Managing Attorney - Farm Worker Rights Division

Colorado Legal Services • Denver, CO

14d

About The Position

The Managing Attorney for the Farm Worker Rights Division ( FWRD) leads legal advocacy for migrant and seasonal agricultural workers, focusing on employment and civil rights law. FWR D also sometimes represents agricultural workers who have endured labor trafficking and other severe crimes in obtaining humanitarian visas for themselves and their derivates. The Managing Attorney oversees a team conducting both litigation and outreach work. The role requires litigation expertise , community partnership, and management skills to ensure the program provides impactful and excellent advocacy for Colorado’s most exploited and vulnerable agricultural workers . All of our managers have the responsibility of working with staff to meet CLS’ statewide organizational, professional, and community goals , which emphasize providing high-quality civil legal services to low-income Coloradans and achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients. They are guided by all four of our CLS values: excellent advocacy ; empowerment , collaboration , and courage. They are responsible for being leaders, mentors, counselors, role models, hiring managers, teachers, administrators, time managers, culture creators, community engagers, crisis managers, and performance expectation setters. Managing Attorneys a lso practice law and manage their own caseloads in addition to their other duties. Our managers also continually work towards developing and growing competencies in the following areas: adaptive & collaborative management; coaching & empowering people; communication & active listening; community engagement; empathetic and trauma-informed leadership; and practice area expertise . While the responsibilities of a manager at CLS are wide-ranging and challenging, carrying them out successfully is vital to the success of the organization and to serve our client communities.

Requirements

• A n a ctive license to practice law in Colorado or the ability to obtain a Colorado license as soon as practicable .
• Fluency in oral and written Spanish .
• Experience in direct client representation in employment and/or civil rights law , and preferably in immigration law related to agricultural worker and humanitarian visa programs .
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to treat clients and staff with courtesy and respect .
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills .
• Strong critical thinking , analytical , and organizational skill s, and strong work ethic .
• Experience with leading outreach and/or community engagement initiatives.
• Ability and willingness to travel to visit client population s throughout Colorado, especially during the summer months .
• Demonstrated commitment to providing effective and trauma-informed legal services to agricultural worker s , including communicating through translators and interpreters with clients who speak Indigenous languages other than English and Spanish.
• Comfort and efficiency with Microsoft 365.

Nice To Haves

• Prior personal or professional experience with the agricultural worker community.

Responsibilities

• Provides the oversight, assistance , guidance, and supervision necessary to ensure the effective administration, operation, and management of FWR D .
• Cultivates a culture that supports staff while holding staff to high expectations of performance by modeling patience, empathy, and sound judgment.
• Provide s supervision and guidance for FWRD’s attorneys, paralegal, outreach coordinator, and interns , including periodically reviewing their legal work and providing training, professional development, employee coaching, and performance evaluation.
• Oversees staff workloads, client relations, external partner relations, and interpersonal team dynamics , and works with Senior Leadership on addressing personnel issues consistent with our Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• Leads the FWRD team in representing agricultural worker clients before federal and state courts and administrative agencies, in the following areas: E mployment law ( wage theft , working conditions, discrimination, human trafficking, and c ivil rights ) H umanitarian visas and naturalization for agricultural workers who have survived labor trafficking and other severe crimes , and those workers’ derivatives
• Maintains an active, but reduced, caseload, which includes d elivering sound legal counsel and exceptional advocacy that aligns with program objectiv es; clearly and transparently communicating with clients; perf orm ing client and witness interviews; carrying out case investigations; drafting pleadings and document s ; ensuring comprehensive and up-to-date client case notes; and stay ing current in employment law a nd aspects of immigration law relevant to agricultural workers such as humanitarian (T & U) visas and naturalization .
• Working with the FWRD outreach coordinator, c onducts and oversees extensive outreach, public education , training, and community relations with agricultural workers ; service providers , promotoras , and other key partners across the state ; and a Summer Outreach Program consisting of interns providing legal information to agricultural workers across rural Colorado .
• Working with the FWRD outreach coordinator, e nsures that FWRD maintains and nurtures relationships throughout the state with trusted partners and promotora networks to maintain trust and credibility with the Colorado agricultural worker population.
• Ensures compliance with policies of CLS, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), and other funders , including those related to the assistance we provide to all i ndividuals eligible for our services .
• Where consistent with LSC regulations, engages in policy work related to the rights of agricultural workers.
• Oversees and continually improves the dedicated FWRD intake system, including r eview ing requests for assistance and mak in g determinations as to eligibility and the extent of services FWRD is able to provide , including referral, advice and counsel, brief services, and litigation.
• Facilitates case acceptance meetings and trains staff on identifying the legal needs of agricultural worker clients , while provid ing constructive feedback to staff on cases discussed.
• Develops a strategic advocacy plan and case acceptance priorities in line with FWRD's mission .
• Timely r eviews and closes all unit cases in c ompliance with LSC regulation s.
• Attend s management meetings, participate s in statewide substantive task forces and working groups, and is available to offer case support to other CLS casehandlers seeking assistance related to the work of FWRD .
• Assists with grant management activities, including communicating with grantors, gathering data for and completing grant reports, and working with Senior Leadership to apply for grant funding.
• Handle s leave request approvals, timesheet review, and reimbursement requests.

Benefits

• We offer a generous plan that includes 100% employer paid premiums for employee health, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance, as well as partial employer paid premiums for spouses/dependents, based on a sliding scale.
• We also offer Dependent Care and Medical Flexible spending accounts, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• CLS contributes $200/month to each employee's 403(b) retirement account and matches 100% of employee contributions up to 3% of employee salary; vesting occurs gradually will full vesting after 3 years of employment.
• Additionally, CLS offers generous paid time-off and 13 paid holidays per year.
• CLS values its employees’ commitment to working hard for the population it serves and recognizes the importance of work/life balance. We promote and foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically safe work environment, striving to be a “Best Place to Work” in Colorado.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees