Chief Counsel

Demand Justice; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous benefits package

Medical, vision, and dental insurance

Matching 401K

Job summary

A leading advocacy organization is searching for a Chief Counsel to advance a progressive judiciary and justice system. This role requires a skilled attorney with over 12 years of experience in legal advocacy, who will provide legal expertise, shape campaign strategies, and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders. The position demands strong analytical, writing, and interpersonal skills and is based in Washington, DC. An attractive compensation package between $200,000-$225,000 is offered, alongside generous benefits.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of relevant experience, ideally in legal advocacy.
• Deep understanding of the federal judicial system and legislative processes.
• Experience in complex political environments.
• Superb interpersonal skills with stakeholders.
• Exceptional writing, analytic, research, and speaking skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and implement a vision for progressive judiciary.
• Provide legal expertise on federal judiciary system.
• Advise on campaign strategies and accountability measures.
• Influence a network of legal and policy experts.
• Monitor judicial actions and identify opportunities.
• Oversee legal research and strategic policy projects.

Skills

Legal advocacy

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Writing skills

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

Join our talented team of activists, lawyers, and organizers.

Chief Counsel

Organization Overview

For decades, the right invested billions in capturing the judiciary—and succeeded. They packed the courts with extremists and anti-populist lawyers while progressives failed to mount sufficient resistance.

Today we’re living with the consequences: Donald Trump enjoys criminal immunity, Roe v. Wade was overturned, the Voting Rights Act stands gutted, and research shows that federal courts overwhelmingly rule in favor of corporations over working people.

Now Trump is taking it further. Run-of-the-mill extremist nominees are no longer enough—judicial nominees must now show their loyalty to Trump above all else. He is determined not just to break the law, but to dismantle it—attacking institutions, individuals, and anyone standing in his way.
This moment requires aggressive, strategic, and disruptive opposition to the dismantling and corruption of the rule of law by Trump and his cronies.

Demand Justice’s Core Mission:

• Expose Trump’s court takeover: Force a public reckoning about the right-wing’s capture of our courts and Trump’s authoritarian grip on judicial power; shock, educate, and activate a progressive base to invest in the fight for our courts.
• Hold Democrats accountable: Ensure Democrats in power and running for office stand up and fight back—rewarding them when they do and fearlessly holding them accountable when they don’t.
• Build support for bold reforms ahead of 2028 and beyond: Propose and build consensus around bold reforms to the Supreme Court, lower courts, and the judicial system generally.
• Fight Trump’s court nominees, including any second-term nominees to the Supreme Court.

Demand Justice is a bold, disruptive organization that wages advocacy and media campaigns. We use all our organizational tools — a c3, c4 and PAC — to stiffen the spines of those in power to fight for the rule of law and move the entire public discourse of t he courts toward reform.

Position Overview

Demand Justice seeks a skilled and politically savvy attorney to serve as Chief Counsel to help the fight for a more progressive judiciary and system of justice. The Chief Counsel will, in addition to providing astute analysis on the federal judiciary, Senate, and Department of Justice, help shape the organization’s campaign strategies and policy development through a legal lens.

The Chief Counsel will have a pulse on the federal judicial actions coming out of Congress and the Trump administration – including judicial nominations , emerging legal issues within the courts, and the corrupt weaponization of the DOJ – and will advise organizational leadership on their implications and opportunities for Demand Justice to act.

Sitting at the intersection of law and politics, the Chief Counsel will be responsible for translating complex legal concepts and legislation into advocacy and communications strategies. This role will cultivate relationships and exchange ideas with a range of key external stakeholders, from elected officials and legal advocates to coalition partners and policy experts.

Reporting to the President, the Chief Counsel will be a trusted member of the senior leadership team and manage the day-to-day activities of a small team responsible for courts policy, nominations tracking, and government affairs. This position will oversee Demand Justice’s legal research, analysis, and writing in addition to leading strategic policy projects.

The ideal candidate is a deeply respected legal expert with a broad political and legal network who understands the complexities of working in a politicized environment and brings demonstrated success in legal advocacy and strategic leadership.

This is an incredible opportunity to play a key role in an unapologetic, innovative organization fighting to make sure the courts work for everyone and protect our rights and democracy.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and help implement a vision of a more progressive judiciary and system of justice, including a suite of bold reform proposals.
• Provide legal expertise on the federal judiciary system, legislative and rulemaking processes, and courts-related actions coming out of Congress and the Trump Administration.
• Advise the President on Demand Justice’s campaign strategies, rapid response efforts, and accountability measures through a legal lens.
• Build and influence a network of like-minded lawyers, academics, policymakers, and other prominent legal voices.
• Closely monitor judicial actions, including nominations, vacancies, and court cases, and identify opportunities for Demand Justice to act.
• Provide astute legal and political analysis of judicial nominees and the nominations process, courts reform, and other emerging courts-related issues.
• Oversee legal research and lead strategic policy projects that advance Demand Justice’s campaigns.
• Help conceive and contribute to the development of strategic narratives, written reports, and other communications materials to bolster Demand Justice’s work.
• Manage the day-to-day activities of a small, dedicated team focused on courts policy, judicial nominations, and government affairs.

Key Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• 12+ years of relevant experience, ideally in legal advocacy.
• Deep understanding of the federal judicial system and the legislative and rulemaking processes.
• Experience working in complex political environments that are fast-paced and rapid response-oriented.
• Demonstrated excellence in developing, drafting, and supervising legal and policy research and analyses.
• Superb interpersonal skillswith an impressive history of forging relationships with stakeholders, including legal and policy experts, Hill offices, and coalition partners.
• Exceptional writing, analytic, research, and speaking skills; comfortable in front of both legal and non-legal audiences.
• Excellent manager who supports and empowers staff and demonstrates empathy and inclusivity.
• Proven ability to perform well under pressure and excellent judgment.
• Willingness and ability to respond to breaking news, often outside the workday.
• Sense of humor and positive attitude.
• Commitment to the mission of Demand Justice.

Compensation and Location

Annual compensation for this role is between $200,000-$225,000 based on experience, as well as a generous benefits package, including medical, vision and dental insurance provided by the employer and matching 401K.

Demand Justice is a hybrid workplace, and this role is expected to be in the Washington, DC office three to four days a week.

How to Apply

Demand Justice is partnering with Grossman Solutions in this search. To apply for this role, submit a resume and a compelling cover letter at grosmansolutions.applytojob.com/apply . The cover letter should be concise, compelling, and outline the specific ways in which you would be a good fit for this position. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Demand Justice is dedicated to building a team of diverse individuals and committed to providing a workplace of mutual respect Demand Justice’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.