Senior Counsel

Whistleblower Aid; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan with company match

Life insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Whistleblower Aid, a pioneering 501(c)(3) non-profit, seeks a senior counsel to lead a small legal team in Washington, DC. The role involves managing cases, drafting disclosures, and legal research in a highly sensitive environment, with a hybrid schedule requiring two days in the office.

You will oversee client intake, coordinate with regulators and media, and mentor junior lawyers while maintaining absolute discretion and integrity in public-interest whistleblower work.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of legal experience including direct client representation.
• J.D. and state bar membership required.
• Supervisory experience with junior lawyers or paralegals.
• Excellent legal research and writing under time pressure.
• Ability to manage multiple cases and confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Lead whistleblower cases and provide legal representation.
• Oversee client intake and responses to denials and referrals.
• Draft and edit legal documents and filings.
• Oversee case documentation and e-discovery review.
• Conduct legal research and advise on case needs.
• Manage client relationships with regulators, investigators, and media.
• Coordinate with leadership on advocacy and communications.
• Oversee relationships with co-counsel and contractors.
• Help manage the organization's case docket with Chief Legal Counsel.
• Mentor associate counsel and paralegals.
• Contribute to organizational risk assessment and public representation.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Public service

Legal research

Client management

Supervisory experience

Discretion confidentiality

Time management

Analytical thinking

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Issue spotting

Education

J.D. degree

State bar admission

Tools

AI tools

e-discovery tools

Legal research databases

Job description

Full Time

$110,000 – 125,000 Annually, Based on Experience

About Position:

Whistleblower Aid is seeking a motivated senior counsel to support our expanding casework. This role will help manage a small legal team with core activities including drafting legal disclosures, managing cases and clients, factual development and legal research. The senior counsel will take a leading role in case communications and advocacy work as well as support organizational legal needs. Whistleblower Aid's work is highly sensitive and this position requires absolute discretion and professionalism.

This is a full time, at will, employee position. This role is hybrid, serving our office in Washington, DC with a minimum two days in office per week.

Responsibilities:

• Lead assigned whistleblower cases and legal representation of clients.
• Conduct client intake, including Coordinate responses for denials, referrals and development of new client engagements.
• Plan client engagement, including drafting and editing legal documents such as correspondence, disclosures, affidavits, and other filings.
• Oversee case documentation, factual development and evidence management, including leading e-discovery review.
• Conduct legal research and make recommendations on case related needs.
• Manage client relationships with external parties, including overseeing client interviews with regulators, investigators, oversight bodies, and media.
• Work with the leadership team in the design and execution of case and issue advocacy and communications strategy in service of clients, including coordination with media, Congress and other stakeholders.
• Manage relationships with co-counsel, contractors, investigators and other third parties to support cases.
• In coordination with the Chief Legal Counsel, help manage the organization's case docket.
• Supervise and mentor associate counsel and paralegals.
• Contribute to other organizational needs such as; organizational legal risk assessment, thought leadership development, public representation of the organization.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job requirements:

• A deep commitment and track record of public service
• Mission driven, with an interest in justice, resilient democracy, and corporate accountability
• 7+ years of legal experience, including direct client representation
• J.D. and at least one state bar membership
• Some supervisory experience, including managing junior lawyers or paralegals
• Excellent legal research and writing skills, including a proven ability to review the work of others
• Hands‑on experience producing and editing legal work product including under time‑sensitive pressure
• Ability to multitask, solve problems, and take initiative while directing workflows and work‑product development in a dynamic and fast‑paced small team environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including client relationship building and empathy
• Excellent organizational skills with high attention to detail
• Advanced analytical skills including issue spotting and problem solving
• Competency with legal citation and comfort with artificial intelligence tools
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, trust, and exercise discretion
• Preferred work experience with or opposite federal or state prosecutors, offices of inspector generals, agency general counsel offices, federal agencies with investigative or civil enforcement authority, or congressional investigations teams
• Preferred work experience in oversight or whistleblower related work areas.

Benefits:

Generous benefits package including fully employer-paid health insurance, employer‑sponsored retirement plan with company match, life insurance, and a generous paid time off policy.

Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

About Whistleblower Aid:

Whistleblower Aid is a pioneering 501(c)(3) non‑profit legal organization that helps government employees and private‑sector workers report and expose wrongdoing. Our clients come forward at great personal risk to bring the transparency needed for public accountability and reform. Whether holding the government to account, protecting our democracy, defending the Constitution, safeguarding our national security, or reporting corporate malfeasance harming the public, our clients’ truth‑telling is driving much‑needed changes across industries and agencies and their impact is felt around the world.

We are a small team of lawyers, strategists and communications professionals who work tirelessly to keep our whistleblowers safe and their disclosures legal and effective