Director, Legal Fellowship & Professional Development

Adflegal; Lansdowne (VA); On-site; USD 127,000 - 219,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits package

Health and dental insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Job summary

Alliance Defending Freedom seeks a Legal Counsel, Director of Blackstone Professional Development in Lansdowne, VA (Dallas, TX). The role leads the curriculum, assessment framework, and placement strategy for the Blackstone Fellowship, shaping the next generation of Christian legal practitioners.

Minimum qualifications include a Juris Doctor, active bar license, 5+ years of legal experience, and proven leadership in program management and attorney development.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and active license in at least one U.S. state bar.
• 5+ years of legal experience post-JD.
• Experience in both public and private sectors of the legal profession.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with law students, hiring partners, and judges.
• Experience in professional network development with judges, practitioners, and academics.
• Experience in complex program management on a fixed clerkship/academic-year calendar.
• Staff leadership and development experience, including setting standards and corrective feedback.
• 25% or more travel throughout the year.

Responsibilities

• Assess and defend judgments about interns and Fellows, calibrating over time against outcomes.
• Develop and maintain the assessment framework used across the professional development function.
• Deliver candid, specific assessments to Fellows regarding capabilities and opportunities.
• Set the intellectual direction of the professional development curriculum and oversee revisions.
• Determine curriculum content and instructors, informed by doctrinal developments and market conditions.
• Oversee the summer internship program, placement, and evaluation.
• Build and maintain relationships with federal chambers and clerkship alumni.
• Advise Fellows on decisions with long-term consequences across private practice, government, academia, and public interest litigation.
• Counsel Fellows on sustaining conviction and effectiveness under institutional pressure.
• Maintain relationships with law schools, student organizations, faculties, government agencies, and the public interest bar.
• Represent the Fellowship at regional events and conferences.
• Lead and coach professional development staff and conduct career path discussions.

Skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Leadership

Staff development

Program management

Legal talent development

Travel readiness

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

Alliance Defending Freedom seeks a Legal Counsel, Director of Blackstone Professional Development in Lansdowne, VA (Dallas, TX). The role leads the curriculum, assessment framework, and placement strategy for the Blackstone Fellowship, shaping the next generation of Christian legal practitioners.

Minimum qualifications include a Juris Doctor, active bar license, 5+ years of legal experience, and proven leadership in program management and attorney development.