Supervising Attorney - Children's Education Rights

National Legal Aid & Defender Association; Toledo (OH); Hybrid; USD 73,000 - 89,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Annual leave

Sick leave

Language compensation

Loan repayment assistance

Job summary

Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) invites a Supervising Attorney to lead the Children's Education Rights Practice Group in the Toledo office.

You will supervise attorneys, paralegals and staff, guiding litigation, policy advocacy, and community engagement to advance education justice for low-income families. The role blends direct advocacy with leadership, program oversight, and organizational strategy, requiring a JD, Ohio licensure, and several years in civil rights/education

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school and Ohio bar admission or eligibility.
• At least three years of legal experience in litigation/advocacy, civil rights and/or education law.
• Strong leadership, supervision, writing, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Supervise attorneys, paralegals, and staff; oversee casework and professional development.
• Lead impact and civil rights litigation, policy advocacy, and community lawyering.
• Provide high-quality legal representation including litigation, negotiation, and administrative advocacy.
• Ensure compliance with procedures and funder requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Supervision

Litigation

Civil rights & education law

Advocacy

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

Position Description

Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) is a regional non-profit law firm. Our mission is to pursue justice and equity, facilitate access to opportunities for people with low incomes through passionate legal representation, and provide steadfast advocacy for systemic reform. ABLE is affiliated with Legal Aid of Western Ohio (LAWO), also a regional non-profit law firm that provides legal assistance. This position is based out of ABLE’s Toledo office.

Position Description

Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) is a regional non-profit law firm. Our mission is to pursue justice and equity, facilitate access to opportunities for people with low incomes through passionate legal representation, and provide steadfast advocacy for systemic reform. ABLE is affiliated with Legal Aid of Western Ohio (LAWO), also a regional non-profit law firm that provides legal assistance. This position is based out of ABLE’s Toledo office.

Job Summary

Join ABLE’s innovative legal advocacy for parents and children to advance education justice.

Our Work To Promote Equitable Public Education Includes

• Protecting equal educational opportunities and the civil rights of all children, regardless of background, zip code, or personal characteristics.
• Defending students in school discipline matters and disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline, particularly for youth of color.
• Securing appropriate, accessible, and inclusive education for children with disabilities and other specialized educational needs.

The Supervising Attorney for the Children's Education Rights Practice Group is a leadership position responsible for supervising legal staff while advancing litigation (including impact litigation), administrative advocacy, policy-focused legal work, and community-based legal strategies. This role leads attorneys, paralegals, law clerks, and other staff to deliver high-quality legal services to children and families throughout ABLE's service area.

Supervising Attorney will work closely with parents, students, community organizations, schools, and advocacy partners to advance education justice through individual representation, systemic advocacy, and policy reform. This position combines direct legal advocacy with program leadership, staff supervision, strategic planning, community engagement, and organizational leadership to create meaningful educational opportunities and outcomes for low‑income children and families.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (other Duties As Assigned)

• Supervise and mentor attorneys, paralegals, and support staff, including oversight of casework, advocacy strategies, and professional development
• Lead and coordinate impact and civil rights litigation, policy advocacy, and community lawyering initiatives
• Provide high-quality legal representation, including litigation, negotiation, and administrative advocacy
• Utilize knowledge of federal, state, and local procedures governing civil rights or education law and administrative agencies.
• Support and advance community-based advocacy efforts, including collaboration, partnership, outreach, and community legal education with local organizations, agencies, and groups.
• Manage a reasonable caseload consistent with supervisory responsibilities
• Participate in strategic and impactful project planning and contribute to organizational leadership discussions
• Ensure compliance with ABLE policies, funding requirements, and reporting obligations

Scope & Impact

This position plays a critical leadership role in shaping ABLE's education justice advocacy throughout western Ohio. The Supervising Attorney directly impacts service delivery, staff development, and the effectiveness of systemic advocacy efforts. Through leadership of the Children's Education Rights Practice Group, this role helps drive lasting improvements in educational access, equity, and outcomes for low‑income children and families.

Minimum Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
• Licensed to practice law in Ohio or eligible for admission

Minimum Of Three (3) Years Of Legal Experience

• Highly skilled in litigation and advocacy, with knowledge of civil rights and/or education law
• Strong leadership, supervision, and organizational skills
• Excellent analytical, writing, communication, and advocacy skills.
• Commitment to ABLE’s mission and ABLE’s clients and client communities.
• Demonstrated professionalism, judgment, reliability, and initiative.
• Ability to mentor, coach, encourage, motivate, team, and work with management and staff effectively in both remote and in-office environments
• Enthusiasm for challenging work and opportunities

Preferred Requirements

• Experience in federal court
• Experience with complex litigation
• Prior supervisory or team leadership experience
• Experience in poverty law, community lawyering, policy advocacy, or movement-based legal work
• Fluency in Spanish or another language relevant to client communities

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position directly supervises attorneys, paralegals, and/or law clerks and is responsible for personnel management, mentoring, performance evaluation, and workload oversight.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

• Work is performed in a normal office environment.
• Requires frequent sitting, keyboarding, and face-to-face or phone communication.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and be insurable.
• May require walking several blocks or overnight travel.
• New staff are required to work in the office full-time during their first 90 days of employment. Following this onboarding period, a hybrid work schedule is available with a minimum of two in-office days per week.

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS AND WORK LOCATION:

The starting salary for this position is $81,000.00 and increases depending on experience.

• health insurance
• annual leave
• sick leave
• supplemental language compensation
• loan repayment assistance for attorneys through the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation
• paid parental leave

This position is based out of our Toledo office.

OTHER DUTIES: Please note this job posting is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the incumbent for this job. ABLE can revise or eliminate the requirements and responsibilities of this position at any time to reflect its needs and objectives. ABLE will notify affected employees of any changes and the effective date of such changes.

ABLE is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to create an environment welcoming to all individuals. Applicants requiring accommodation for the interview/application process should contact the recruitment coordinator at [e-mail].