Description:
A Public Interest Law Firm, the free civil legal aid organization serving the low-income and elderly residents of central and western Massachusetts, seeks an experienced attorney to serve as its Deputy Litigation Director. CLA's advocacy team handles over 8,000 cases a year in a wide variety of areas, including housing, domestic relations, public benefits, employment, re-entry, and education. CLA is a fiscally sound, administratively strong agency supported by a dedicated staff, management team, and Board of Directors. CLA has over 150 staff working across multiple offices.The Deputy Litigation Director will be a part of CLA's management team and will:
- Help the Litigation Director coordinate, support, and supervise major litigation and appeals, and co-counsel or otherwise participate directly in those efforts;
- Help identify systemic issues that affect CLA's clients, and help develop litigation and/or other advocacy strategies to address them;
- Work with other supervisory staff to help develop the litigation skills of CLA's advocates;
- Review and edit advocates' written advocacy, including submissions to courts and agencies;
- Help advocates prepare for oral arguments, including participating in moots;
- Help support CLA's DEI advocacy subcommittee that strives to advance and build capacity for racial justice advocacy;
- Engender a culture of raising and pursuing attorney fee-shifting claims; and
- Help develop and maintain a litigation docket that summarizes potential and pending litigation and applicable statutes of limitations.
Qualifications:
- Licensed to practice law in Massachusetts or eligible for admission to the bar at the time of hiring.
- At least five years of litigation experience, preferably significant experience litigating complex civil cases in state and federal court, both at the trial and appellate levels.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, attention to detail, and an ability to work with frequent deadlines.
- History of creative and high-impact advocacy and substantive expertise in legal issues affecting low-income people.
- Substantial experience mentoring and training other advocates.
- Ability to facilitate collaboration and build and sustain productive and respectful working relationships with others.
- Prior experience with low-income populations and a demonstrated ability to relate effectively to a diverse clientele and staff are preferred.
