Deputy Director
The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) is the frontline law firm for low-income people in Los Angeles and is currently accepting applications for the position of Deputy Director. LAFLA seeks to achieve equal justice for poor and low-income people in greater Los Angeles. We change lives through direct representation, systems change, and community education.
The Organization: LAFLA (www.LAFLA.org) is a nonprofit law firm that protects and advances the rights of the most underserved – leveling the playing field and ensuring that everyone can have access to the justice system. Every year, LAFLA helps more than 100,000 people in civil legal matters by providing direct legal representation and other legal assistance for low-income people across the Greater Los Angeles region. For more information, please visit www.lafla.org
The Position: The Deputy Director will report to the Executive Director and will assist in the financial, administrative, personnel, and programmatic management of the organization. S/he will help ensure compliance with legal, funder, and audit requirements and will represent LAFLA in local, regional, state, and national legal communities as well as with public interest partners.
The Deputy Director will be an inclusive, adaptive manager with public interest legal experience, including client representation and project management; and will have an underlying commitment to ensuring low-income people can meet their basic needs and be assured equal access to opportunities and justice with an appreciation for the barriers they face.
The Deputy Director at Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles will have the opportunity to help lead a venerable institution that has transformed countless lives for nearly 90 years. Many staff spend decades of their careers dedicated to LAFLA and our clients.
The Deputy Director will join a team of over seventy lawyers, as well as paralegals, legal assistants and other staff deployed in its five offices, four self-help legal access centers and three domestic violence clinics and an administrative office. The staff share a passion for creating impactful change in the lives of those they are serving. Specifically, the Deputy Director will work with the Executive Director to:
- Provide strategic leadership and management of the organization including program planning, development, budget and financial oversight.
- In partnership with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and staff, develop, implement, and communicate LAFLA’s strategic vision among key partners and stakeholders.
- Enhance the capacity of the organization to evaluate client needs and set service priorities, while ensuring compliance with organizational and funder requirements.
- Identify and cultivate enduring relationships with cross-sector partners, key decision makers, and other relevant local and statewide organizations to advance the mission and goals of the organization and best serve client needs.
- Serve as an ambassador for Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles internally and externally and proactively build relationships with unionized labor staff’s executive committee, management staff, and others throughout the organization to mitigate and address potential problems.
- Supervise and develop management staff.
- Act on behalf of the executive director in her absence
Qualifications:
- J.D. degree (required), admitted to the California Bar or ability to become barred in California soon after being hired;
- Demonstrated commitment to public interest law/related field with direct client representation;
- Experience with budgets, fundraising and/or grant-writing;
- Supervisory experience;
- Experience with systemic advocacy or systemic litigation;
- Experience advocating with legislators on behalf of an agency;
- Experience with public speaking on behalf of an agency;
- Demonstrated success as a consensus builder and collaborator;
- Excellent written and oral communication skills;
- Self-starter, creative thinker, and strong ability to manage staff who are geographically dispersed;
- An understanding of the culture and specific challenges faced by underserved populations; and
- An optimistic outlook and the humor, integrity, patience, and perseverance necessary to advance efforts to ensure underserved populations have greater access to services.
HOW TO APPLY Please submit a cover letter and resume online to jobs@lafla.org. Include “Deputy Director” in the subject line.
PROBATIONARY PERIOD A one-year probationary period will be required.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER Selection will be based solely on merit and will be without discrimination because of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, religion, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, marital or registered domestic partners status, or any other legally protected status.