Counsel​/Senior Counsel - PADEI

Overview

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is one of the nation’s leading national racial justice legal organizations. Formed in 1963 at the request of President John

F. Kennedy, the Lawyers’ Committee uses legal advocacy to achieve racial justice, fighting inside and outside the courts to ensure that Black people and other people of color have the voice, opportunity, and power to make the promises of our democracy real.

The Lawyers’ Committee has litigation, public policy, and advocacy programs in the substantive areas of Voting Rights, Election Protection, Digital Justice, Economic Justice, Criminal Justice, Economic Opportunities, and Fair Housing. The organization advances its mission as the premier organization marshaling the resources of the private bar alongside our own talented staff, with over 1 million pro bono hours billed to our cases and matters over the past decade.

Job Title
:
Counsel/Senior Counsel
Location
:
Washington, DC
Job Type
:
Term (1 year from date of hire)
Union Affiliation
:
Union
Accountable to
:
National Director, Protecting and Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative

The Counsel/Senior Counsel will work on various matters to grow and advance the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s Protecting and Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (PADEI) Initiative.

Through the PADEI Initiative, the Lawyers’ Committee is engaged in legal, policy, and public education and outreach efforts to protect racial equity, diversity, equity and inclusion, and the rule of law, amid escalating attacks from federal and state governments and private actors. Our efforts aim to shape legal standards and policy frameworks that uphold racial equity as a core democratic and civil rights principle, while addressing the growing wave of misinformation and attacks on equity initiatives.

PADEI's Pro Bono Initiative helps nonprofit organizations conduct analyses of their racial equity and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs to proactively ensure they are compliant with relevant federal civil rights laws and legally defensible while still achieving their goals of advancing racial justice.

The Counsel/Senior Counsel will provide strategic legal advice through the Pro Bono Initiative to nonprofit organizations with racial equity programs; develop and disseminate public education resources, programs, and messaging; manage relationships with law firm pro bono co-counsel and clients; develop relationships with key stakeholders and coalition partners; and engage in policy and regulatory advocacy to defend and advance civil rights protections and equal opportunity.

This is primarily a non-litigation position.

This is a one-year position with a fixed term end date of 1 year from date of hire.

Essential responsibilities of the Counsel/Senior Counsel include but are not limited to the following:

• Provide strategic pro bono legal advice to enable nonprofit organizations to proactively ensure that their racial equity programs comply with federal civil rights laws and are legally defensible, while still achieving their goals of advancing racial justice.
• Design and develop public education resources and programs, including fact sheets, talking points, and webinars providing guidance on implementing racial equity and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in light of federal legal and policy developments.
• Advocate on policy and regulatory matters concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion before Congress and federal agencies.
• Represent Lawyers’ Committee in meetings and coalitions with other civil rights organizations, pro bono legal networks, philanthropic organizations and networks, including leading coalition efforts and projects.
• Conduct legal research and write legal advice memoranda, research memoranda, draft comments on regulatory actions, develop training materials for pro bono counsel, and other documents.
• Effectively work with and manage relationships with law firm co-counsel and nonprofit clients.
• Work in close collaboration with organizational colleagues.
• Engage in public speaking, including with media, presentations, and…