Legal Manager

The Organization

In the face of overwhelming legal and practical barriers, many migrants who have suffered exploitation or abuse at the hands of employers or government officials give up their rights after leaving the United States. Other migrants who flee abuse, violence, and persecution are unable to remain in safety due to lack of evidence to support their claims.

These migrants need “portable justice” – the right and ability to access justice across borders. Justice in Motion is dedicated to ensuring portable justice through legal, educational, and policy initiatives in the U.S., Mexico, and Central America. Essential to this transnational model is our Defender Network, a unique partnership of on-the-ground human rights organizations in Mexico and Central America. Justice in Motion makes sure that wherever migrants go, their rights will follow.

The Position

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.

Note: Justice in Motion does not represent clients directly; this position does not include direct legal services.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Strong candidates for this role will bring the following to this position:

1. 5+ years of immigration legal experience representing clients from Mexico and Central America in humanitarian immigration matters.
2. Candidates must hold a JD or LLM from an accredited U.S. law school and experience practicing law in the United States. Experience with federal civil litigation advancing civil rights claims on behalf of migrant clients is a plus. This is someone who has appreciated their time practicing law but is eager to work on tackling systemic issues related to access to justice on a project-level.
3. Professional English / Spanish Fluency: This role requires bilingual fluency in spoken and written English and Spanish, including legal analysis, client communication, document review, and professional collaboration across languages. This is someone who can easily switch back and forth and pick up nuances accurately, with comprehension consistently nearing 100%. Learn more about this requirement under the “Required Professional Language Fluency” section of this job description.
4. Strong project management skills : Experience managing multiple workstreams simultaneously, maintaining detailed project plans, and tracking deadlines. This is someone who has led initiatives from start to finish.
5. Tech-savvy: Proficiency with Excel and Word, Google Workspace, Adobe Acrobat, project management tools such as Asana. Experience with Salesforce or comparable case management systems is a plus. This is someone who easily picks up and adapts to new technologies and systems.
6. A collaborative partner: Demonstrates emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and patience. Able to work effectively with colleagues and stakeholders with diverse cultural backgrounds who may have different visions for how social change happens.
7. An effective communicator: Skilled at clarifying what’s being requested, checking for understanding, communicating progress, and surfacing potential issues before they become major problems.
8. Adaptability: Comfortable navigating changing priorities, balancing creative planning while adjusting to meet changing circumstances.
9. Cross-cultural awareness: Experience living and/or working in multicultural environments and a demonstrated ability to engage diverse communities with curiosity, empathy, and respect.
10. Connected to our mission: 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

The primary responsibility includes project management supporting Justice in Motion’s collaborative casework to ensure portable justice for migrants. This is an important position on a small team, and duties may evolve over time based on strategic opportunity and the team capacity. The primary areas of responsibility include:

Case Collaboration Management (40%):

• 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.

Project Management (20%):

• 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.

Relationship Management and Cross-Border Collaboration (15%)

• 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.

Legal Expertise, Analysis, and Advisory Support (15%):

• 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.

Legal Training and Writing (10%):

• 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.

Required Professional Language Proficiency: This role requires professional fluency in both English and Spanish. A successful candidate can:

• Conduct complex professional and legal conversations in both English and Spanish, including the ability to communicate key information across languages in real time.
• Produce high quality written materials in English and Spanish without reliance on external translation tools or resources.
• Accurately interpret nuanced, technical, and sensitive information in real time.
• Adapt tone, terminology, and cultural context appropriately for diverse audiences.

Details: This is a full-time, exempt position that reports to the Legal Director. This is a union position and will be covered by Justice in Motion’s collective bargaining agreement. Union employees are represented by the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW Local 2325.

Location and Travel: J ustice in Motion is a U.S.-based, remote organization. This position is remote and based in the United States but may require occasional domestic and international travel. The position will operate on Eastern Time Zone hours. This position will require occasional travel to Central America, Mexico and within the U.S.

Salary and Benefits: Salary is based on the scale in the collective bargaining agreement, with a starting range for this position of $76,000 (Step 6) to $84,750 (Step 11), depending on experience. Justice in Motion provides a very competitive benefits package, including: 100% employer-paid healthcare for individual employees plus partial family coverage; 3% 401k annual contribution, work-from-home and home office setup stipends; our office is closed 12/24-1/1 plus other paid holidays. Additional PTO includes 12 days paid vacation in the first year, 12 sick days, and 5 personal days. A fully paid sabbatical is offered after 7 years of service.

HOW TO APPLY:

Justice in Motion is an equal opportunity employer, and all persons are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted through our hiring portal.

Justice in Motion is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, or any other applicable status protected by state or local law.