Legal Director (Central Washington Justice for Our Neighbors)

Diversity Recruiters™; Kennewick (WA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Washington Justice for Our Neighbors (CWJFON) seeks a Legal Director to lead high-quality immigration services across Washington's Central and Eastern regions. You will supervise a diverse legal team, drive strategy, and help expand access to justice while coordinating with the ED and Board.

Ideal candidates bring JD plus 3+ years of immigration practice, bar admission in WA, and strong leadership. Spanish language skills and willingness to travel statewide are preferred.

Qualifications

• JD with at least three years of immigration law practice.
• Licensed to practice in Washington State or willing to sit for the Bar.
• Experience leading a legal team and supervising staff.
• Fluency in English and Spanish preferred; ability to work with interpreters.
• Commitment to public-interest law and immigrant communities.
• Willingness to travel statewide and pass a federal background check.

Responsibilities

• Lead the legal team, supervise paralegals, staff, and contract attorneys.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Board to implement priorities.
• Support fundraising through reporting, funder communication, and relationships.
• Carry a limited caseload while planning sustainable growth (removal defense, asylum).
• Ensure compliant operations, data reporting, and program evaluation.
• Engage in statewide coalitions and community-facing education.

Skills

Public-interest law

Team leadership

Cross-cultural collaboration

Bilingual English/Spanish

Interpreters experience

Travel statewide

Education

JD

Tools

INSZoom

Asana

Slack

Google Workspace

Microsoft 365

Job description

The Legal Director will lead Central Washington Justice for Our Neighbor's (CWJFON) free-legal aid program in alignment with the organization's mission, vision, and values. This leader will ensure that high-quality immigration legal services are accessible in Central and Eastern Washington.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated commitment to public-interest legal practice and building power with immigrant communities.
• Experience leading a team and working respectfully across cultures, languages, identities, and life experiences.
• JD and at least three years of immigration law practice with in-depth knowledge of immigration law and procedure.
• Licensed and in good standing to practice law in Washington State, or willing to sit for the Washington State Bar and qualified to practice federal immigration law.
• Experience serving clients in crisis, including survivors of violence, trafficking, torture, and other forms of harm.
• Proficiency working with interpreters, plus a valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel statewide.
• Ability to work some evenings or weekends when necessary and pass a federal background check.

WHO ARE YOU

You are an experienced and committed immigration attorney who centers the needs of immigrant families and individuals. You bring impeccable integrity, a collaborative leadership style, and the ability to strengthen operations while expanding legal services responsibly.

• Passionate about immigrant justice, accessible legal services, and community power-building.
• A skilled mentor and collaborator who can lead legal strategy, operations, and a team of legal professionals.
• An excellent communicator, ideally in English and Spanish, with nonprofit-sector experience.
• Able to travel to meet with clients and support community-facing work throughout the region.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Organizational Development

• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Board to implement organizational priorities and infrastructure.
• Lead the legal team in strategic thinking that responds to immigrant community needs.
• Support fundraising through reporting, funder communication, and relationship building.

Supervision & Legal Representation

• Supervise legal professionals, including paralegals, staff and contract attorneys, DOJ representatives, volunteers, and interns.
• Set caseload and case-management standards, define program outcomes, and lead internal evaluations.
• Carry a limited caseload while planning sustainable growth, including eventual removal defense and asylum representation.

Legal Operations

• Ensure efficient, compliant program operations, documentation, and reporting.
• Maintain reliable quantitative and qualitative data for evaluation and funder reporting.
• Develop and track the legal program budget with the Executive Director.

Community Engagement

• Participate in statewide and regional immigration justice and legal coalitions.
• Partner on community-facing education through clinics, Ask an Attorney tables, Know Your Rights, and family preparedness planning.
• Embed practices that build power with impacted communities and treat every community member with dignity.

About CWJFON

Central Washington Justice for Our Neighbors (CWJFON) is a nonprofit immigration law and justice organization serving immigrants east of the Cascades in Washington State. CWJFON provides accessible immigration legal services to individuals and families at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

CWJFON organizes to build collective power with impacted communities and advocates for just immigration policies and practices. It is an affiliate of the Immigration Law & Justice Network, a national association of similar organizations.

The current legal team includes a contract attorney and paralegals, serving clients through advice and counsel, humanitarian immigration relief, naturalization, DACA renewals, family-based petitions, and related immigration matters.

Ideal Qualifications

• Fluency in Spanish and five years of recent immigration law practice.
• Experience directing a legal program, supervising legal professionals, or demonstrating excellence in personnel management.
• Nonprofit leadership experience and strength in strategic planning, reporting, implementation, and evaluation.
• Strong relationships with central and eastern Washington immigrant communities and familiarity with tools such as INSZoom, Asana, Slack, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365.