Directing Attorney (Temporary)

Overview

This temporary, full-time, exempt position supports complex impact litigation work for children and youth, including efforts involving civil rights, youth justice, equitable education, youth healthcare access, prevention of harms from the family regulation system, and access to core public benefits.

The Directing Attorney will independently lead development and execution of complex litigation, including strategic case generation, investigations, filings, discovery, negotiations, trials, appeals, and public communications. The role reports to the co-directors of litigation and is slated to last approximately one year.

Responsibilities

• Generate new litigation opportunities to protect children and families’ access to critical public benefits and to address other emerging harms to children and youth.
• Lead all aspects of complex litigation across multiple jurisdictions, including:
  • Fact investigation
  • Legal research
  • Client engagement
  • Drafting and filing pleadings, motions, memoranda, and briefs
  • Written and oral discovery
  • Expert retention and development
  • Negotiations with opposing counsel
  • Settlement negotiation and drafting
  • Narrative development
  • Court appearances and oral arguments
  • Trial and appellate work
  • Media work
• Lead remedy and settlement implementation, including:
  • Tracking compliance
  • Communicating with clients and monitors
  • Negotiating with opposing counsel
  • Filing related motions and declarations
• Manage litigation costs and fee recovery.
• Recruit and manage co-counsel, including pro bono counsel:
  • Negotiate co-counsel and retainer agreements
  • Provide legal practice oversight
  • Supervise co-counsel firm staff on case-related responsibilities as appropriate
• Represent the litigation work externally in a variety of forums, including national conferences and with media outlets.
• Manage case budgets and support development efforts related to litigation.
• Collaborate with litigation leadership and other staff to develop litigation aligned with mission and strategic plan.
• Supervise legal staff as needed, including senior attorneys, staff attorneys, paralegals, fellows, and law clerks.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• A minimum degree in law (JD).
• Member in good standing of the bar of at least one state.
• A minimum of either:
  • 12 years of relevant experience since law school graduation, or
  • 10 years of relevant experience since law school graduation, including demonstrated success leading relevant impact litigation from inception to reform implementation in at least three jurisdictions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated understanding of and experience in complex litigation on issues involving children’s civil rights and public systems affecting children and youth.
• Demonstrated understanding of structural racism and bias in public systems.
• Deep subject matter expertise in at least one of the employer’s issue areas.
• Demonstrated generation and leadership of complex civil litigation with significant impact in multiple jurisdictions/forums.
• Experience building rapport and respect with diverse youth and their families.
• Excellent research, writing, and analytical and creative problem-solving skills, including drafting complex motions and briefs.
• Strong, clear, persuasive oral communication skills.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and project management skills for complex projects, including prioritizing and delegating tasks, organizing and tracking information, coordinating across team levels, and holding responsibility for team decisions.
• Effective and committed supervision and mentorship for other attorneys and staff.
• Strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, including the ability to apply a racial and social justice lens to advocacy while centering marginalized voices of children, youth, and their families.
• Commitment to the employer’s mission and goals.
• In addition to English, oral and written fluency in another language (e.g., Spanish, Hmong, Arabic, Somali) is preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Some travel will be required.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $126,700.00 - $142,000.00 annually.
• Once an offer is made, the salary is not open to negotiation.
• A geographic salary differential may be applied if the candidate resides outside the Oakland, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Boston, MA, New York City, Washington, DC or equivalent metro areas. Salary would be reduced if the candidate resides in an area where the cost of labor is less than that of the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Benefits package includes health, dental, vision, life, generous vacation and sick benefits, flexible spending account, commuter benefits, employer contribution to a retirement plan, and short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Employment is at-will and contingent upon continued receipt of funding.
• This role is part of the bargaining unit represented by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers (NOLSW). While a collective bargaining agreement is not currently in place, it is anticipated in the future.

Location

• Candidate must reside in one of the following locations: California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington DC, and Wisconsin.
• The organization is currently registering in Minnesota and Washington State.

Application Details

Applications must be submitted no later than September 9, 2026 and include:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Litigation-based writing sample

No emails or calls are accepted.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The employer provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, reproductive health decision-making, breastfeeding, national origin, age, abilities/disabilities, neurotypicality, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, prior convictions, or any other protected classification under federal, state, or local law. Employment decisions are based on job-related factors.