Director of Litigation and Advocacy

About the Public Interest Law Project: Since 1996, PILP has provided crucial litigation and advocacy support to local legal services and public interest law programs throughout California. Responding to the elimination of federal funding for state and national legal services support centers, PILP was established to ensure that local legal services programs could continue to participate in major litigation and advocacy on behalf of low-income people.

Today, PILP is one of California’s premier legal services support centers and works to advance racial and economic justice for and in partnership with low-income communities and communities of color by building the capacity of legal services organizations through impact litigation, trainings, publications, coalition building, and systemic advocacy. Our current priorities include work to increase and preserve affordable housing; fight displacement; eliminate discriminatory zoning; support unhoused communities; prevent homelessness; and expand access to public benefits, income support, and supportive services.
 

Position Summary: The Director of Litigation and Advocacy (DOLA) advances PILP’s mission through coordination of PILP’s litigation and advocacy and by carrying an independent load of cases and advocacy efforts. 

The DOLA provides strategic leadership for litigation and advocacy for the organization and will be primarily responsible for proactively supervising and mentoring staff, driving the development of new impact litigation, and leading the delivery of technical assistance, educational programs and publications, and advocacy services to legal service programs in California. The ideal candidate is both a visionary advocate/litigator and a strategic manager who is dedicated to fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and empowering work environment.

Strategy & Organizational Governance (20%) 

• Partner with the Executive Director and other team members to lead the implementation of strategic plans, align advocacy and litigation, and contribute to organizational governance. 
• Assist Executive Director and other staff in working with PILP’s foundation and government grant funders to ensure grant deliverables are met.
• Represent PILP in the community, with funders, and in statewide and national partnerships as needed.

Direct Litigation (50%)

• Oversee PILP’s impact litigation caseload, including developing and implementing systems for assigning and supervising legal work.
• Identify, develop, and staff new impact litigation aligned with organizational mission and strategic priorities.

Staff Supervision and Program Support in Advocacy, Technical Assistance, and Legal Education (30%)

• Support staff in developing meaningful performance and professional development goals, conduct regular check-ins and performance reviews, and identify opportunities for training and growth.
• Oversee and deliver legal technical assistance, trainings, publications, and advocacy support to local QLSPs statewide.
• Support staff in advancing policy, legislative, and statewide coalition building initiatives.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

• Active membership in the California State Bar, with a minimum of 15 years of legal practice.
• Extensive experience litigating cases in state and federal court, including law and motion, discovery, trial, appellate work, and managing complex impact litigation teams.
• Substantive expertise in poverty law, affordable housing, public benefits, land use, and/or civil rights.
• Significant management and mentorship experience in the public interest context, including providing sustained and meaningful supervision, overseeing case assignments, maintaining team morale, and teaching and cultivating the talents of more junior advocates. 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. 
• Excellent judgment, discretion, interpersonal, facilitation, and organizational skills.
• Collaborative, transparent, and flexible leadership style.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice, and advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the workplace and the communities PILP serves.
• High levels of emotional intelligence and cultural competency, including being curious, self-aware, empathetic, patient, and having a growth mindset. 
• Experience with litigation as a part of a broader community-driven strategy to advance community goals.

• Lived experiences that motivate and inform personal and professional journey; ability to reflect the experiences, backgrounds, and cultures of people impacted by poverty.
• Experience building and leading teams in dynamic environments, mentoring and helping team members navigate goals and urgencies with agility, teamwork, shared accountability, and trust.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and resilience; exhibits a high tolerance for uncertainty and embraces continuous learning, adaptation, patience, and innovation in service of mission.

Salary Range: $130,000 to $145,000 commensurate with experience. This is an exempt, full-time position based on a 35-hour work week.

PILP offers an excellent benefits package, including liberal vacation, comp time, and leave policies, fully employer-paid medical, dental and life insurance benefits, including for dependents, a $1500 health reimbursement policy, a loan repayment assistance program for qualifying employees, and a generous employer-contributed retirement plan ranging from 10% to 15% of salary that fully vests after three years.

Although the majority of PILP staff currently work primarily remotely, all staff must be prepared and available to provide in-person services as business needs dictate. This position will need to occasionally travel for litigation, policy advocacy, conferences, or to provide in-person training. The DOLA can be located anywhere in California.

This position is open until filled. Please upload a cover letter, resume, a writing sample (10 pages or less), and a list of three professional references. We value lived and diverse experiences; your cover letter should reflect how your identity and background have prepared you to work for PILP and support our mission. You may also send the documents as attachments to [email protected].

We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every qualification listed above. If you're excited about this role and believe your experience, skills, and perspective would contribute to our mission, we'd love to hear from you.

Note: All positions are subject to funding; ongoing funding or employment cannot be assured.