U.S. Litigation Deputy Director
International Refugee Assistance Project
New York, NY, USA
Posted on Oct 29, 2025
Opportunity
The U.S. Litigation Deputy Director will help lead IRAP’s systemic change efforts through impact litigation, to create and expand pathways to safety for refugees and displaced people in the United States.
The US Litigation is a member of the Legal Leadership Team and will report to and work closely with the U.S. Litigation Senior Director.
This role will supervise Litigation attorneys and fellows and maintain a caseload of litigation matters.
Responsibilities
- Litigation and Programmatic Work of the U.S. Litigation Department
- Support the US Litigation Senior Director in the oversight of the US Litigation department’s programmatic work to ensure that department strategies are effective and responsive to the needs of IRAP clients and in alignment with IRAP’s strategic plan.
- Maintain a caseload of litigation matters, including a leadership role in case development, strategy, and briefing.
- Organizing retreats, team meetings, and similar events to promote team-building, coordination, and alignment with IRAP’s mission and programmatic priorities.
- Supervision and Departmental Professional Development
- Directly supervise Litigation attorneys, fellows, supervising attorneys, and/or non-attorney staff as appropriate.
- Help to ensure that mentoring and professional development opportunities are available to all team members.
- In coordination with the US Litigation Senior Director, lead and participate in hiring, ensuring annual reviews are completed for all team members and responding to other staff needs.
- Support a positive daily work experience for the US Litigation department staff and create and maintain an equitable and inclusive work culture.
- Coordination and Fundraising
- Participate as needed in meetings and events related to fundraising and donor cultivation.
- Collaborate with Communications, Policy, and direct services departments to develop systemic change strategies.
- Coordinate with the Operations department to ensure that Litigation staff have the resources and support needed to perform their duties.
- Other responsibilities as necessary and assigned by the Litigation Senior Director or organizational leadership.
Qualifications
- Education
- Law degree and license to practice law in the U.S. state from which the duties of this position will be performed.
- Experience
- Minimum of 7 years of Litigation experience in a civil rights or human rights field, including extensive experience with strategic litigation.
- Experience in the field of refugee and/or immigration law is especially welcome.
- Experience supervising attorneys, fellows, and/or students in litigation matters.
- Experience working with community-based and NGO partners and sensitivity to client empowerment and to working with clients of all backgrounds, including LGBTI clients, and survivors of trauma.
- Values, Competencies, Skills
- Knowledge of and experience with various models of advocacy, including federal court litigation and the U.S. policy and media landscape; creativity in approaching litigation and its relationship to other advocacy strategies; and sound judgment regarding ethical issues that arise in the work.
- Substantive knowledge of the U.S. pathways that IRAP works in and U.S. advocacy opportunities.
- Strong project management skills, including a record of success in managing complex projects and working with teams.
- Commitment to and experience in successfully employing an anti-racist/anti-oppression lens to foster a diverse, equitable working environment and creating diverse teams that reflect communities served.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a leadership team to set organizational and departmental priorities and pursue opportunities that further impact across departments.
- Must be highly organized and motivated, able to multitask, manage a high-volume workload, and have excellent time management skills.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a preference for experience working in diverse work environments.
- Excellent writing, analytical, and oral communication skills.
- Comfort with technology and data management.
- Excellent oral and written English skills.
- Proficiency in a second language relevant to the communities IRAP serves is a plus, but not required.
Job-related Requirements
- There is a strong preference for the position to be based in New York City, but Washington, D.C.-based and remote work are also possible. If remote, the position must be located within a reasonable distance and fare to all federal district courts in which IRAP routinely litigates and available EST time zone working hours.
- This position requires travel as needed to locations in which IRAP files litigation, which may include New York, California, Maryland, and D.C, as well as to other IRAP offices for purposes of collaboration. If remote, frequent travel to the NY office is required.
- This position is full-time remote or optional in-office staff.
Benefits
- Fully paid family health insurance.
- Retirement options.
- Extensive PTO (20 or more vacation days, 22 and more public/ org-wide holidays).
- Comprehensive leave time for sickness.
- Disability and parenting (more than six months of parental leave).
- Reimbursement for work-from-home equipment.
- Generous opportunities for professional development
IRAP’s benefits vary across office locations, and IRAP seeks to offer equitable and generous benefits to all employees.
How to Apply:
Please submit the following documents:
- An updated resume
- Cover letter
- Writing Sample
- Three references
IRAP is an equal-opportunity employer; people of color and individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. IRAP does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, citizenship status, ethnic background, religion, political orientation, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected class. We consider all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of all local, state, and federal laws related to the Fair Chance Act.