General Counsel

Overview

General Counsel

Location:

Los Angeles, California — Hybrid schedule

Job Title:

General Counsel

Term:
Full-time, occasional evenings and weekends required

Position Status:
Exempt

Pay Range: $120,000-$150,000

Reports To:

Executive Director

The mission of the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) is to uphold the humanity of immigrant communities in California by transforming systems to achieve racial, social, and economic justice. CIPC is a non-partisan, non-profit statewide organization engaging in advocacy, organizing, and strategic communications to uplift immigrant communities. CIPC was founded in response to the 1996 passage of federal immigrant and welfare laws that profoundly affected immigrants.

Today, CIPC advances inclusive policies that build a prosperous future for all Californians, using policy analysis, advocacy, and capacity building.

Over the past 28 years, CIPC has led groundbreaking campaigns that have greatly expanded protections, as well as access to publicly-funded services and programs, for California’s low-income immigrant populations, including but not limited to the Safe and Responsible Driver Act, the TRUST and TRUTH Acts, CA Values Act, E-Verify Bill, the Health for All campaign, California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), and One California, the largest investment in legal services protection in the country.

The General Counsel will serve as the principal legal advisor to the Executive Director and executive team. This individual will lead on internal employment law issues, nonprofit compliance including c4 and c4 issues, and provide expert legal guidance to support policy advocacy. The General Counsel will play a pivotal role in analyzing federal, state, and local laws and supporting the creation of Know Your Rights (KYR) materials in collaboration with the policy and communications teams.

A key component of this role will be serving as a trusted thought partner and ensuring compliance with CIPC’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and employee handbook. The ideal candidate will have strong employment law experience, a resourceful and analytical approach, and relevant nonprofit law expertise.

Internal Employment and Nonprofit Compliance

• Lead all employment law matters, including advising on personnel policies, employee relations, workplace issues, and compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws.
• Ensure the organization maintains compliance with nonprofit governance laws, including tax-exempt status, reporting obligations, and regulatory requirements.
• Provide guidance and develop best practices around Human Resources (HR) compliance, including hiring practices, employee benefits, and conflict resolution, with a focus on maintaining a legally sound, equitable, and inclusive workplace.
• Provide guidance on labor relations matters, helping the organization navigate contract negotiations and maintain productive relations with union representatives.
• Work closely with the HR team and other internal stakeholders to ensure adherence to the collective bargaining agreement and ensure that it reflects the organization’s mission, financial realities, and legal obligations.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner for the Executive Director, offering legal counsel and guidance on major organizational decisions, risk management, and long-term strategy.
• Review, draft, and negotiate contracts, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), and grant proposals and agreements to ensure they align with organizational goals, protect legal interests, and strengthen relationships with third-party vendors, partners, funders, and service providers.
• Provide ongoing legal guidance on contractual obligations and help the organization navigate any complex terms or issues that may arise in relationships with external stakeholders.
• Stay updated on developments in employment law, nonprofit governance, and immigration law, ensuring the organization is prepared for any changes that could affect operations.
• Ensure organizational compliance with lobbying restrictions.
• Provide legal counsel on any other matters as they arise, ensuring the organization is protected…