Staff Attorney, Litigation Team

Overview

This full-time, exempt Staff Attorney position is part of the litigation team. The role focuses on investigating, developing, and litigating cases on behalf of transgender and gender-nonconforming people.

The position can be remote or based in the organization’s offices in Oakland or Brooklyn.

Responsibilities

• Investigate and develop potential new cases, including:
  • Corresponding with and meeting potential clients
  • Conducting legal research
  • Finding and reviewing records
  • Drafting demand letters
• Develop litigation strategy, manage relationships with co-counsel, and perform legal research
• Draft and/or edit briefs
• Handle all stages of litigation, including:
  • Motion practice
  • Discovery
  • Trial
  • Appeals
  • Settlement negotiations
  • Settlement monitoring
• As needed, join and support existing teams working on previously filed litigation
• When necessary, support the organization’s legal services work, including:
  • Reviewing inquiries
  • Researching local and state laws, policies, and procedures
  • Crafting responses with personalized legal information
• Provide direct advocacy for criminalized people, including calling or sending advocacy letters to public defenders or prison officials, and identifying other creative solutions
• Develop and draft written resources, including know-your-rights materials and sample legal documents
• Participate in education efforts for community members and attorneys, including speaking at conferences, trainings, and webinars
• Participate in organization-wide activities and shared responsibilities that support team alignment
• Support the legal team and the organization generally
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Full-time role; may include travel and occasional work at nights and on weekends
• Membership in the bar of one or more states
• At least two to four years of post-graduation experience practicing law in one or more of the following areas:
  • Civil rights litigation
  • Criminal defense
  • Immigration
  • Legal aid
• Familiarity with transgender and gender nonconforming communities
• Experience working with communities of color and transgender communities
• Deep understanding of intersecting oppressions, including anti-Blackness, white supremacy, transphobia, ableism, misogyny, colonialism, and capitalism
• Strong writing, editing, and legal research skills, with experience with public speaking
• Ability to work collaboratively within the organization and with external groups
• Strong personal organization and time management skills
• Creativity and good judgment
• Enthusiasm for the organization’s work and its potential
• Willingness to travel and to work long hours when necessary

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with pro-bono attorneys
• Experience with legal or policy advocacy relating to incarceration, criminalization, or law enforcement

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $107,500.00 (exempt)
• Medical/dental/vision: organization covers 100% of premiums for employees and 80% for dependents
• Employer-funded Health Reimbursement Account: currently $3,500 per year
• Employer-funded Lifestyle Spending Account: currently $1,500 per year
• Optional employee-funded Flexible Spending Account
• Employee Assistance Fund that can grant financial assistance for certain qualifying disasters and personal hardships
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Paid time off:
  • 3 weeks’ sick leave
  • 19 days’ vacation (24 after 3 years’ employment)
  • 12 holidays
  • Organizational “slowdown” in winter and summer, including historically 2 weeks paid time off in the summer and 2 weeks paid time off at the end of the year (separate from employee vacation time)
• 2-month paid sabbatical program available after 5 years of employment
• Retirement plan with partial organizational matching
• Indemnity insurance for critical illness, hospital confinement, and accidents
• Professional development & coaching
• Office setup, phone and internet reimbursement (if working from home)
• Additional mental health, budgeting, travel, and pet benefits

Equal Opportunity

The organization is an affirmative action employer and an equal opportunity employer. All interested individuals—including Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; women and femmes; people with disabilities; and people who are transgender, intersex, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer—are particularly urged to apply.