Director of Litigation

About the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC): NIJC advances human rights and due process for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers through direct legal services, impact litigation, advocacy, and public education. Headquartered in Chicago with offices in Washington, DC, Indiana, and San Diego, NIJC's team of 160 people, along with 2,000 pro bono attorneys, is at the forefront of immigration reform.

About the Role

The Director of Litigation oversees NIJC's federal court litigation docket and serves as a key member of NIJC's senior leadership team, reporting to the Executive Director. The Director will maintain a substantive docket of litigation while overseeing the work of the litigation team, which currently includes 20 people.

NIJC's current litigation portfolio includes:

• Affirmative district court work and appeals of individual cases to the circuit courts, focusing on:
  • Interior enforcement and challenges to DHS's arrest practices
  • Access to asylum and other substantive immigration remedies
  • Challenges to the detention of immigrants (habeas) and the conditions faced while detained
  • Challenges to regulations and policies undermining procedural fairness in the immigration system
• Appellate docket informed by NIJC's agency-level clients, primarily focusing on asylum, protection-related appeals, and crimmigration challenges

As a member of the senior leadership team, the Director will collaborate with other directors and associate directors to develop and implement NIJC's strategic plan and support its mission. The Director will also serve as a spokesperson for NIJC's litigation efforts with stakeholders, including funders and the media. Some travel may be necessary. The Director will work closely with NIJC's direct services teams to identify litigation priorities based on client experiences.

Responsibilities

• Ensure effective and efficient delivery of high-quality legal services across the team
• Identify emerging issues for litigation, make strategic case selections, and ensure appropriate staffing
• Supervise the team's work in accordance with organizational policies and applicable laws; establish and oversee professional development plans
• Build and maintain relationships with national litigation partners and immigration legal service providers; represent NIJC in these networks
• Contribute to and oversee the team's work with pro bono and nonprofit partners to maximize NIJC's litigation impact
• Maintain a substantive caseload, conduct final review of significant briefs and filings, and argue cases before all levels of federal court as appropriate
• Participate in strategic planning, grant writing, funder reporting, and budget development for the litigation team and NIJC
• Ensure ongoing compliance with grant requirements and programmatic goals, including data collection regarding NIJC's litigation practice
• Collaborate on policy, communication, and advocacy strategy, impact, and messaging

Requirements

• Juris Doctor and a minimum of ten years of litigation experience since being barred
• Minimum of five years' experience in a supervisory role
• Minimum of five years of immigration-specific litigation experience
• Experience in the nonprofit sector is preferred
• Bilingual in Spanish is preferred

Skills

• Team Leadership: Ability to guide, influence, mentor, and lead others toward a shared goal
• Computer Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Legal Skills:
  • Ability to read, write, analyze, and interpret immigration laws and regulations, professional journals, and technical procedures
  • Ability to draft legal briefs, memos, reports, correspondence, and procedural manuals
  • Ability to orally advocate with courts and present information to funders, media, managers, clients, and the public
• Reasoning Ability:
  • Ability to solve practical and complex problems, especially in situations with limited precedents or standardization models
  • Ability to interpret various instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form

The work environment may require remaining in a stationary position 50% of the time, occasional movement within the office, and constant operation of a computer and other office productivity machinery. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.