Legal Services Compliance Director

About the role

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1986. CHIRLA is a California leader with national impact made of diverse immigrant families and individuals who act as agents of social change to achieve a world with freedom of mobility, full human rights, and true participatory democracy. CHIRLA organizes and serves individuals, institutions and coalitions to build power, transform public opinions, and change policies to achieve full human, civil and labor rights. Guided by power, love, and vision of our community, CHIRLA embraces and drives progressive social change.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive legal oversight for the organization, offering counsel to Leadership, Department Directors, and the Board on matters involving nonprofit governance, employment issues, contracts, policies, privacy, and regulatory requirements
• Maintain and update policies and protocols that support ethical practice, legal compliance, and organizational accountability
• Ensure that all service areas, particularly immigration, workers’ rights, and housing, operate in accordance with relevant laws, professional standards, and agency expectations
• Support the legal programs through substantive expertise and quality control
• Review complex casework, provide feedback on legal strategies, and assist departments in developing practices that ensure consistent, high-quality representation
• Lead and support internal audits and quality-assurance initiatives and oversee the review of legal documents and filings when needed
• Contribute to litigation strategies across the organization, including the impact of litigation, class actions, administrative proceedings, and other system-changing legal efforts. This may include co-counseling, advising case development, collaborating with partner organizations, or coordinating with external counsel to advance major litigation initiatives
• Ensure that all litigation activities adhere to professional responsibility rules and align with the organization’s broader mission and priorities
• Provide staff development and mentorship guidance to the Department Director, Managing Director, Supervising Attorney, and Staff Attorneys to help them navigate complex legal questions, ethical issues, and emerging legal developments
• Manage the organization’s contracting and risk-management needs. This includes reviewing and negotiating contracts, memorandum of understanding, settlement agreements, and vendor or consultant agreements, as well as ensuring compliance with grant and government-contract requirements

Qualifications

• A JD and an active membership in the California State Bar in good standing
• At least ten years of relevant legal experience with substantial experience in immigration, workers’ rights, housing, civil rights, or related public-interest fields
• Demonstrated experience supervising attorneys or managing legal teams, as well as a solid understanding of nonprofit law, compliance, and governance
• Strong analytical abilities, excellent communication and writing skills, and a deep commitment to the organization’s mission and values are essential
• Experience in working in a nonprofit legal services setting, experience with impact or federal litigation, and multilingual abilities, particularly Spanish and English, spoken by immigrant communities served by the organization
• Experience designing or implementing quality control systems

Skills

• Required: JD and active membership in the California State Bar in good standing
• Preferred: Project, team, or organizational management experience, plus experience working at a non-profit organization
• Desired: Experience working in a nonprofit legal services setting, experience with impact or federal litigation, and multilingual abilities, particularly Spanish and English, spoken by immigrant communities served by the organization

Benefits

CHIRLA provides a competitive salary based on qualifications, along with an excellent benefits package that includes generous time-off benefits, a 401(k) plan, and health, dental, and vision coverage. FLSA Classification: Exempt/salary, full-time regular Classification: CHIRLA recognizes a staff bargaining unit affiliated with AFSCME District Council 36. This is a management position, not included in CHIRLA’s collective bargaining agreement.