardless of race, gender/gender identity, immigration status, or economic status — should have equal access to justice, resources, and educational and economic opportunities that enable them to achieve their full human potential. NILC is committed to advancing its mission — which intersects race, immigration status, class and democracy defense — through a racial, economic, and gender justice and equity orientation.

About The Position

The Director, Legal Strategy is a subject matter expert that leads and executes the Legal Department’s legal strategy and training work at NILC. The Director is an experienced civil litigator and legal advocate who successfully leads litigation teams of Staff and Senior Staff Attorneys, Paralegals, and administrative staff in the identification, development, and conduct of impact litigation and legal advocacy in coordination with NILC’s other core strategies of policy analysis, movement power building, strategic communications, and narrative change.

The Director, Legal Strategy supports the Executive Vice President, Advocacy, the Vice President, Litigation & Legal Strategy, and other Directors across the Advocacy team to set the overall legal strategy. They are responsible for a mix of substantive and strategic work, supervision, and departmental operations by operationalizing strategy and work to maximize the team’s efficiency, productivity, legal skills, and performance, including monitoring and identifying training opportunities to develop the litigation skills of the Legal Department. The Director works in close coordination with counterparts in the Policy, Strategy & Partnerships, Strategic Communications, and Development teams, and NILC’s Immigrant Justice Fund (501(c)4) to advance NILC’s goals via legal strategy within the strategic framework. The Director, Legal Strategy will lead the execution of a robust legal strategy including for immigrant justice that is people- and community-centered and grounded in intersectional rights and needs of low-income immigrants in the United States.

This role is not a member of the bargaining unit.

Key Position Responsibilities

• Leadership & Strategy (50%)—Collaborates with the Vice President, Litigation and Legal Strategy and Director, Litigation Strategy, and the Deputy Legal Director(s) to develop and execute legal and legal advocacy strategies that integrate litigation, narrative change, movement power building, and campaign strategies across NILC.
• In collaboration with the VP, Litigation and Legal Strategy, the Director, Litigation Strategy, and the Deputy Legal Director(s), oversee the implementation of a robust litigation and legal advocacy strategy in support of broader immigrants’ rights movement strategies, develop legal theories and strategy, and lead team members in legal strategy work.
• Collaborate with counterparts in the Policy, Strategy and Partnerships, Strategic Communications, and Development Teams to effectively leverage the resources and talents across the organization.
• Lead litigation teams of Staff and Senior Staff Attorneys, Paralegals, and administrative staff in the development and conduct of impact litigation on a range of issues.
• In collaboration with litigation teams, prepares pleadings, motions, and briefs; conducts discovery; presents oral arguments; and other litigation tasks as needed.
• Strategically, creatively, and boldly oversee and advance client-driven, community-grounded impact litigation in combination with NILC’s other core strategies of policy advocacy, communications, and movement building to advance NILC’s vision and mission.
• Identify potential new litigation and play a role in developing those cases or working with others in the department to do so.
• Serve as a legal and litigation expert in coalitions with external partners and in coalitions.
• Advance NILC’s administrative and legislative advocacy by providing legal analysis and technical assistance to colleagues in NILC’s other departments as needed; government officials and staff; the media; and advocates, organizers, and attorneys nationwide.
• May serve as a spokesperson with the media, testify before Congress or other policymaking bodies based on area of expertise, and present at national conferences or other public speaking engagements that further NILC’s mission and legal strategies.

Training & Development

• Coordinat es with the Vice President, Litigation and Legal Strategy and Legal Management Team (LMT) to ensure professional growth of the legal department staff to remedy identified skill gaps; reinforce and enhance litigation skills of the Legal Department.
• Conduct training needs analysis regularly to identify skill gaps, development opportunities, and training effectiveness to guide future training strategy and planning.
• Develop, implement, and monitor training and development initiatives aimed at enhancing attorney skills, encompassing professional and client services abilities, as well as technical, substantive, and organization-specific legal and litigation expertise.
• Coordinates litigation skills opportunities and training provided to the entire Department, both in existing litigation as well as external opportunities.
• Collaborates with staff attorneys, senior staff attorneys, and their supervisor to ensure compliance with Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements for attorneys in the Department, striving to ensure those are complementary to skill development.
• Create, implement, and maintain NILC Legal Fellowship program including structured milestones and outcomes, coaching, and development for the duration of their two-year fellowship.

Management, Supervision, and Operations

• In collaboration with the members of the LMT, develop and operationalize clear and transparent protocols for the work and operation of the Legal Department.
• In collaboration with the VP, Litigation and Legal Strategy and LMT, participate in leadership and management of the Legal Department, including project management, skills development, and team support.
• Supervise, support, and mentor Staff Attorneys, Senior Staff Attorneys, and NILC Legal Fellows in the performance of their job duties, including the development of both litigation skills and professional skills.
• Support the building of effective case teams that incorporate and leverage the skills and contributions of all team members and that promotes a team-oriented approach, as required by each case.
• Collaborate with staff across the organization via Advocacy workgroups to support ongoing programmatic work, including serving in a leadership role in workgroups as needed.
• Proactively report to leadership about programmatic developments, administrative needs and broader institutional concerns, opportunities, and needs, while identifying and collaborating on constructive solutions.
• In conjunction with LMT, develop, track, and revise the Departmental budget; and, in conjunction with VP –Litigation and Legal Strategy, organize recurring Legal Department meetings and retreats.
• Support the activities of the Development Department, as needed.
• Engage with key stakeholders, including movement allies, donors, and board members, including providing periodic reports to the board of directors.
• May be part of or lead cross-functional projects using the MOCHA framework/methodology.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supports the recruitment, interviewing, and hiring of staff and oversees staff onboarding and training.
• Oversees the daily workflow of direct reports.
• Acts as a coach and mentor, providing constructive and timely feedback to foster a collaborative environment that develops strengths, improves weaknesses, and encourages creative problem-solving.
• Actively manages direct and indirect reports using applicable performance management software, including documenting regular check-ins, goal progress, and related information for performance and coaching purposes.
• Handles discipline and performance issues in accordance with organizational policy.
• Directly manages employees with possibility for additional staff.
• Manages outside consultants, third party administrators, and vendors.

Shared Organization Responsibilities

• Champions NILC & IJF’s mission of advancing the rights of immigrants with low income by demonstrating a commitment to human rights, racial, economic, and social justice.
• Attends and actively participates in NILC meetings at the organization, department, project, and individual level.
• Develops relationships and supports NILC and IJF colleagues across all teams, recognizing that each individual brings a unique background and perspective to the work and assuming good intent from each other.
• Follows through on commitments acting with ownership, by taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures, establishing clear responsibilities and processes for monitoring work and measuring results, and designing feedback loops into work.
• Learns quickly when facing new situations by experimenting to find fresh solutions, taking on unfamiliar tasks, and learning from failures and mistakes.
• Acts with integrity by following through on commitments, being direct and truthful, keeping confidences, and showing consistency between words and actions.
• Centers NILC’s values of racial justice & equity, valuing diversity, fostering partnerships & collaboration, encouraging respect & personal well-being, and striving for transparency, integrity, and honesty in all decisions and actions.

In recognition of the fluidity of the work and ecosystem that NILC operates in, other duties may be assigned depending on organizational need.

What We’re Looking For In This Role

• Commitment to NILC & IJF’s mission of advancing the rights of immigrants with low income and a demonstrated commitment to human rights, racial, economic and social justice, and equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice for all.
• Collaborative, proactive, and action-oriented working style with a strong service mentality promoting mutual accountability and inspiring trust and confidence from colleagues and NILC leaders.
• Demonstrates sound judgement, high integrity, and utmost respect for confidentiality.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills: ability to analyze and interpret as well as draft documents such as reports, correspondence, and presentations for various audiences.
• Self-starter with a strong ability to move daily tasks forward in alignment with NILC’s broader organizational needs and goals.
• Recognizes each team member's unique background and perspective to achieve team goals in a positive and motivating working environment.
• Develops team through coaching, feedback, exposure and stretch assignments.
• An inclusive management style that places value on diverse perspectives and emphasizes the development and growth of team members and encourages learning and continued improvement.

Qualifications Required

Please upload a cover letter and a writing sample.

• Juris Doctor from an accredited school and active member in good standing of a State Bar
• 10+ years of litigation experience, at least 6 of which must be federal civil litigation, at least 4 years of people management experience.
• Demonstrated experience in the investigation, development, and litigation of impact cases.
• Demonstrated success leading case teams.
• Demonstrated success supervising or mentoring other attorneys, fellows, and/or interns.
• Proficiency with in-office and virtual environments and software such as MS Office, Westlaw, PACER, and virtual collaboration tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in civil rights or anti-discrimination law, federal class actions, or another substantive area of law that impacts immigrants with low-income.
• Proficiency in a second language. Fluency in more than one language desirable.
• Familiarity with Clio or similar case management platforms.

Location & Travel

NILC's offices are located in Washington, D.C. For this role, up to 30% of overnight interstate travel may be required; generally, travel is quarterly to the NILC Washington, D.C. office or another location within the US for 3-5 nights. Remote work locations are as follows: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. To be considered, applicants must live in one of the work locations.

Compensation & Benefits

NILC’s compensation philosophy is to pay competitively in the nonprofit sector and ensure equity across the organization. Compensation for the role will depend on several factors including qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. The salary range for this opportunity is $132,664 - $170,000.

NILC provides an incredible benefit package that includes employer-paid healthcare coverage (100% for employees and 75% for dependents), employer-supported dental and vision coverage, a 403(b)-retirement plan including an automatic contribution from NILC, paid parental leave, monthly cell phone and wellness stipends, pre-tax accounts for transit, health, and childcare benefits (FSA), and employer-paid short- and long-term disability and life insurance. NILC also provides a generous paid-time-off policy, 15 holidays and 22 days of paid time off annually (increased to 32 after 2 years of employment). NILC is also a qualifying public service employer, which means all full-time NILC employees qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. To learn more about the program, please visit

Location & Travel

Location & Travel: NILC's offices are located in Washington, D.C. For this role, up to 30% of overnight interstate travel may be required; generally, travel is quarterly to the NILC Washington, D.C. office or another location within the US for 3-5 nights. Remote work locations are as follows: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. To be considered, applicants must live in one of the work locations.

Physical Demands

• Remaining in a stationary position, often standing, or sitting for prolonged periods
• Communicating with others to exchange information
• Repeating motions, like typing or answering a phone, that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers

Seniority level

• Director

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Legal

Industries

• Legal Services