Director of Litigation and Advocacy

Iowa
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Job Description

Description

Iowa Legal Aid is recruiting a Director of Litigation & Advocacy to lead and supervise the critical legal work we do to bring hope, dignity, and justice to low-income and other vulnerable Iowans.

Background: Founded in 1977, Iowa Legal Aid serves clients in all 99 Iowa counties through offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo. Learn more about Iowa Legal Aid at www.iowalegalaid.org.

Responsibilities: The Director of Litigation & Advocacy reports to the Executive Director and, along with other members of our senior leadership team, works to ensure that Iowa Legal Aid provides high-quality representation efficiently and effectively throughout our state-wide program.

Working collaboratively with more than 75 attorneys, the Director of Litigation & Advocacy will direct, coordinate, and support Iowa Legal Aid’s litigation and other advocacy and will:
  • Provide direct support and supervision to staff regarding specific legal issues and strategies;Co-counsel major cases;
  • Develop plans to identify and address challenging issues for our clients in specific substantive legal areas and implement those plans with staff;
  • Analyze and communicate with staff about legal developments that affect our practice, including state and federal practice and procedure, amendments to local court rules, major court rulings, and legislative changes;
  • Support non-litigation-based advocacy by assisting in the development and implementation of policies regarding intake and priority-setting;
  • Train and mentor staff in coordination with other subject matter experts;
  • Review and approve requests for appeals;
  • Review substantive legal content for Iowa Legal Aid’s website, brochures and hand-outs, and materials for community education and continuing legal education events;
  • Consult with Iowa Legal Aid’s Work Groups;
  • Participate in attorney evaluations;
  • Monitor Iowa Legal Aid’s compliance with the requirements of the Legal Services Corporation and other funding sources;
  • Advise Iowa Legal Aid on ethics issues and represent attorneys in disciplinary matters;
  • Ensure that Iowa Legal aid is represented in in state and national advocacy groups and judicial committees;
  • Work with the Executive Director and senior leadership team on program-wide administrative initiatives as needed, including advocacy reports, grant proposals and implementation, and the development of policies, procedures and forms;
  • Present reports to the board of directors, as needed; and
  • Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
Qualifications: Applicants must possess a demonstrated interest and breadth of knowledge in poverty law and have a strong commitment to providing a full range of legal services to low-income people. Substantial and varied litigation experience is essential, as is the ability to lead others, think strategically, and prioritize among multiple complex tasks. Prior experience working in and managing a multi-office intake system is preferred.

Applicants must be law school graduates licensed to practice law in Iowa, eligible for admission on motion, or available for the next scheduled bar examination. A minimum of 10 years’ experience practicing law is desired, although consideration will be given to applicants with less experience who possess a record of complex, creative, and novel litigation, as well as project management & leadership. Geographically, there is a strong preference for applicants available to work in our Central Administrative Office in Des Moines.

Opening/Closing Date: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Salary/Benefits: Commensurate with experience. Excellent fringe benefits are available, including a generous leave, insurance, and retirement package. Iowa is a great place to live and to work for a non-profit, ranking fourth in the country for affordability. See US News & World Report Study Ranks Iowa Number 1 for Opportunity Nationally, Des Moines Register, March 11, 2021.

Applications: To apply, submit a letter of application (indicate geographic preferences), resume, recent representative writing sample, and the names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers of at least three professional references to:

Attn: Arlys Kness
Iowa Legal Aid
666 Walnut Street, 25th Floor
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
akness@iowalaw.org

515/243-2151/EOE

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