Legal Services Director
Location: San Francisco, CA. This is a hybrid role requiring in-office work two days a week. Occasional statewide travel is required.
About the role
Reporting to the Legal Director, this newly created position will oversee the systems, processes, and organization-wide legal staff support that sustain ALC’s legal work across litigation, direct client representation, and other legal advocacy. The role ensures ALC’s legal team has the infrastructure, coordination, and administrative support needed to carry out high-quality, effective, and values-driven work in service of the communities ALC has fought for since 1972.
This leader will build and provide a cohesive structure for a Legal Services team managing internal processes and tools for case management, including data integrity, compliance, reporting, intake, and administrative support to the legal team. They will also oversee pro bono and legal volunteer engagement, direct services delivery efficiency, and compliance. A critical part of the role is partnering with the Legal Director to align legal services support with ALC’s broader programmatic and organizational priorities, including work planning, staffing, and implementation.
The right candidate has a strong track record in legal services administration, litigation support, or nonprofit legal administration and is a detail-oriented, steady leader who balances strategic thinking with hands-on execution. They are comfortable managing people, processes, and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment and understand movement lawyering rooted in community power, direct services, and systemic change.
The Organization
ALC is the nation’s first legal organization focusing on advancing and defending the civil rights of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. Since 1972, ALC has fought for access to affordable housing in San Francisco’s Chinatown, litigated high-profile civil rights cases, advocated for landmark policy changes, and provided community education, advocacy, and direct client representation to further the rights of low-income immigrants and communities of color. ALC’s work spans Housing Rights, Workers’ Rights, Immigrant Justice, and National Democracy Initiative programs, among other emerging areas of law.
Responsibilities
- Direct Legal Services Oversight
- Oversee ALC’s efficient and effective delivery of high-quality direct legal services, including intake, case acceptance, case management, case supervision structures, and client communication and support systems.
- Ensure legal services are delivered in accordance with professional responsibility rules, funder requirements, organizational policies, and applicable law.
- Support attorneys and legal staff in achieving strong client outcomes while maintaining reasonable caseload management and quality control.
- Monitor service delivery metrics, case outcomes, and client trends to improve effectiveness and equity in services.
- Ensure legal services are responsive to community needs and centered on accessibility, cultural humility, language access, and trauma-informed practice.
- In partnership with the Legal Director, CDO, and Finance Director, oversee and ensure completion of State Bar and other grant deliverables related to direct legal services.
- Legal Administration Infrastructure
- Own and lead the strengthening and improvement of internal legal operations, set protocols, and support effective management of legal team workflows and caseloads.
- Develop, direct, and implement efficient systems for client intake, case tracking, calendaring, case deadlines, filings, client records retention, and legal document organization.
- Coordinate with attorneys and advocates to ensure legal matters are supported with strong administrative and operational infrastructure.
- Oversee processes related to legal intake, matter opening and closing, conflict checks, and case-related reporting, as appropriate.
- Help maintain compliance with ethical and confidentiality obligations and internal risk management protocols.
- Identify opportunities to improve legal systems, technology, and procedures to increase efficiency, consistency, and accessibility across legal programs.
- Pro Bono and Volunteer Services Support
- Oversee the strategy, structure, and growth of the organization’s pro bono and volunteer legal services program, in partnership with the Pro Bono and Volunteer Manager.
- Ensure the development of systems for recruiting, onboarding, training, supervising, supporting, and recognizing pro bono attorneys, law students, interpreters, and other volunteers.
- Support the building and maintenance of strong relationships with law firms, corporate legal departments, bar associations, law schools, and community partners to expand pro bono engagement.
- Ensure pro bono matters are appropriately screened, placed, monitored, and supported, with clear expectations, training materials, and quality controls.
- Collaborate with legal staff to integrate pro bono and volunteer support into service delivery models in a way that enhances impact without compromising quality or compliance.
- Monitor volunteer engagement, hours, case outcomes, and partnership metrics for internal management and external reporting.
- Team Management & Development
- Supervise, mentor, and develop legal assistants, Intake & Referral Coordinator, and a Pro Bono and Volunteer Manager, including setting clear expectations, fostering professional development, and ensuring high-quality work across the team.
- Establish clear performance expectations, conduct regular supervision, and support staff development, training, and retention.
- Support recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and planning for legal services staff and volunteers.
- Develop and manage Legal Support’s budget and resources to support organizational priorities.
- Travel & Meetings
- Participate in regular check-in meetings with supervisors/supervisees, staff meetings, team meetings, and other organization meetings, as required.
- Attend two (2) annual retreats, an anniversary celebration dinner, and meetings as needed in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Occasional travel within the United States to attend external key stakeholder, funder, partner meetings, and/or convenings, as needed.
Qualifications
- J.D. and membership in good standing in the California State Bar.
- Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant experience in direct legal services, litigation, legal administration, or a related field, preferably in a nonprofit, public interest, or social justice setting.
- Strong knowledge of legal support systems, court processes, document management, calendaring, and litigation workflows.
- Experience supervising staff and building effective, collaborative teams.
- Experience working with case management systems, tools, and legal-related software, including Clio, SharePoint, Microsoft Suite, Google Suite, WestLaw, PACER, and other electronic filing systems.
- Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and shifting priorities.
- Strong project management skills and the ability to create and improve systems in a dynamic environment.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively across roles, teams, and levels of seniority.
- Demonstrated commitment to immigrant justice, racial justice, economic justice, and working in partnership with directly impacted communities.
- Familiarity with movement lawyering and public interest legal practice strongly preferred.
- Proven problem-solving skills with the ability to analyze situations, identify existing or potential problems, and recommend solutions.
- Commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully both within the organization and in the community and to inspire legal staff to perform their best work.
Pay
The annual compensation depends on years of relevant experience and ranges from $139,050 to $176,144.
Benefits
- Generous vacation and paid holidays.
- Medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage (ALC pays 100% of premiums for employees and 75% for qualified dependents).
- Flexible spending account (FSA).
- 401K retirement plan with employer non-elective contribution and match.