Associate Director, Legal Services
Company: Heartland Alliance International
Location: Chicago
Posted on: February 17, 2026
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Job Description:
Job Description Job Description Salary: $105k-$115k Job Title:
Associate Director, Legal Services Location: Chicago, IL Work
Arrangement: Hybrid Job Type: Regular Full-Time Union: No
Classification: Exempt Department: U.S. Programs, Marjorie Kovler
Center Reports To: Co-Executive Director About Heartland Alliance
International & Marjorie Kovler Center:Heartland Alliance
International (HAI) is a global human rights organization advancing
the health and human rights of marginalized communities. HAI
provides trauma-informed mental health care, access to justice for
survivors of rights abuses, and stigma-free health services.
Through innovative, equity-driven approaches, HAI promotes human
rights protections and gender equality across its global and
U.S.-based programs. HAI's Marjorie Kovler Center (MKC), based in
Chicago, is a nationally recognized treatment center for survivors
of torture and severe trauma and their families. Serving
individuals from more than 60 countries, MKC provides
trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health, medical, and
social services. The center also advocates for the end of torture
worldwide and for the rights of immigrant and refugee communities.
Summary: The Associate Director, Legal Services plays a critical
role in ensuring timely access to high-quality legal support for
survivors of torture and severe human rights violations at the
Marjorie Kovler Center. This senior in-house attorney will
strengthen, coordinate, and expand trauma-informed legal services
within an integrated model of care that includes mental health,
medical, and case management teams. The role combines direct legal
services in urgent cases with program leadership, capacity
building, and collaboration with external legal partners across
Chicago. The Associate Director, Legal Services will help build the
legal services team and will lead the design and implementation of
MKCs legal pro bono program. Duties & Responsibilities: Direct
Legal Services & Detention Response Coordinate urgent detention
response for participants who are detained or at imminent risk of
detention. Consult on complex cases (approximately 4-5 per month).
Compile documentation and support advocacy efforts for immigration
needs, release, or relief. Internal & External Leadership Supervise
and manage legal services team as the program grows. Collaborate
with interdisciplinary teams and community-based partners to
support comprehensive legal services and advocacy for survivors of
torture and human rights violations. Cultivate and strengthen
external legal partnerships, including conducting trainings and
maintaining active membership in relevant communities of practice.
Program Development & Legal Infrastructure Develop standardized
protocols to bring routine legal services in-house. Build and
strengthen internal systems for legal intake, triage, and
referrals. Ensure compliance with ethical standards and best
practices, including trauma-informed care. Legal Information,
Education & Know Your Rights Oversee culturally and linguistically
responsive Know Your Rights workshops quarterly. Lead regular staff
education sessions on immigration policy changes and advocacy
opportunities. Supervisory Responsibilities: This position will
supervise specialized legal positions as the program grows, along
with pro bono attorneys and legal volunteers using a mentorship
model. Education and Experience: Juris Doctorate (JD) degree and
licensed to practice law in any U.S. state (Illinois strongly
preferred). Minimum 5 years of immigration law experience;
supervisory experience preferred. Experience with detained docket.
Commitment to trauma-informed, culturally responsive advocacy.
Strong collaboration and communication skills. Fluency in English
required with a second language strongly preferred (French,
Spanish, or other languages commonly spoken by program
participants). Knowledge/Skills/Abilities (K/S/A): Proficiency in
Microsoft 365 Ability to remain calm, flexible, and
solution-oriented in high-pressure or crisis situations. Commitment
to ethical practice, confidentiality standards, and professional
development. Competencies: Legal Skills: Demonstrated experience
analyzing the impact of laws on vulnerable populations and
advocating for improved laws and policies. Strong legal research,
writing, and debate skills. Communication Skills: Excellent writing
and analytical abilities. Ability to communicate clearly and
effectively in both legal and non-legal settings with diverse
individuals and organizations. Reasoning Ability:Strong
problem-solving skills with the ability to address practical
challenges and adapt to situations with limited standardization.
Capacity to interpret and apply a variety of instructions delivered
in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form. Work Environment:
HAI has a dynamic and collaborative work environment. The work
environment characteristics described here are representative of
those an employee encounters while performing the essential
functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to
enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential
functions. The noise level in the work environment at the Marjorie
Kovler Center is usually moderate. Physical Demands: The physical
demands described here are representative of those that must be met
by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of
this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing Sit, reach
with arms and work with hands to operate computers or equipment
Stand, walk, climb stairs, and may need to kneel or crouch to
access workspace equipment May occasionally need to lift or move
items up to 10 pounds Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:
Heartland Alliance International makes all hiring and employment
decisions, and operates all programs, services, and functions
without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed,
color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status,
religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental
disability, protected veterans status, genetic information, sexual
orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use
of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, ex-offender
status (depending on the offense and position to be filled),
unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose
primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of
living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV
infection, in accord with the organization's AIDS Policy Statement
of September 1987.
Keywords: Heartland Alliance International, Lombard , Associate Director, Legal Services, Legal , Chicago, Illinois
