The Legal Aid Society of Orange County (LASOC) seeks a Director of Litigation that will
be responsible for litigation that has a direct impact on our client community. The
person filling this position will be expected to handle a caseload which primarily includes
major litigation.
The Director of Litigation position is open at a critical moment in LASOC’s efforts to
ensure that cities comply with SB2 zoning (homeless shelters) requirements and to
challenge exclusionary land use practices so that Orange County and its cities adopt
policies and programs to facilitate the development of emergency shelters and
affordable housing and preserve existing affordable housing units. LASOC intends to
hire a Director of Litigation to re-establish its litigation strength and advocacy depth for
housing and community redevelopment in order to organize and oversee litigation
against jurisdictions to assure that cities are in compliance with state, federal and
housing element laws.
In addition to supervising three Directing Attorneys, advising and working with
experienced attorneys on complex litigation and developing litigation skills with staff
attorneys, the Director of Litigation has major management responsibilities within the
firm and works closely with other organizations and co-counsels with LASOC attorneys,
other private attorneys and legal support centers in providing legal assistance to our
client communities.
A successful applicant must be a member of the California Bar, have at least seven
years of litigation and trial experience, and possess excellent legal, administrative, and
communications skills. The Director of Litigation must have a strong commitment to
securing justice for disadvantaged individuals and communities and working in a
collaborative environment. Experience in legal services, federal litigation, and working
with community groups highly preferred.
The salary range for this position is $83,624 to $120,039 DOE.
More information on LASOC
Since 1958, LASOC has offered a diversified approach to the delivery of legal services.
The mission of LASOC is to provide civil legal services to low-income individuals and
seniors and to promote equal access to the justice system through advocacy, legal
counseling, innovative self-help, in-depth legal representation, economic development,
and community education.
LASOC’s advocates on behalf of vulnerable individuals and communities both in
Orange County and the southeast area of Los Angeles County, where it is known as
Community Legal Services (CLS). LASOC currently maintains offices in Santa Ana,
Anaheim, Compton and Norwalk. Generally, clients are eligible for LASOC’s services if
the client’s income is at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty threshold or if
they are over age 60. Based on the 2014 estimated poverty population approximately
601,805 persons in LASOC’s service area have incomes that fall below 125% of the
poverty level.
Interested in hearing more about the position or leaning more about the area?
Please contact Mary Lou Czerner, Director of Finance and Operations at 714-571-5231
or mczerner@legal-aid.com
To Apply:
To apply for this position, send a cover letter and resume (electronically in PDF or
Microsoft Word format) kharris@legal-aid.com. Attention: Director of Litigation.
LASOC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and places a high value on diversity in its
workplace, including diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, and
physical ability. We strive to create an environment welcoming to all individuals and we
encourage applications from individuals traditionally underrepresented in the legal
profession. The position is housed in LASOC’s main office in Santa Ana, California.