Legal Director, Civil Rights and Special Projects

Position Summary:

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. This Legal Director position will be responsible for developing the strategic vision and staffing plan for the civil rights project as well as developing and supervising civil rights-related matters and other significant affirmative litigation involving state and institutional actors.

This position is full-time. Democracy Forward’s office is located in Washington, DC. 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. Remote candidates within the United States will also be considered. If a candidate is outside of the DC area, travel to DC is expected 1-2 times per quarter.

Key Responsibilities:

• 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 and the other Legal Directors, support the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of legal staff for the project.
• Identify, develop and supervise high-impact civil rights-related matters and oversee affirmative litigation and legal advocacy involving state and institutional actors. Ensure that all legal work filed or undertaken by Democracy Forward Foundation in these areas meets the highest standards of excellence.
• In coordination with the Director for State Litigation and Emerging Issues, develop the strategic vision and staffing plan for work to challenge anti-democratic state laws as well as anti-democratic activities of 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.
• 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.
• With the Managing Attorney and other Legal Directors, facilitate the administrative and managerial operations of the Legal Department.
• Working with others in the Legal Department, maintain accurate information regarding Legal Department activities, impact and trend measures.

Qualifications:

• 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.
• 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.
• 15+ years active litigation experience, including significant experience and demonstrated excellence in developing civil rights and other affirmative litigation.
• 10+ years of demonstrated and significant experience in managing and leading diverse teams in a matrixed structure.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to develop relationships of trust and confidence with colleagues across teams and departments.
• Demonstrated ability to think creatively and craft legal strategies to address difficult and complex social problems.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Ability to juggle multiple matters for different stakeholders in a highly collaborative environment; must be able to work well both independently and in a team environment.
• Nimble and collaborative team-player with a growth mindset, who is comfortable with change and has ability to lead and operate with ambiguity.
• Well-developed collaborative and interpersonal skills including demonstrated self-awareness, commitment to diversity and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Commitment to workplace inclusion and ability to contribute affirmatively to a just and equitable workplace culture.
• Work Environment & Physical Demands: 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.