Legal Manager

Justice in Motion • New York, NY

10d • $76,000 - $84,750 • Remote

About The Position

Justice in Motion is dedicated to ensuring portable justice for migrants through legal, educational, and policy initiatives in the U.S., Mexico, and Central America. The Legal Manager will join the Legal Action team and ensure projects run smoothly and in alignment with Justice in Motion’s theory of social change and program work goals, with the guidance and under the supervision of the Legal Director. The Legal Manager will lead case collaborations and activities so that migrants have access to cross-border justice through international collaborations between advocates based in the U.S. and human rights defenders based in Mexico and Central America. The ideal candidate is a lawyer who has represented immigrant clients in cases with cross-border elements and who is also an effective project manager. While the initial focus of this position will be related to migrants who are seeking protection in the U.S. or whose rights are violated in the U.S. during their arrest, detention and deportation, including parents who are deported without their children, over time the areas of concentration may shift as strategic opportunities arise. The candidate must possess professional fluency in Spanish and English (written and spoken), which will be assessed as the first step of our hiring process. As this job will require periodic in-person collaboration building to advance portable justice, the candidate must be willing and able to travel internationally. Justice in Motion does not represent clients directly; this position does not include direct legal services.

Requirements

• JD or LLM from an accredited U.S. law school
• Experience practicing law in the United States
• Professional fluency in Spanish and English (written and spoken)
• Willing and able to travel internationally
• 5+ years of immigration legal experience representing clients from Mexico and Central America in humanitarian immigration matters.
• Proficiency with Excel and Word, Google Workspace, Adobe Acrobat, project management tools such as Asana.
• Ability to conduct complex professional and legal conversations in both English and Spanish, including the ability to communicate key information across languages in real time.
• Ability to produce high quality written materials in English and Spanish without reliance on external translation tools or resources.
• Ability to accurately interpret nuanced, technical, and sensitive information in real time.
• Ability to adapt tone, terminology, and cultural context appropriately for diverse audiences.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with federal civil litigation advancing civil rights claims on behalf of migrant clients is a plus.
• Experience with Salesforce or comparable case management systems is a plus.
• Experience living and/or working in multicultural environments and a demonstrated ability to engage diverse communities with curiosity, empathy, and respect.
• Experience with or passion for migrant rights, access to justice, and cross-border advocacy is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with the challenges facing migrant communities from Mexico and Central America is a necessity.

Responsibilities

• Manage cross-border case collaborations involving advocates in the U.S. and members of Justice in Motion’s Defender Network in Mexico and Central America.
• Conduct intake conversations with advocates and assess cases identified for potential Defender Network collaboration.
• Provide guidance to advocates and Defenders on portable justice issues and help troubleshoot communication or coordination challenges.
• Track case-collaborations through regular follow-up, check-ins, and evaluation.
• Coordinate administrative aspects of case collaboration, including payments, invoices, documentation, and outcome tracking.
• Prepare narrative summaries and reports documenting case progress, outcomes, and lessons learned.
• Manage special projects that advance Justice in Motion’s portable justice and access-to-justice strategies.
• Develop and maintain project plans, workflows, timelines, and tracking systems to support effective implementation.
• Coordinate program implementation, administration, data collection, outcome reporting, and other project-related activities.
• Facilitate meetings, convenings, and other collaborative activities involving internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify and address project barriers, emerging needs, and opportunities for improvement.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with members of the Justice in Motion Defender Network in Mexico and Central America.
• Develop collaborative working relationships with advocates and organizations in the U.S. who represent migrants who may benefit from Defender Network assistance.
• Serve as a consistent point of coordination across partners, helping ensure clear communication, shared expectations, and effective collaboration.
• Navigate cross-cultural and cross-organizational relationships with professionalism, empathy, and cultural awareness.
• Maintain strong substantive knowledge of immigration law and procedure, cross-border legal issues, and US migration and labor policies affecting migrants from Mexico and Central America.
• Provide legal analysis and guidance related to immigration enforcement, humanitarian relief, migrant rights, and portable justice.
• Identify emerging legal or policy developments that may affect Justice in Motion’s case collaboration work or the communities served through the Defender Network.
• Share relevant legal knowledge and developments with colleagues and partners as appropriate.
• Develop and deliver training (virtual and in-person) in Spanish and English for advocates, Defenders, and other constituencies.
• Draft legal practice resources, advisories, and other materials in English and Spanish related to migrants rights, immigration, and access to justice.
• Translate complex legal and policy concepts into practical, accessible information for varied audiences.
• Contribute to the development of tools and resources that strengthen the capacity of advocates and Defender Network members.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid healthcare for individual employees plus partial family coverage
• 3% 401k annual contribution
• work-from-home and home office setup stipends
• office is closed 12/24-1/1 plus other paid holidays
• 12 days paid vacation in the first year
• 12 sick days
• 5 personal days
• A fully paid sabbatical is offered after 7 years of service.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior