American Bar Association

Commission on Immigration - Staff Attorney 2/Chief Counsel

American Bar Association$100K — $120K *
Legal & Accounting
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • JD and active bar admission in at least one jurisdiction.
  • Minimum 4 years of experience in a relevant legal specialty.
  • Exceptional legal writing and research skills.
  • Strong organizational and communication abilities.
  • Significant background in policy analysis.

Responsibilities

  • Conduct legal research and draft speeches, memoranda, and articles for publication.
  • Provide expert legal advice and policy recommendations; serve as a principal ABA authority on specific legal topics.
  • Deliver presentations and teach on legal/public policy issues; consult on event content and create model documents.
  • Manage legal project components, including overseeing research and publication, coordinating with members and external entities.
  • Analyze and prepare memoranda regarding laws, regulations, and policies; provide legal counsel.
  • Draft, review and manage text for legislative, regulatory, or policy proposals.
  • Secure funding through grant writing and managing relationships with grantmakers.

Benefits

  • Flexible work environment.
  • Opportunities for professional development and training.
  • Supportive of public service and pro bono work.
  • Access to a network of legal professionals and resources.
Full Job Description
Job Summary/General Purpose of Job

Does substantive legal work and may manage a grant funded project or provide substantive support to an ABA entity. May manage that entity. May be supervised by another attorney and frequently supervises more junior attorneys and/or other staff. Includes legal research, writing, speaking, provision of technical assistance, and may include grant development and/or fundraising.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities (listed in order of importance and/or time spent)
  • Conduct research and write speeches, memoranda, articles, frequently for publication.
  • Provide substantive advice, information and make policy recommendations. Serve as principal ABA expert on a substantive area of law or public policy. Includes contacts with government entities and with the media.
  • Give presentations and/or teach on legal and public policy issues. Act as a consultant designing substantive content of events, developing model documents, and conducting trainings.
  • Manage substantive/legal project aspects. Oversee research, report-writing, and publication. Coordinate or support member sub-groups and coordinate with external constituencies. Manage consultants, interns/externs.
  • Analyze laws, regulations, court rules and policies/policy proposals; prepare memoranda of law or on public policy; provide legal counsel.
  • Research, draft, write, review and critique legislative/rule/policy or regulatory text. Manage policy adoption process.
  • Secure outside funding; write grants; deal with grantmakers.
  • Performs other related duties as required.

Required Education, Qualifications, Experience
  • Requires JD and active bar admission in at least one jurisdiction.
  • At least 4 years working in relevant specialized area of law.
  • High level of skills at legal writing and research, oral and written communications, and organizational skill.
  • Substantial experience in policy analysis.

Physical Requirements
Typical office work environment.

Extent of Travel Required in the Job
Ability to travel required.

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