Description
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The Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law
Job Summary
Job Title: Supervising Attorney
Reports to: Legal Director
Department: Litigation
Salary: $160,000-$175,000 annually
Location: Hybrid/Remote; Los Angeles/ Orange County/ San Diego, CA, USA
Position Type: Full Time
FLSA Status (Exempt/Non-Exempt): Exempt
Anticipated Start Date: Negotiable; Early 2026 preferred
Supervising Attorney
The Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law seeks an innovative attorney with a clear theory of change and history of leading successful impact litigation. The supervising attorney will work closely with the legal director and other team members to develop legal advocacy strategies and lead new impact and class action litigation.
Who We Are
The Center is a California State Bar-funded legal support center that provides training and technical support to direct legal service providers, addresses systemic injustice identified by those providers, and advances and protects constitutional and human rights of immigrants, refugees, children, and marginalized communities. Among our landmark cases and victories are Munoz v. Bell, Plyler v. Doe, Orantes-Hernandez v. Smith, Flores v. Reno, League of United Latin American Citizens v. Wilson, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, et al., v. Anti-Defamation League of the B'Nai B'rith, et al., Reno v. Catholic Social Services, LULAC v. Arizona, Flores v. Sessions, Lucas R. v. Azar, and Flores v. Garland.
The Center serves as class counsel overseeing nationwide settlements in Flores and Lucas and, together with our co-counsel, is responsible for monitoring conditions in all facilities and locations where DHS or ORR detain youth, including regular monitoring of CBP and ICE facilities that detain children and families. We recently filed ICWC v. Noem, a putative class action seeking to protect immigrant survivors targeted by new ICE policies. Our open docket includes Flores, ICWC, and some FOIA and habeas litigation.
Our litigation team includes Legal Director Bardis Vakili, a paralegal, and two staff attorneys. We are a small team with the flexibility and support to bring the cases we believe best help the communities we serve and a deep commitment to effecting systemic change.
We are looking for an experienced attorney who has a vision for change and is ready to develop and lead new impact litigation both independently and alongside our Legal Director and with the support of our staff attorneys and advocacy staff.
The supervising attorney will supervise staff attorneys and report directly to the Legal Director. The supervising attorney will play a central role in identifying needs in the community, in developing the Center’s legal strategy, and in mentoring and developing new attorneys on our team.
Responsibilities
- Conceiving, developing, and litigating impact cases from conception to completion, including identifying needs, working with staff attorneys to develop facts, developing legal theories and strategy in collaboration with the Legal Director and legal team, drafting briefs, conducting discovery, communicating with clients and opposing counsel, presenting oral argument, and taking and defending depositions;
- Monitoring immigration detention facilities through site visits and interviews with adults and children in immigration custody;
- Supervising staff attorneys and helping them to develop their litigation skills;
- Working closely with qualified legal service providers to identify patterns of injustice; particularly in the area of immigration, and representing QLSPs in litigation addressing these patterns;
- Working with and supporting the legal and advocacy teams on holistic legal advocacy, including campaigns and efforts in conjunction with litigation such as media engagement, community organizing, public education, and other advocacy;
Meeting with and providing support to coalition partners and community groups; and - Drafting practice advisories, providing technical support, and leading webinars and in-person trainings for direct legal service providers.
Qualifications
Education and requirements:
- J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school
- Licensed to practice law in California or willing to take the CA Bar
Experience:
- Preferred 10+ years of impact litigation experience, including federal class action cases; minimum five years impact litigation experience;
- Experience in immigration law through impact litigation or direct services;
- Experience supervising legal staff, fellows, or interns and providing mentorship and feedback to staff.
Other Desired Qualities:
- Demonstrated commitment to social justice and defending the constitutional, human and civil rights of immigrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, women, LGBTQ persons, children, and indigenous populations;
- Personal or lived experience with immigration or close family members or loved ones with direct experience;
- Commitment to building a healthy and collaborative work environment;
- Ability and desire to build and invest in relationships with partner organizations and community members.
- Bilingual in English and Spanish or other language spoken by a substantial number of non-citizens in the United States;
- Residence in or willingness to relocate to Southern California.
What We Offer
The salary range for this position is $160,000 - $175,000. We offer a generous benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, paid family leave, an employer-matched 401(k), and short-term disability insurance, as well as generous and flexible paid time off (PTO). Employees are eligible for benefits after 30 days of employment for all employees working an average of 30 hours per week or more.
How to Apply
To apply, please email chrcl@centerforhumanrights.org with the following:
- Include the following Subject: “Supervising Attorney Applicant [Last name, First Name]”
- A copy of your resume;
- A selected list of cases with citations on which you’ve been counsel, including any class action cases, if any;
- A cover letter, including a statement about your interest in CHRCL and what you are looking for or hope to accomplish in this role; and
- Three (3) references.
Equal Opportunity
The Center is an equal opportunity employer, and we strongly encourage and seek applications from women, BIPOC, immigrants, people with disabilities, people who are bilingual or multilingual, including nonnative speakers, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. The Center is firmly committed to complying with all federal, state, and local equal employment opportunity (“EEO”) laws. The Center strictly prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of the individual’s race, creed, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, height and/or weight, disability, gender identity or expression, medical condition including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related conditions, marital status, partnership status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, military status, arrest record and any other characteristic protected by law. Accommodations will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application. While performing job responsibilities, accommodations will be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
