Managing Director - Virginia Farmworkers Program

Job Opportunity: Managing Director – Virginia Farmworkers Program

Organization: Central Virginia Legal Aid Society (CVLAS)
Position: Managing Director, Virginia Farmworkers Program (VFP)
Location: Flexible (Based out of any CVLAS office: Charlottesville, Richmond, or Petersburg, VA)
Position Type: Full-Time

About the Position

Central Virginia Legal Aid Society (CVLAS) seeks an ambitious, litigation-focused leader to serve as the full-time Managing Director of its Virginia Farmworkers Program (VFP). For 15 years, the VFP has maintained a dedicated presence across the Commonwealth, establishing community ties and mobile outreach infrastructure to regional agricultural camps. As the program enters its next chapter of strategic evolution, CVLAS is seeking an entrepreneurial attorney to capitalize on this strong outreach foundation and transform it into an active, high-impact legal practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Growth & Docket Building: Leverage the program's established outreach network to identify systemic legal violations, building a robust state and federal litigation caseload from the ground up.
• Direct Advocacy: Serve as the primary lead counsel on litigation, administrative advocacy, and direct representation for farm workers regarding complex labor disputes, regulatory violations, and occupational injuries.
• Team Leadership & Collaboration: Partner closely with the program's team and supervise seasonal legal interns, ensuring outreach efforts are strategically aligned with litigation goals.
• Statewide Coalition Leadership: Deepen existing relationships and forge new alliances with farmworker communities, regional labor organizations, and agricultural stakeholders to elevate the program's legal footprint.
• Grant Compliance & Funding Identification: Monitor program alignment with funding requirements (including the Legal Services Corporation) and proactively identify new grant opportunities to support future staffing and growth.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Language Skills: Fluency in Spanish is required for client trust, community relationship management, and effective direct legal advocacy.
• Licensure:
  • Juris Doctor degree and active membership in good standing with the Virginia State Bar (or eligibility for immediate admission on motion).
  • Federal License Required: Must be admitted to practice, or immediately eligible for admission, before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia.
• Required Legal Expertise: Substantive experience litigating or practicing under:
  • H-2A agricultural guestworker regulations and Department of Labor regulations.
  • The Fair Labor Standards Act and the Virginia Wage Payment Act.
  • Workers' Compensation law.
• Experience & Mindset: Minimum of 5+ years of legal practice, with a strong background in employment law or agricultural labor rights. Must possess an entrepreneurial, results-driven mindset, comfortable driving litigation from intake to resolution.
• Travel: Valid driver's license and willingness to travel across rural Virginia.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $85,000 – $110,000 depending on experience.
• Loan Repayment Assistance (LRAP): Employees of CVLAS with qualifying student loan debt are eligible to enroll in the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) funded by the Legal Services Corporation of Virginia, which provides annual assistance of up to $7,500 for attorneys and up to $2,500 for non-attorney staff, paid directly to student loan servicers. (Additionally, as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, employment at CVLAS qualifies for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program).
• Health Coverage: Premium employer-sponsored health insurance plan featuring $0 co-pays and 100% employer-covered deductibles.
• Time Off: Generous paid annual leave, sick leave, and parental leave policies.
• Professional Development: Covered Virginia State Bar and Federal court dues, malpractice insurance, and ongoing professional litigation training.

How to Apply

Central Virginia Legal Aid Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively encourages applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Interested candidates should submit a resume and short writing sample directly via email to Jill Pierce, Director of Human Resources, at Jill@cvlas.org. Applications for this position will be taken until the position is filled.