Litigation Director
Community Legal Aid (CLA), the free civil legal aid organization serving the low-income and elderly residents of Central and Western Massachusetts, has an exciting leadership position for an experienced attorney to serve as its Litigation Director. CLA’s advocacy team handles over 5,000 cases a year in a wide variety of areas, including housing, domestic relations, public benefits, education, and immigration. In addition to direct legal representation, CLA works in close partnership on special projects and training opportunities with service providers, medical practitioners, community groups, and private attorneys. CLA is a fiscally sound, administratively strong agency supported by a dedicated staff, management team, and Board of Directors. CLA has approximately 100 staff working across multiple offices, and a budget of $9.3 million.
The Litigation Director will be an integral part of CLA’s Management Team and will:
- Coordinate, support, supervise, and participate in major or complex litigation to address systemic issues that affect CLA’s clients;
- Act as a catalyst for the identification of issues that affect CLA’s clients and the development of litigation and/or advocacy strategies to address them.
- Work with other management and supervisory staff to help develop the litigation skills of CLA lawyers;
- Review and edit advocates’ written advocacy, including submissions to courts and administrative agencies; and
- Engender a culture of raising and pursing attorney fee-shifting claims.
Qualifications:
1. Must be licensed to practice law in Massachusetts or eligible for admission to the bar at the time of hiring.
2. Must have at least ten years of litigation experience, preferably significant experience litigating complex civil cases in state and federal court, both at the trial and appellate levels. Experience as lead counsel is required.
3. History of creative and high impact advocacy, demonstrated leadership in litigation, and substantive expertise in legal issues affecting low-income people.
4. Demonstrated ability to work across multiple substantive areas of law.
5. Significant commitment, skills, and experience in mentoring and training less-experienced attorneys; should also possess strong leadership skills and a leadership style that inspires and encourages professional growth in others.
6. Should have proficiency using technology in litigation.
7. Prior experience with low-income populations, and a demonstrated ability to relate effectively to a diverse clientele and staff, is preferred.
8. The Litigation Director will be based in one of CLA’s offices in Worcester, Springfield, Northampton or Pittsfield, but will travel among all of those offices to meet with staff in person.
Please submit a letter expressing your interest and a current resume to: emessier@cla-ma.org, or mail to Eileen Messier, HR Manager, Community Legal Aid, 405 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01608.
Equal Opportunity Employer.