Founded in 1924, our non-profit law firm represents low-income people in a variety of civil legal matters including family, housing, consumer, public benefits, education and health law in a five-county service area (Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett Counties). Our clients and their legal issues are diverse and numerous. Legal Aid employs over 150 staff and operates five offices and numerous units, programs and projects throughout its service area.
The Director of Advocacy will be a member of the senior leadership team and report to the Executive Director. This is an enhanced position for Legal Aid which will direct Legal Aid’s substantive legal and advocacy work. The Director of Advocacy is responsible for ensuring that Legal Aid provides high-quality legal services to clients and meets their needs through innovative, vigorous, client-centered and thoughtful advocacy efforts. The Director will be responsible for supporting, refining, building, and maintaining best practice approaches to support and assist Legal Aid’s legal team. Responsibilities include leading and supporting litigation in state, federal, and administrative courts and forums, as well as non-litigation-based advocacy.
This position offers an opportunity to
Be part of a senior leadership team as Legal Aid celebrates its centennial, engages in strategic planning, and pursues transformational change to better serve our clients
Expand the impact of Legal Aid’s mission on the lives of the clients we serve
Collaborate with an engaged board
Educate, train, and support managing attorneys, staff attorneys, and other legal professionals to effectively advocate for Legal Aid clients
Responsibilities
Provide dynamic, motivational leadership for high-quality, impactful, and innovative legal representation and advocacy
Support and model effective litigation and advocacy approaches in state and federal court, administrative proceedings, and the community
Direct the substantive legal and advocacy work of Legal Aid, and with the assistance of the office and unit managing attorneys, oversee Legal Aid’s staff attorneys to ensure efficient, high quality legal representation of clients
In collaboration with the office and unit managing attorneys, mentor, train, and develop all attorneys at all levels at Legal Aid, teaching litigation skills and strategies while ensuring they remain current on procedural and substantive law
Evaluate forums for solving issues in advance of litigation
Co-counsel, coordinate, and advise on all levels of litigation, including complex litigation
Develop tools and guidelines that facilitate efficient and effective litigation
Generate critical and strategic thinking among Legal Aid staff in pursuit of Legal Aid’s mission
Develop litigation and advocacy strategies with a focus on Legal Aid’s priorities, community need, and systemic issues
Develop a litigation plan within each practice area and across practice areas
Oversee and collaborate specifically with the managing attorneys of several of Legal Aid’s specialty units, as determined by the Executive Director as part of a reorganization and reallocation of oversight of managing attorneys among the Executive Director, Deputy Director, and the Director of Advocacy
Collaborate and communicate Legal Aid’s strategic litigation goals to staff, partners, and stakeholders
Support non-litigation-based advocacy by assisting in the development and implementation of policies regarding intake and priority-setting
Set numeric and programmatic goals, review and analyze regularly, and adjust to meet performance goals
In consultation with the Executive and Deputy Directors, and collaboration with the marketing and communications staff, identify, lead, and coordinate effective use of the press, social media, community outreach, professional events and conferences, and through the publication of articles and other materials focusing on substantive law practice, practice skills, social issues, and current events
Review substantive legal content for Legal Aid’s website, brochures, and handouts, and materials for community education and continuing legal education programs
Actively participate in the State Bar of Georgia General Practice and Trial Section, the Atlanta Bar Association and its Litigation Section, local Inns of Court, and similar local and affinity bar associations with a focus in litigation, and encourage Legal Aid litigators to do the same
Work with the Director of Pro Bono to involve private law firms, corporate counsel, and private attorneys in co-counseling and supporting litigation matters
Participate in attorney performance evaluations, as requested by the Executive Director, Deputy Director, and Director of Human Resources
Review and approve litigation expenses
Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director
Application Requirements
Submit a letter of interest; resume; recent writing sample (brief, legal memorandum, litigation analysis, or similar document; official law school transcript (a copy is acceptable pending your order of an official transcript); and the names, phone numbers and email addresses of three professional references (preferably individuals who have supervised or managed your work, and one person whom you supervised in litigation), identifying your connection with each, as one (1) PDF using our online application system at atlantalegalaid.org/jobs.
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