Civil Litigation Director

Muslim Legal Fund of America is a 501(c)(3) organization that funds and supports legal work defending Muslims against injustice in America's courtrooms, prisons, and communities. MLFA's mission is to advance equality and justice for American Muslim organizations and individuals by combating injustices carried out in the name of national security. About Muslim Legal Fund of America Muslim Legal Fund of America is a 501(c)(3) organization that funds and supports legal work defending Muslims against injustice in America's courtrooms, prisons, and communities. MLFA's mission is to advance equality and justice for American Muslim organizations and individuals by combating injustices carried out in the name of national security. The Opportunity MLFA is seeking a Civil Litigation Director to lead its federal civil litigation practice. The Director will shape practice-area strategy, supervise attorneys and legal staff, oversee a complex nationwide docket, and serve as lead counsel on select high-impact matters involving constitutional rights, civil liberties, religious freedom, national security, and government accountability. This is a practice-leader and lead-litigator role. The Civil Litigation Director will be accountable for the quality, strategy, pace, and impact of the civil litigation portfolio while maintaining a focused caseload of especially complex or consequential matters. Reporting to the Legal Director, this person will translate division-wide priorities into clear case-selection, staffing, supervision, and litigation decisions for the civil practice. Many MLFA matters involve novel legal questions, rapidly changing policy environments, or administrative processes that must be approached with future litigation in mind. The Director must combine excellent legal judgment with disciplined docket management, strong people leadership, and a deep commitment to community-centered representation. What You Will Lead Civil Litigation Strategy and Portfolio Direction Develop and execute the civil litigation practice's strategy, annual priorities, and impact goals in partnership with the Legal Director and organizational leadership. Set clear standards for matter selection, case theory, litigation posture, resource allocation, partnerships, settlement, and appellate strategy. Maintain practice-wide visibility into the civil docket, ensuring every matter has clear ownership, active supervision, an appropriate strategy, and well-managed deadlines. Lead regular docket and portfolio reviews to assess legal risk, workload, staffing, case progress, and opportunities for broader impact. Monitor emerging legal, regulatory, and policy developments affecting Muslim individuals and organizations and identify where MLFA should lead, intervene, partner, or build capacity. High-Impact Federal Litigation Serve as lead counsel or senior co-counsel on a focused portfolio of complex federal civil matters from intake and investigation through trial, appeal, settlement, or other resolution. Develop litigation strategies involving constitutional claims, civil liberties, religious discrimination, surveillance, watchlisting, government overreach, and challenges to agency or official action. Oversee matters involving the Administrative Procedure Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, federal statutory claims, emergency relief, preliminary injunctions, civil discovery, dispositive motions, trials, and appeals. Ensure administrative matters are handled with careful attention to exhaustion, issue preservation, and development of a strong record for federal court review. Review and, where appropriate, draft complaints, motions, briefs, discovery, appellate filings, settlement documents, and other significant written advocacy. Present oral argument, examine witnesses, take and defend depositions, and guide the development and presentation of expert and factual evidence. People Leadership and Practice Management Supervise, coach, and support civil litigation attorneys, paralegals, fellows, interns, and other assigned legal staff. Establish clear roles, decision-making authority, performance expectations, and lines of accountability across the practice. Assign matters and balance workloads based on experience, capacity, development goals, urgency, and client needs. Provide timely review and feedback on legal analysis, written advocacy, courtroom preparation, case management, and client communication. Lead performance management, professional development, and efforts to recruit, retain, and grow an excellent civil litigation team. Address performance, communication, and interpersonal challenges promptly, directly, and constructively. Legal Quality, Ethics, and Risk Uphold rigorous standards for legal research, written and oral advocacy, client service, ethics, confidentiality, conflicts, security, and professional conduct. Identify and elevate significant legal, reputational, operational, and resource risks to the Legal Director and executive leadership. Ensure the practice complies with professional obligations, court rules, organizational policies, grant requirements, and applicable state and federal law. Coordinate the effective use of co-counsel, local counsel, experts, investigators, and other outside resources. Organizational and External Leadership Collaborate with other practice leaders and attorneys on cross-cutting legal strategy, client needs, and opportunities for coordinated impact. Keep the Legal Director and organizational leadership appropriately informed about major matters, emerging risks, practice performance, and resource needs. Translate complex legal developments for non-legal audiences while protecting privilege, client confidentiality, and litigation strategy. Represent MLFA with clients, co-counsel, courts, agencies, coalitions, community organizations, funders, and other stakeholders. Partner with Communications, Development, Finance, and Operations on public education, community presentations, fundraising, grant reporting, budgets, and organizational initiatives. What You Bring Required Qualifications Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school. Active membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar. Admission to at least one federal district court and one federal appellate court, or the ability to obtain the necessary admissions promptly. At least 10 years of progressively responsible litigation experience, including substantial federal civil litigation experience. Significant responsibility for complex matters from initial investigation and pleadings through discovery, dispositive motions, trial, appeal, settlement, or other resolution. Meaningful first-chair or comparable leadership experience in trials, evidentiary hearings, depositions, witness examinations, oral arguments, or appellate arguments. Demonstrated experience supervising attorneys, leading matter teams, or managing a litigation practice or complex legal program. Experience overseeing a substantial docket, balancing competing priorities, and ensuring deadlines and commitments are met. Exceptional legal research, analysis, writing, oral advocacy, and strategic judgment. Ability to make clear decisions, give candid feedback, address challenges directly, and hold individuals and teams accountable. Ability to build trust and communicate effectively with clients, impacted communities, attorneys, executive leaders, staff, partner organizations, and other stakeholders. High emotional intelligence and a leadership style grounded in professionalism, humility, respect, and sound interpersonal judgment. Genuine respect for Muslim communities and a demonstrated commitment to serving communities affected by discrimination, criminalization, surveillance, or government overreach. Willingness to travel for hearings, trials, client meetings, and other organizational needs. Preferred Qualifications Deep experience in civil rights, constitutional law, impact litigation, Administrative Procedure Act litigation, national security matters, religious liberty, police misconduct, or government accountability. Experience litigating against federal, state, or local government agencies or officials. Substantial federal district and appellate court experience, including emergency and preliminary-injunction practice. Experience building matters through administrative exhaustion or other early-stage proceedings for later federal court review. Experience leading a legal team through organizational growth, change, or the introduction of new systems and structures. Experience managing litigation budgets, outside counsel, experts, grant-funded programs, or funder reporting. A record of working with impacted communities, grassroots organizations, and coalition partners. Fluency in Arabic, Farsi, or another language spoken by MLFA communities. Ability to maintain a regular presence in MLFA's Richardson office. A nonprofit background is valuable but not required. Candidates from government and private practice are encouraged to apply when they bring the necessary federal litigation experience, people leadership, mission alignment, and understanding of community-centered legal representation. Compensation and Benefits The proposed annual salary range is $125,000-$145,000, depending on experience and qualifications. employer-subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance employer-paid life insurance an Employee Assistance Program access to a 403(b) retirement plan, currently without an employer match #J-18808-Ljbffr Muslim Legal Fund of America