Managing Attorney

THE ORGANIZATION

Al Otro Lado is a binational legal services and immigrant rights organization serving immigrants, asylum seekers and deported persons in Southern California, Tijuana, México, and beyond. We approach cases using a multidisciplinary, client-centered, harm reduction-based lens, and engage in zealous individual representation, medical-legal partnerships, human rights monitoring and impact litigation to protect the rights of individual immigrants and challenge systemic practices that violate the human rights of immigrant communities. We leverage vital partnerships with community-based organizations and academic institutions, and engage thousands of volunteers to maximize our impact and help build a broad-based immigrant justice movement.

Al Otro Lado’s U.S. Based Advocacy team provides holistic, full-scale representation

to particularly vulnerable immigrants, including unaccompanied children, members of the LGBTQA+ community, Indigenous migrants, Black migrants, torture survivors, survivors of human trafficking, clients with disabilities/medical vulnerabilities, and clients whose cases present family unity concerns. AOL’s holistic representation strategy includes identifying a client’s needs, goals, and challenges, and seeking to achieve their best immigration outcomes, not only through legal services but also by connecting individuals with support to overcome the non-legal obstacles they face in their cases.

For more information about our organization, please visit us on our website at: alotrolado.org/ or visit us on social media: Instagram and Twitter: @alotrolado_org; Facebook: Al Otro Lado.

MANAGING ATTORNEY

The Managing Attorney will work as part of Al Otro Lado’s U.S. Based Advocacy team and will be based out of Al Otro Lado’s office in Los Angeles. This is a hybrid position, allowing for mostly remote work with some in person duties as needed. These in person duties may include attending court hearings, ICE check-in’s, USCIS interviews, and in person client meetings, and other duties as needed to ensure high quality representation for our clients. Court hearings and other in-person tasks require travel to Los Angeles, San Diego, and Imperial counties, and potentially other locations as assigned.

The Managing Attorney will lead a team of supervisory attorneys, staff attorneys, and legal assistants working on cases in southern California for both detained and non detained clients. The Managing Attorney will work under the direct supervision of the Director of U.S. Programs in collaboration with colleagues and supervisors in the Los Angeles and San Diego offices.

• Supervise, mentor, and support attorneys, paralegals, and other legal staff, fostering professional development and adherence to best practices.
• Conduct regular team meetings to review case progress, address challenges, and provide guidance on legal strategies.
• Lead performance evaluations and provide constructive feedback to ensure continuous improvement in service delivery.
• Develop and implement policies, templates, and procedures to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and consistency in legal work.
• Manage contract requirements, ensuring all deliverables, deadlines, and reporting obligations are met.
• Manage invoicing, and expense reporting related to the program’s contracts and grants.
• Oversee compliance with contract terms, including monitoring progress on deliverables.
• Develop strategies that align with program priorities and maximize successful outcomes for clients.
• Prepare program reports or other required materials for internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that program metrics, outcomes, and financial status are clearly documented.
• Maintain accurate records of legal work, case outcomes, and deliverables to meet compliance requirements.
• Perform additional tasks as needed to support the organization’s mission and achieve program goals.

QUALIFICATION AND REQUIREMENTS

• JD from an accredited university
• Active California State Bar License
• Fluency in Spanish
• Minimum 5 years experience in immigration law, preferably removal defense
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Self-directed and self-reliant, highly organized with strong attention to detail, flexible, innovative, able to quickly adapt to changing program needs as border policies change, and able to work in a fast-paced setting with limited resources
• Adept at learning to use new technology platforms, as well as experience with and proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe, and in Google Suites programs such as Google Sheets, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Forms, and Zoom
• Respectful of colleagues in a diverse workplace environment

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience representing noncitizens in removal proceedings in applications for Asylum/WOR/CAT, UCP, NQRP
• Experience representing adults in ICE detention
• Experience representing children and families in guardianship, parentage, child custody, or dependency proceedings in California
• Knowledge of best practices in working with clients with mental competency issues, including those suffering from mental health challenges
• Experience managing, teaching, and mentoring staff

Please note, this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. The ideal candidate will be flexible, adaptive, and enthusiastic about responding to needs as they arise.

This is a full-time, exempt position with an annual salary of $85,000+ DOE. The Managing Attorney will be based out of Al Otro Lado’s office in Los Angeles. This is a hybrid position, allowing for mostly remote work with some in person duties as needed.

Al Otro Lado’s Comprehensive Benefits Includes:

• Health benefits: Al Otro Lado contributes up to 90% of employee medical & up to 70% of employee dental and vision premiums. Insurance coverage is effective on the 1st of the month following the employee's date of hire.
• Employer Sponsored Insurances: Employer-sponsored Group Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability and Life/ AD&D coverage.
• Optional Coverages: Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Insurance
• Paid Time Off: Up to three weeks of accrued paid time off per year.
• Paid Holidays: All major holidays observed & paid summer and winter breaks
• Sabbatical Leave: Employees are eligible for paid Sabbatical Leave after 5 years of full-time employment.
• Paid Parental Leave: Supplemental wage integration following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care.
• 403(B): Retirement plan investment opportunities to include Pre-tax or ROTH options
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Employer sponsored plan offering mental health support, legal and financial services