Deputy Legal Director

Local Progress and the Local Progress Impact Lab work collectively to advance a racial and economic justice agenda through all levels of government. Local Progress (LP) is a movement of more than 1,500 local elected officials advancing a racial and economic justice agenda through all levels of local government. The Local Progress Impact Lab (the Impact Lab) brings together local leaders, partners, and experts to build the knowledge, skills, and leadership needed to advance racial and economic justice at the local level.

About the Position:

Working as part of a national program and policy team, the Deputy Legal Director will provide legal, policy, and research support to local elected officials in a variety of geographies, with particular emphasis on the organization’s priority issue areas, which include immigrant justice, economic justice and worker power, reimagining public safety, home rule and local democracy, and advancing housing justice for all. In light of growing attacks on democracy and marginalized communities, the Deputy Legal Director will be tasked with leading and supporting a number of strategies and tactics which include, for example, providing legal analysis on specific local policies, drafting amicus briefs and other litigation tactics, and coming up with creative policy solutions to circumvent preemption.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is eager to build the policy and legal capacity of the Local Progress network, which is comprised of elected officials serving in cities, counties, and school boards, as well as closely collaborate with these members in working hand-in-hand with impacted communities to win transformational local policy on some of the most pressing issues facing communities today. This role will provide timely resources, strategy, and collaboration to Local Progress members on the forefront of these efforts. The Deputy Legal Director will also play a leading role in developing the organization’s work on advancing immigrant justice, supervise staff, partner with national, state, and local partners to advance shared goals, and work closely with the Policy and Legal Director to grow the organization’s legal capacity and vision.

The Deputy Legal Director will report to the Policy and Legal Director.

Location: This is a remote position based in the U.S. with no in-office requirement.

Travel Requirement: This position is required to travel to in-person events up to six days a month.

Primary Responsibilities.

• Legal and Policy
  • Produce, edit, and review legal memos, amicus briefs, and other legal documents; also oversee the production of such documents
  • Provide legal and policy advice to LP members and campaign coalitions
  • Oversee the development of policy templates and tools, scalable across the Local Progress network, including policy toolkits, template resolutions, policy briefs, and frameworks/guidance for equitable policymaking.
  • Engage with LP staff, members and partners to assess policy and legal questions, and perform research and policy analysis to respond to those questions, sometimes in rapid response situations.
  • Lead the hiring process for legal fellows and the development of legal fellowship proposals
• Issue Area Programming
  • Serve as the expert and leader for the organization’s work on immigrant justice
  • Envision, plan, and implement program offerings to advance immigrant justice, both in-person and virtual.
    • LP + LPIL programs include webinars, interactive meetings, virtual working groups, in-person gatherings, site visits, and large-scale conferences involving anywhere from a few to several hundred elected officials, government staffers, and allies. Find examples here, here, and here.
  • Develop and grow an immigrant justice steering committee comprised of Local Progress members
  • Build and maintain strong working relationships with external partners on immigrant justice
• Support Local Progress and Local Progress Impact Lab's work
  • Collaborate across Local Progress teams to support organizational activities and infrastructure including caucus work, state chapter activities, Progressive Governance Academy trainings, reports, convenings, web products, etc.
  • Help develop a culture of excellent supervision and staff development within LP + LPIL.
  • Play a supporting role in maintaining funder relationships and identifying new opportunities for expanding support.

Required Qualifications:

• A juris doctor degree and admission to a state bar.
• 7+ years of relevant policy or legal experience.
• 3+ years of demonstrated success in supervising staff.
• Litigation experience.
• Experience working on immigrant justice issues, whether in policy, organizing, direct legal representation, impact litigation, etc.
• Strong attention to detail and excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey and translate complex information for a variety of audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, create and execute work plans, anticipate obstacles and identify ways to navigate challenges, and identify and involve stakeholders appropriately.
• Awareness of and ability to address issues of power, race, class, gender, and other forms of privilege within the internal dynamics and culture of a workplace.
• A demonstrated commitment to social, racial, and economic justice and a deep interest in local policy, politics, and government.
• Ability to take initiative, use good judgment, willingness to learn, and ask questions as needed.
• Ability to travel monthly.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have:

• Experience with “inside/outside” strategies and movement governance that features deep partnership between “outside” organizing and “inside” elected officials.
• Experience as an organizer, working with organizers, or movement lawyering.