Director of Family and Matrimonial Practice

About the Organization

Her Justice is a nonprofit organization that stands with women living in poverty in New York City. We recruit and mentor volunteer lawyers to provide free legal help in the areas of immigration, family, and matrimonial law to address individual and systemic legal barriers.

100% of our clients are women living in poverty in the five boroughs of New York City. In FY2024, 92% of our clients were women of color, 85% were survivors of intimate partner violence, 70% were mothers, and 49% spoke a primary language other than English.

Since 1993, we've provided life-changing free legal help to over 45,000 women and children and we've pursued policies that have bettered the experiences and outcomes for thousands more. Her Justice is committed to creating a more fair and functional civil justice system for women in New York City, so they can build safer, freer futures for themselves, their families, and their communities.

SUMMARY

The Director of Family and Matrimonial Practice leads a core area of Her Justice’s legal services, managing a team of attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants focused on representing women living in poverty in New York City. This role oversees all aspects of family and matrimonial law practice, including case intake, supervision, pro bono case placement, and volunteer attorney training. The Director serves as a senior legal resource, mentoring staff and volunteers while ensuring high-quality representation in matters involving custody, child support, orders of protection, and divorce. The position also coordinates legal clinics and continuing legal education (CLE) sessions, strengthening relationships with private law firms and supporting the development of trauma-informed, culturally responsive legal advocacy.

Beyond direct legal practice management, the Director plays a key role in shaping strategic initiatives and contributing to Her Justice’s policy and advocacy efforts. Working closely with senior leadership, the Director helps define department goals, launch new programs, and support systemic change aligned with the organization’s mission. The ideal candidate is an experienced family law practitioner and supervisor who brings a deep commitment to social justice, a strong equity lens, and the ability to lead with both strategic vision and day-to-day operational effectiveness.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with 6-person Senior Legal Team to ensure that the department’s case placement and department goals are met, and work with staff to meet goals and aspirations.
• Serve as senior resource and authority to staff on substantive issues in Family and Matrimonial issues.
• Directly oversee a team of 8 including Supervising Attorneys, Senior Staff Attorneys, Paralegal, and Legal Assistants in the family and matrimonial law practice area.
• Lead the department in developing new initiatives, strategic planning, and participating in policy efforts, etc.
• Mentor and support volunteer attorneys representing low-income clients in family/matrimonial matters, including, providing consultation, reviewing documents, brainstorming strategy, and ensuring volunteers are prepared.
• Conduct ongoing CLE training programs on family/matrimonial issues.
• Manage and coordinate legal clinics with partnering law firms.
• Assess Family/Matrimonial cases for placement with pro bono attorneys.
• Participate in community outreach, media relations, and other forms of marketing and public education.
• Serve on committees and panels relating to policy issues and/or reform efforts integral to Her Justice’s mission.

SKILLSET AND QUALITIES

• Experienced Program Manager. You have a demonstrated ability to design, implement, and oversee complex legal service delivery programs. You are adept at setting strategic goals, evaluating impact, and adjusting to meet evolving client and organizational needs.
• People-Centered and Inclusive Leader. You are a seasoned and empathetic manager who fosters a collaborative team culture, develops talent, and creates a supportive, high-performance environment rooted in equity and trust.
• Strategic Thinker with Operational Acumen. You bring both vision and structure to legal practice leadership—balancing day-to-day operations with long-term planning, resource allocation, and cross-departmental coordination.
• Skilled Relationship-Builder and Trusted Advisor. You excel at cultivating relationships across diverse stakeholders, including internal teams, pro bono partners, community organizations, and policy networks.
• Mission-Driven Advocate. You bring a deep commitment to racial, gender, and economic justice and a clear understanding of how civil legal systems impact marginalized communities. You are committed to trauma-informed and client-centered advocacy, particularly for survivors of intimate partner violence and individuals from marginalized communities.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• JD degree and bar admission in New York State
• At least 10+ years of experience handling matrimonial and family law cases in New York State.
• 5+ years of experience supervising attorneys required.
• 3+ years of experience with program management.
• Experience representing indigent clients, survivors of domestic violence and clients from diverse backgrounds and communities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and legal database systems.

Preferred

• Experience delivering legal services in a nonprofit or social justice setting.
• Experience working with and supporting pro bono attorneys or volunteers.
• Familiarity with Salesforce or other client relationship management (CRM) systems.
• Experience in policy advocacy, training development, or community engagement initiatives.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Hybrid with 2 days a week in office required (subject to change based on business needs).
• Local travel may be required to attend meetings with law firms and partnering agencies to conduct outreach and trainings.
• Travel to conferences may also be required.

SALARY & BENEFITS: The salary range for this position is $130,000 to $155,000, depending on experience. Her Justice also offers excellent benefits, including 20 days of PTO, 7 days of sick leave, half-day summer Fridays, a 401k plan, commuter benefits, and employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision benefits.

EOE Statement

We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.