Senior Counsel
Company: NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc
Location: New York
Posted on: January 27, 2023
Job Description:
The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the
country's first and foremost civil and human rights law
organization. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood
Marshall, who subsequently became the first Black U.S. Supreme
Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation's
aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by
widespread state-sponsored racial inequality. From that era to the
present, LDF's mission has been transformative-to achieve racial
justice, equality, and an inclusive society.LDF's litigation,
policy advocacy, organizing, and public education programs in the
substantive areas of criminal justice, economic justice, education
and political participation seek to ensure the fundamental and
basic human rights of all people to quality education, economic
opportunity, the right to vote and fully participate in democracy,
and the right to a fair and just judicial system.LDF seeks an
experienced Senior Counsel to join the litigation team. The Senior
Counsel will strategize on a range of civil rights matters, and
lead case teams across LDF's litigation docket. The Senior Counsel
will report to the Director of Litigation or a Deputy Director of
Litigation.Responsibilities:Responsibilities may include:
- Litigating the full range of racial justice issues, including:
educational opportunity, diversity, adequacy, access and retention;
employment and housing discrimination; voting rights; and criminal
justice;
- Developing, leading, supervising, consulting, and advising on
complex, civil rights impact cases in federal and state courts and
before administrative bodies;
- Drafting petitions for certiorari, merits briefs and amicus
briefs in the United States Supreme Court, other federal courts,
and state courts that bear significantly on the civil rights of
Black people;
- Investigating potential claims, preparing complaints,
participating in motion practice, discovery, hearings and oral
arguments, trials, and appeals;
- Supporting LDF's policy team in developing and implementing
strategies to advance LDF's policy agenda related to the
substantive subject matter areas;
- Supervising, managing, and assisting litigation teams that
include LDF staff attorneys, organizers, cooperating counsel,
fellows, legal interns, and others from within and outside of
LDF;
- Directly supervising legal fellows, research associates, legal
interns, and/or administrative assistants;
- Serving as a public thought leader on issues confronting Black
communities;
- Representing LDF in the media, at conferences, and in other
public venues;
- Developing and maintaining relationships with community
partners, coalition members, and legal allies;
- Assisting in creating and implementing multi-pronged strategic
plans using litigation, organizing, public education, legislation
and policy advocacy;
- Preparing policy reports, memoranda, briefing papers, public
education materials, and talking points for internal and external
use;
- Assisting LDF colleagues in developing skills in impact
litigation and the other interdisciplinary advocacy strategies
necessary to effect change;
- Fostering relationships with other advocates, lawyers, and
civil rights organizations;
- Travel as necessary, when conditions permit; and
- Other responsibilities as assigned.Qualifications:
- Minimum of 10 years of litigation experience and admission to
the New York, Washington, D.C. or Georgia Bar or eligibility to
waive in, based on the office location;
- Commitment to the racial justice mission of LDF;
- Outstanding legal research, writing, and oral advocacy
skills;
- Broad, relevant litigation experience at the trial and
appellate level; experience litigating class action cases strongly
preferred;
- Federal and/or state advocacy experience related to reform for
communities of color;
- Effective public speaking experience;
- The ability to work both collaboratively and
independently;
- Supervisory and case management experience with an interest in
and commitment to the professional development, training and
support of attorneys, legal interns and administrative staff;
- Capacity to analyze and articulate legal concepts and other
complex issues to a variety of audiences; and
- A vision for attacking persistent barriers to full access and
equality for people of color, and Black people in particular.This
is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills,
efforts or requirements or working conditions associated with the
job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the
current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to
require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.
This description does not constitute a contract of employment and
LDF may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.Please
note that LDF requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against
COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Accordingly, successful
candidates must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit
proof of vaccination prior to the commencement of employment,
unless they qualify for a reasonable accommodation for bona fide
medical or religious reasons.* * * * *The NAACP Legal Defense and
Educational Fund, Inc. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity
Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment
opportunities to you without regard to race, creed, color,
religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy,
marital status, age, veteran status, medical condition or
disability, genetic information, gender identity, or any other
protected status under federal, state, or local law.This position
is open until filled.Please submit your resume and cover letter
to:If submitting via email, please include your name (last name,
first name) in the email subject line.Or
-Human Resources DepartmentNAACP Legal Defense and Educational
Fund, Inc.
40 Rector Street, 5th floor
New York, New York 10006
Keywords: NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc, New York , Senior Counsel, Legal , New York, New York
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