Democracy Forward Foundation

Democracy Forward Foundation

Legal Director, Civil Rights and Special Projects

Washington, District of Columbia, United States · Director · Full-time

Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 15 days ago
ExcelResearchLeadershipCollaboration

About the role

  • The Legal Director, which will be focused on Civil Rights and Special Projects, will join three other Legal Directors reporting to the President and CEO, in close coordination with the Chief Program and Strategy Officer.
  • Democracy Forward's office is located in Washington, DC.
  • Remote candidates within the United States will also be considered.

Responsibilities

  • Identify, develop and supervise high-impact civil rights-related matters and oversee affirmative litigation and legal advocacy involving state and institutional actors.
  • Work closely with civil rights organizations and the broader pro-democracy community on litigation coordination and long-term development of legal doctrines. Foster and deepen relationships with peer and partner organizations.
  • Engage and collaborate with all Divisions of the organization and the Executive Office, including facilitating collaboration between the Legal Department and other Divisions and Offices.
  • Working with others in the Legal Department, maintain accurate information regarding Legal Department activities, impact and trend measures.
  • While this position offers flexibility to work remotely, it requires regular in-office presence eight (8) times per month (averaging 2 times per week) to effectively support the nature of the role.
  • With the People, Culture and Operations team and the other Legal Directors, support the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of legal staff for the project.

Requirements

  • If you believe you can contribute meaningfully to our team, we encourage you to apply.
  • Active membership in good standing in the bar of the District of Columbia, or membership in good standing in another state bar with the ability to become admitted in D.C.
  • 10+ years of demonstrated and significant experience in managing and leading diverse teams in a matrixed structure.
  • Demonstrated ability to think creatively and craft legal strategies to address difficult and complex social problems.
  • Demonstrated substantive expertise in civil rights and civil rights litigation, including in emerging issues
  • Ability to be a thought-leader.
  • Familiarity with legal doctrines applicable to litigation and/or regulatory advocacy involving federal and/or state governments.
  • We recognize that strong candidates may not meet 100% of the qualifications listed. If you believe you can contribute meaningfully to our team, we encourage you to apply.
  • J.D. from an accredited law school.
  • 15+ years active litigation experience, including significant experience and demonstrated excellence in developing civil rights and other affirmative litigation.
  • Collaborative leadership style with the ability to develop relationships of trust and confidence with colleagues across teams and departments.
  • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with legal, academic, government and nonprofit networks, build coalitions, and develop strong client and stakeholder relationships.
  • Demonstrated excellence in performing and supervising legal research and drafting legal documents (including court filings such as complaints, dispositive motions, and appeals, and/or regulatory filings such as comments and petitions for rulemaking), in a professional, timely, and self-directed manner.
  • Experience developing affirmative litigation in state and/or federal courts, including researching potential theories, developing potential clients, and building factual records.
  • Ability to become proficient in new issue areas and contribute to creative, rigorous, analytical approaches to address them.

Nice to have

  • This role may require occasional travel for team retreats, conferences, or organizational meetings.
  • This role may involve sitting for extended periods and working on a computer.
  • Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed.

Compensation

  • The salary for this position is $280,000 plus excellent benefits.

Benefits

  • Develop the strategic vision and staffing plan for the civil rights project to maximize the project's impact.
  • With the People, Culture and Operations team, facilitate a culture of belonging, inclusion, and continuous learning within the Legal Department and its members as well as the organization as a whole.

Company info

  • We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds.

Equal opportunity

  • Democracy Forward Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.
  • If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application, interview, or otherwise participate in the hiring process, please direct your inquiries to recruiting@democracyforward.org or 833-391-4732.
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