Legal Editor American Immigration Lawyers Association

We Are

Headquartered in downtown, Washington, DC, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is an organization with over 16,000 individual attorney members who practice and teach immigration law. For our members, we provide continuing legal education, information, advocacy, professional services, and expertise.

Founded in 1946, AILA’s mission is to promote justice, advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice, and enhance the professional development of its members.

AILA’s Editorial Department is the publishing arm of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the leading publisher of information and analyses serving the practicing immigration lawyer, with an extensive collection of peer-reviewed treatises, manuals, toolboxes, a law journal, and other reference materials, including AILALink—AILA’s online immigration law research library.

Your Role

The Legal Editor works with the Editorial Director and the Associate Director of Publications to produce those core publications that will best serve AILA’s membership while simultaneously generating revenue for the association. Specifically, this position is responsible for editorial and production processes associated with publication of print and electronic practice resources, working with outside vendors, outside authors, and in-house and contract editorial staff, and planning and goal setting.

Essential Job Functions include:

Book and Law Journal Content Editing – 60%

• Reviews content submitted by authors and other contributors for inclusion in AILA books and compilations, editing to ensure substantive legal accuracy and conformance with in-house conventions with regard to grammar, spelling, style, and format.
• Serves as editor of the AILA Law Journal, produced in conjunction with vLex/FastCase.

Page Layout and Pre– and Post-Production – 10%

• Assembles all components of product such as cover art, front matter, main text, appendices, tables of decisions, and index.
• Creates final file(s) laid out and formatted according to specifications required for print, eBook, zipped file, and/or online database (AILALink) production.

Product Planning and Author/Contractor Recruitment – 10%

• Plans contents of AILA books and compilations.
• Recruits authors and other contributors to provide content.
• Solicits AILA Law Journal articles, works with journal editorial board to select and edit articles, coordinates with vLex personnel on print production.
• Obtains and/or reviews copyright, licensing, and other permissions to use content.

Project Management and Stakeholder Relations – 15%

• As assigned by Associate Director of Publications, serves as managing editor for various AILA titles. Responsible for coordinating and monitoring all aspects of production of those titles to ensure timely completion. Reports to Associate Director and Editorial Department on project status.
• Serves as point of contact with authors and other contributors to those titles, ensuring content and revisions are timely received and title is marketed according to plan.
• Works with in-house graphic design services to request and select cover art.
• Works with outside vendors for services such as indexing, printing, shipping, and eBook production.
• With Associate Director of Publications, serves as staff liaison to AILA Publications Committee. Participates in selecting committee members and planning committee tasks. With chair and co-chair, schedules meetings, assigns tasks, and ensures staff receipt of committee work. Attends committee meetings and records and distributes minutes.

Education and Marketing Assistance – 5%

• Serves as department liaison to Professional Development team in planning video “roundtables” for membership on topics related to Publications and AILALink.
• As needed, attends conferences to assist with promotion of AILA Publications and AILALink or perform other tasks.
• In conjunction with AILA Marketing Department, creates and reviews marketing copy for AILA Publications to appear on AILA website, emails to membership, etc.

Requirements

• J.D. degree required.
• Experience with immigration law a plus.
• Three years’ (3) experience in some combination of legal writing and/or legal practice, or coursework and/or experience in area(s) of immigration law.
• Legal publishing experience is a plus. Experience must demonstrate excellent writing and editing skills. The ability to work under pressure. Acute attention to detail and the capacity to manage numerous tasks simultaneously while consistently meeting deadlines.

Travel

Travel is required occasionally for conferences, attendance at team meetings or staff retreats as scheduled, or to meet with external partners and clients. 60 days advance notice for travel will be provided when possible.

Our Workplace

We offer a dynamic and collaborative work environment with a competitive compensation package based on your experience and qualifications. Our generous benefits include up to 90% of an employee’s Medical/Rx, Dental, and Vision premiums paid by the employer, as well as contributions towards dependents’ premiums; a 401(k) with up to 3% matching contribution upon enrollment, employer-paid disability, and life insurance, commuter subsidy for those commuting to the National Office. In addition, we provide employees with flexible scheduling and telecommuting options and plenty of time away from the office to bolster creativity and recharge. Added perks: eight-week paid parental leave after one year of service and a four-week sabbatical every tenth year of service.

Your Colleagues

• Dedicated, dynamic, collaborative, and compassionate.
• A community of individuals passionate about their work

Statement on Diversity:

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”) is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to treating all applicants and employees without regard to unlawful considerations of race, religious creed, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, military and veterans status, citizenship and immigration status, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. This equal employment opportunity commitment applies to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to, advertising, recruiting, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, demotion, benefits, training, discipline, and termination.

AILA believes that diversity is a strength. AILA is committed to being a safe, respectful, and inclusive space, where a broad range of viewpoints and experiences are encouraged and every member of its staff and board is given the opportunity to thrive.

Have you ever been discharged from any employment or asked to resign? (required)

YesNo

IF hired, and under 18 years of age, can you furnish a work permit? (required)

YesNoNot Applicable – I am over the age of 18

IF hired, do you now, or will you in the future require sponsorship to work for AILA? (required)

YesNo

IF hired, are you able to perform the essential functions of the position for which you are applying with or without reasonable accommodation? (required)

YesNo

Are you a member of a State Bar? (required)

YesNo

If yes, please identify jurisdiction(s):

Have you ever been disciplined by any State Bar or sanctioned or held in contempt by any court? (required)

YesNoDoes Not Apply (N/A)

Please provide languages that you wish to list. After the language is listed, please list if you SPEAK, READ, or WRITE either Moderately Well or Fluently. For Example: English -> READ: Moderately Well, SPEAK: Fluently, WRITE: Fluently.

Why do you want to work for the American Immigration Lawyers Association? (required)

Why are you looking for a new job? (required)

What are two key contributions you can bring to this role? (required)

What is your perfect work environment? (required)

What are your salary expectations? (required)

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $78,000.00 – $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Remote