Staff Attorney

Young Americans for Freedom at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Headquarters (KY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Young America’s Foundation is seeking a Staff Attorney for its Reston, VA headquarters. The attorney will work closely with the General Counsel to expand YAF’s crucial work protecting conservative students’ rights on campuses.

The role involves collaborating on litigation, filing public records requests, analyzing campus speech codes, and advising on nonprofit tax, IP, privacy, and employment matters. 2–5 years’ legal experience and strong research/writing are required.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years legal experience, preferably in First Amendment or education law.
• Strong legal research and writing skills.
• Willing to travel and work as part of a team.
• Must be detail oriented and organized.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Protect conservative students’ rights on campuses in collaboration with General Counsel.
• Identify litigation and amicus opportunities and support filings.
• File public records requests with colleges and universities and review responses.
• Analyze campus speech codes and track state and federal legislation.
• Advise on nonprofit tax, IP, data privacy, and employment issues.
• Review and negotiate contracts with guidance from General Counsel.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Collaboration

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Job description

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Staff Attorney

YAF Headquarters

Reston, Virginia

Opening: February 2026

Salary range: $80,000 – $90,000

Mission

Young America’s Foundation (YAF) is committed to ensuring that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values.

Reports To

The General Counsel

Job Summary

Young America’s Foundation is leading the fight for students’ rights on campus. The staff attorney will play an important role in building upon and expanding YAF’s crucial work in this area.

Responsibilities

• Work in close collaboration with the General Counsel and program staff to protect conservative students’ rights on middle school, high school, and college campuses
• Identify and propose opportunities to the General Counsel for litigation and amicus support in support of conservative students’ rights on campus
• File public record requests with public colleges and universities and review documents responsive to these requests
• Analyze campus speech codes
• Track campus free speech legislation at the state and federal levels
• Provide advice and counsel to staff on nonprofit tax and regulatory compliance, intellectual property (copyright and trademark) law, data privacy/information security, and employment issues
• Review and negotiate contracts in consultation with the General Counsel

Requirements

• Committed to and enthusiastic about YAF’s mission and programs
• 2-5 years legal experience, preferably in First Amendment or education law
• Strong legal research and writing skills
• Willing to travel
• Self-motivated and capable of accomplishing tasks with minimal supervision
• Must be detail-oriented and organized
• Ability to work as a collaborative, constructive team member
• Salary range: $80,000 – $90,000

This job description is representative of the expectations of the position described. Additional duties, reporting relationships, and/or position criteria may be assigned. YAF reserves the right to revise this job description at any time.

This is an in-office position based at YAF’s national headquarters in Reston, Virginia.