For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our office, located in downtown Chicago, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways. This position may require travel to court or other outreach events.

Position: Legal Aid Chicago is looking for a full-time Strategic Litigation Director to increase our capacity to realize positive impact for our client communities through affirmative litigation, impact litigation, and appellate advocacy. This position will report to a Managing Director.

Responsibilities: The Strategic Litigation Director will:

• Support the development of organization-wide standardized practices for litigation
• Work with the practice groups to determine strategies and goals for affirmative advocacy and opportunities for litigation
• Co-counsel complex federal or state litigation and appeals and supervise attorneys and staff who work on them
• Identify and coordinate amicus brief opportunities for Legal Aid Chicago, particularly those that offer opportunities to use Legal Aid Chicago’s experience and expertise in poverty law matters to improve outcomes for Legal Aid Chicago’s clients and their communities 
• Assist the Director of Litigation and Training to determine the resources and training needed to equip each team to effectively litigate in state and federal court and within administrative processes
• In coordination with the Director of Pro Bono & Community Partnerships, identify pro bono partnerships that can further develop the skills and affirmative litigation abilities of Legal Aid Chicago attorneys and community partnerships that can improve our understanding of issues and outcomes for clients
• Assist the Chief Advancement Officer to identify foundations and other sources of funding for Legal Aid Chicago’s work and otherwise participate in the promotion of Legal Aid Chicago’s brand and fundraising efforts
• Serve as an ambassador to elevate Legal Aid Chicago’s work and the interests of its clients with key audiences, both locally and nationally
• Collaborate with other organizations and entities to identify potential joint representation opportunities that advance Legal Aid Chicago’s core work and its clients’ priorities 
• Other duties as assigned.

Salary and Benefits:  

The budgeted salary range for this position is $125,000- $140,000.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 21 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 401(a) retirement plan with an employer contribution after 3 months of employment
• $100,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
• Chicago Bar Association Membership, at no cost
• Reimbursement of annual ARDC registration fees
• Monthly internet reimbursement
• Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program

The successful candidate must have:

• At least 10 years of litigation experience in state, federal, and appellate courts
• Extensive experience in high-impact, high-stakes litigation, including first-chair trial experience, community-driven advocacy, and advanced skills in legal writing, editing, case strategy and development
• Experience supervising, coaching, and mentoring attorneys
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute innovative and complex litigation strategies and see the "big picture"
• Strong skills in managing multiple projects simultaneously, meeting deadlines, and working in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to work across multiple substantive areas of law; the ability to identify systemic legal issues and creative solutions to multi-faceted legal problems
• Strong commitment to supporting Legal Aid Chicago’s client communities and addressing the full array of their legal needs
• Keen analytic, organization and problem-solving skills which support and enable sound decision making
• Proficiency with legal research tools and standard office software
• A commitment to lead by example, passion for creating change, and dedication to the mission

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applications from individuals with relevant experience, particularly those who have direct experience with communities we serve or perspectives that help us understand and serve our clients better.  Applicants must be licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois or be licensed in another state and able to waive into the Illinois bar.

The applicant’s personal background, experience, or professional background should reflect an ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, co-workers, and the community we serve.

To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and the contact information of two primary professional references and one alternative professional reference. For applicants with previous work experience, at least one reference must be a former supervisor. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled.

Legal Aid Chicago is firmly committed to creating a diverse workplace and is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of creed, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital or parental status, alienage, disability, political affiliation or belief, military or military discharge status, ex-offender status, family responsibilities, reproductive health decisions or any other protected status.

If an accommodation is needed to complete this application, contact Human Resources at humanresources@legalaidchicago.org.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries regarding application status. We will contact candidates who are selected for the next stage of the hiring process.