Commission on Immigration - Staff Attorney 2/Chief Counsel

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.