Assistant or Senior Counsel, Strategic Initiatives

About the role

The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the country’s first and foremost civil and human rights law organization. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, LDF’s mission is to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education in criminal justice, economic justice, education, and political participation. LDF operates in a hybrid work environment where employees are expected to be in the office a minimum of two days per week, unless otherwise indicated.

Responsibilities

• Litigating racial justice issues, with a special emphasis on matters pertaining to public safety, policing, and the criminalization of Black people; the censorship of programs and curricula benefiting Black students in K–12 and higher education; and the censorship of exhibits, displays, and speech pertaining to a truthful and inclusive articulation of history;
• Working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams of LDF attorneys, community organizers, policy advocates, communications specialists, and researchers to develop and sustain a multi-disciplinary and community-informed approach to racial justice advocacy;
• Developing, leading, supervising, consulting, and advising on complex, civil rights impact cases in federal and state courts and before administrative bodies;
• Drafting petitions for certiorari, merits briefs, and amicus briefs in the United States Supreme Court, other federal courts, and state courts that bear significantly on issues within the Strategic Initiatives Department;
• Investigating potential claims, preparing complaints, participating in motion practice, discovery, hearings and oral arguments, trials and appeals;
• Supervising, assisting, and managing litigation teams that include LDF staff attorneys, organizers, cooperating counsel, fellows, legal interns, and others from within and outside of LDF;
• Serving as a public thought leader on issues confronting Black communities in America;
• Representing LDF in the media, at conferences, and in other public venues;
• Developing and maintaining relationships with community partners, coalition members, and legal allies;
• Assisting in creating and implementing multi-pronged strategic plans using litigation, organizing, public education, legislation, policy advocacy, and strategic communications;
• Preparing policy reports, memoranda, briefing papers, public education materials, and talking points for internal and external use;
• Assisting LDF colleagues in developing skills in integrated, impact litigation and interdisciplinary advocacy strategies;
• Fostering relationships with other advocates, lawyers, and civil rights organizations;
• Travel as necessary, when conditions permit;
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree;
• Minimum of seven (7) years of litigation experience for Assistant Counsel and minimum of ten (10) years of litigation experience for Senior Counsel;
• Admission to the New York, District of Columbia, or Georgia Bar pursuant to office location (or eligibility to waive in);
• Demonstrated commitment to the racial justice mission of LDF and civil rights;
• Outstanding legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills;
• Broad, relevant litigation experience at the trial and appellate level (exposure to class action litigation is a plus);
• Experience working with organizers, policy advocates, and non-attorney staff in collaboration with community-based partners in a holistic and comprehensive advocacy strategy;
• Federal and/or state advocacy experience relating to issues affecting communities of color, especially Black communities;
• Public speaking experience before a wide range of audiences;
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently;
• Supervisory and case management experience with an interest in and commitment to the professional development, training, and support of attorneys, legal interns, and administrative staff;
• Capacity to analyze and articulate legal concepts and other complex issues to a wide range of audiences;
• Fluency in discussing racial justice issues in multiple settings and venues;
• A vision for attacking persistent barriers to full access and equality for people of color, and Black people in particular;
• Ability to think creatively and “outside the box” to advance comprehensive and holistic advocacy strategies;
• Respect for impacted people and the expertise and insight they bring to racial justice advocacy.

Pay

The total salary range for this position for candidates with 7–15 years post–law school graduation, exclusive of compensation for additional administrative responsibilities where applicable, is as follows and will be commensurate with experience:

• New York: $147,000 – $192,000
• Washington, D.C.: $141,000 – $184,000
• Atlanta: $128,000 – $166,500