Senior Staff Attorney

Positively Partners; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 145,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401K

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

GLAD Law is seeking a Senior Staff Attorney to lead high-stakes LGBTQ+ civil rights litigation and policy efforts. The role reports to the Legal Director and involves supervising multiple attorneys while advancing GLAD Law's priorities across state and federal courts.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years of litigation experience, deep knowledge of LGBTQ+ law, and a proven ability to supervise teams and develop strategic litigation.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree and admission to practice law in at least one US state.
• Minimum of 10 years of litigation experience, including leading complex litigation.
• Experience in constitutional, civil rights, or administrative law litigation is welcome.
• Commitment to LGBTQ+, HIV, and racial justice issues.
• Ability to draft briefs and advocate in court or public settings.
• Experience supervising attorneys or staff and delegating work.
• Strong interpersonal and client-facing skills and collaboration.
• Willingness to work across teams and with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the legal department's decision-making and lead impact litigation in state and federal court.
• Lead litigation teams through case development, pleadings, discovery, and appeals.
• Coordinate amicus curiae efforts via briefs and coordination.
• Supervise staff attorneys and mentor junior lawyers, including policy work.
• Assist on legislative or policy matters advancing GLAD Law's priorities.
• Provide technical expertise to private litigants facing LGBTQ+ issues in courts and agencies.
• Support GLAD Law Answers with intakes and referrals where appropriate.
• Participate in internal working groups and committees.

Skills

Litigation leadership

Team supervision

Legal research

Advocacy

Policy work

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

About GLAD Law

Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law) works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.

Summary of Position

GLAD Law seeks at least one senior attorney with a minimum of 10 years of litigation experience, who has a passion for LGBTQ+ and/or HIV work as well as all related social justice issues that impact the LGBTQ+ community, including racial justice. This is a senior leadership role in the Legal Department at a crucial moment for LGBTQ+ rights and civil rights more broadly. Reporting to the Legal Director, and working in collaboration with the legal team, the Senior Staff Attorney will supervise multiple attorneys — both formally and through leading litigation teams — and will handle an active workload of litigation to advance GLAD Law's organizational priorities, including precedent-setting cases against the federal government. The Senior Staff Attorney may also assist on GLAD Law's ongoing policy work.

This position presents an opportunity for a leader to join an experienced and intergenerational legal team, to help create and lead strategies using legislation, litigation, policy, and public education to advance justice on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and HIV status, and to exemplify commitment to racial justice.

Location & Work Arrangement

This is a fully remote position, and GLAD Law welcomes applicants nationwide. The legal team is fully virtual and gathers in person one day per month. Preference may be given to candidates based on the East Coast or within commuting distance of Boston, but GLAD Law will make a nationwide arrangement work for the right candidate. Office space at the GLAD law office is available for those interested.

Compensation & Benefits

Positions include comprehensive training and competitive benefits including health insurance, 401K, and opportunities for professional growth. GLAD Law's salary ranges for attorneys are tied to years of experience since law school graduation. The salary range for an attorney with 11–19 years of experience is $145,000 to $170,000; for an attorney with 20–29 years of experience, the range is $170,000 to $200,000.

What You Bring

The below list is not a checklist. If you are passionate about our work, and meet some of these qualifications, we encourage you to apply.

• J.D. degree and admission to practice law in at least one state in the United States.

• Minimum of 10 years of litigation experience, including motion practice, trial practice and/or appeals, and proven ability to lead complex litigation.

• We recognize that excellent preparation for this role comes from many paths. Candidates whose litigation experience is readily transferable including deep experience in constitutional, civil rights, or administrative law litigation, even if not focused specifically on LGBTQ+ issues are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Demonstrated commitment to working on LGBTQ+, HIV, or related social justice issues that impact the LGBTQ+ community, including racial justice, and familiarity with the current legal landscape affecting these communities.

• Knowledge of LGBTQ+ law and/or policy, anti-discrimination, health care, education, family, administrative, and/or constitutional law.

• Ability to conduct complex legal research; to draft briefs, memos, and advocacy materials to the highest standard; and to present arguments clearly in court, legislative, or public settings.

• Experience supervising, mentoring, or managing attorneys or other legal staff, including responsibility for reviewing work product and supporting professional development. This experience may include supervision exercised through leading cases or litigation teams.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills including in the context of client interactions and client development, all aspects of litigation, lobbying or advocacy with government officials, and public persuasion.

• Commitment to a culture of collaboration and support: being a thoughtful colleague and approaching conversations with grace and an assumption of good intentions.

• Actively engages in continuing legal education, seeks feedback, and has shown progression in responsibility or expertise over the course of their career.

• Experience collaborating on cross-functional projects, both internally and externally with diverse stakeholders.

• Independence, as well as the ability to work as part of an integrated team.

What You'll Do

The Senior Staff Attorney works collaboratively with the Legal Department and other GLAD Law staff to:

• Contribute to the legal department's decision-making strategy, help identify and assess matters for impact litigation, and lead cases in state and federal court and other disputes.

• Lead litigation teams, including being involved in case and client development, legal research, pleadings and brief drafting, discovery and motion practice, hearings, trials, and appeals.

• Lead and support amicus curiae efforts through brief writing and coordination.

• Supervise several staff attorneys and delegate work to more junior staff as appropriate, including policy work.

• Assist, as appropriate, on legislative or other policy matters that further GLAD Law's strategic priorities.

• Provide technical expertise and support to private litigators and organizations facing complex LGBTQ issues in state and federal courts and government agencies.

• Provide support for GLAD Law Answers, GLAD Law's legal information and referral service, including by working up legal intakes and providing individual support or legal referrals, where appropriate, to people who seek legal help.

• Serve on internal working groups and committees as may be needed.