Director, LGBTQ+ Law and Policy Initiative

About the role

The Legal Aid Society exists to ensure that no New Yorker is denied the right to equal justice because of poverty. For 150 years, the organization has protected, defended, and advocated for those who have struggled in silence, serving over two million New Yorkers annually through direct services, impact litigation, policy and advocacy work in every borough.

The LGBTQ+ Law and Policy Initiative works across all three practice areas—Criminal Defense, Civil, and Juvenile Rights—to identify and examine complex issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression equity in the legal system. The unit raises critical awareness of the systemic oppression that LGBTQ+ people, especially communities of color, experience within every facet of the legal system using research, policy advocacy, impact litigation, community engagement, and strategic communication.

The Director is a seasoned litigator, strategist, and advocate with deep substantive knowledge of the legal, policy, and social issues affecting LGBTQ+ communities, particularly at the intersection of race, gender, poverty, immigration status, disability, and other marginalized identities. This role requires a sophisticated understanding of structures and systems that perpetuate inequities and a demonstrated ability to identify opportunities for meaningful reform through complex litigation, policy campaigns, and broad-based advocacy initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Advocacy and Law Reform (40%)
  • Collaborate with Law Reform Units in Civil Practice, Juvenile Rights Practice, and Criminal Defense Practice to identify issues for impact litigation and oversee and support those efforts
  • Develop and implement a strategic plan for addressing systemic issues impacting Legal Aid's LGBTQ+ clients, including policy advocacy at city, state, and federal levels, impact litigation, legislative advocacy, and public education
  • Engage in coalition-building with community and government mobilization efforts to effect policy change
• Training, Technical Assistance, and Client Support (25%)
  • Lead efforts to train Legal Aid staff on representing LGBTQ+ clients holistically and from a cultural humility perspective
  • Develop and produce internal training materials
  • Respond to client, community, and staff concerns regarding LGBTQ+ issues
  • Provide support to staff representing LGBTQ+ clients
  • Supervise Legal Aid's Name Change Clinic with The Ali Forney Center
• Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Public Education (10%)
  • Develop and maintain relationships with community-based organizations, advocates, legislators, and the courts
  • Develop and produce advocacy and public education materials for community outreach and media campaigns
  • Seek visibility through public appearances including speaking engagements, media appearances, conferences, and public forums addressing LGBTQ+ discrimination and racial inequality
• Research, Data Analysis, and Communications (10%)
  • Engage in data collection and analysis on LGBTQ+ issues
  • Utilize data and research to support media, advocacy, and education efforts
  • Develop and produce external educational and advocacy materials informed by research and data
• Team Development and Supervision (10%)
  • Schedule employee hours, assign work, approve time-off, and approve remote work schedule requests following LAS policy and procedures
  • Attend management meetings, participate in management training, and utilize current employment policies, practices, and guidance
  • Conduct management and supervision practices that affirmatively support equity and inclusion in the workplace
  • Supervise direct reports in setting performance standards, provide routine feedback, coaching/counseling, and issue disciplinary action as needed
  • Identify and provide training and development opportunities and ensure mandatory training is completed
  • Identify, delegate, and document work responsibilities, roles, and procedures to meet the mission of the department
  • Identify and implement department/unit management and accountability practices to improve performance
  • Resolve employee conflict, complaints, and address union concerns with guidance from Human Resources
  • Lead organizational and culture change for the unit
• Professional Development and Other Duties as Assigned (5%)
  • Participate in continuous professional development
  • Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment
  • Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Required

• Admission to the New York State Bar
• Minimum of 7 years legal experience, including at least 5 years of experience with complex strategic litigation in state and federal courts implicating constitutional, civil rights, or civil liberties issues
• Experience practicing law, including litigation, through a LGBTQ+ and racial justice centering framework
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Exceptional public speaking ability and experience
• Demonstrated commitment to racial and social justice work, civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and anti-discrimination law
• Experience working with underserved communities and experience with grassroots community organizing
• Significant experience in legal training and education
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills, and the ability to foster constructive, collegial working relationships with colleagues
• Commitment to exploring alternative approaches for legal practice
• Commitment and experience working with and building networks and partnerships with people of color-led LGBTQ+ organizations and advocates

Preferred

• Proficiency in languages other than English (desirable but not required)
• Knowledge and experience with LAS's client base as well as LGBTQ+ legal issues
• Experience in policy work surrounding LGBTQ+ rights and racial justice issues
• Deep understanding of intersectionality and its relation to structural oppression

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Position Based

• Demonstrated leadership ability
• Ability to work in and value a collaborative team model
• Ability to work with Pro Bono lawyers and volunteers

Supervision

• Ability to schedule, assign, and manage work and resolve problems as needed
• Ability to manage work including assessment of work processes and outcomes, gathering relevant information, recommending alternatives, or elevating issues as needed
• Ability to clearly identify roles and responsibilities, delegate tasks, and hold people accountable
• Ability to create and implement effective communication plans
• Ability to provide meaningful performance feedback for professional development, including having difficult conversations and resolving sensitive employee issues
• Pursue continuous learning on forms of systemic oppression of marginalized identities and establish team norms and management practices using an equity mindset and informed by inclusive practices

Organizational

• Commitment to The Legal Aid Society's mission to secure equal justice before the law for all New Yorkers
• Interpersonal and communication skills that enable healthy and productive working relationships
• Ability to perform duties with the highest regard for confidentiality, integrity, and respect
• Commitment to The Legal Aid Society's mission and values

Working conditions

• Mostly sedentary, significant time using a computer and monitor; communicating and meeting using video
• Requires occasional or frequent physical movement to perform essential job functions which may include bending, reaching, pulling, pushing, standing or walking for long periods of time, accessing small spaces
• May or will require travel within NYC, across the five-borough