Litigation Counsel, Education & Workplace Justice

The Position

The National Women's Law Center seeks a two-year, term-limited Litigation Counsel for the Education & Workplace Justice team, to proactively promote gender justice in schools and workplaces and defend against threats to workers' and students' civil rights and other legal protections. NWLC seeks to effect change through the courts by bringing our own litigation, filing amicus briefs in cases of particular importance to gender justice, joining and collaborating with numerous partners to provide litigation guidance and expertise, growing the capacity of the private bar to litigate on gender justice matters (through the Legal Network for Gender Equity and TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund), and funding litigation challenging workplace sex harassment and related retaliation (through the TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund).

The Litigation Counsel will help implement the team's litigation strategy by helping to develop and draft amicus briefs, engage in direct representation, and coordinate with external partners. In addition to matters focused on workplace justice and education, the Litigation Counsel will assist litigators across NWLC on cross-cutting litigation matters and help to coordinate NWLC-wide litigation efforts. The Litigation Counsel will also support the work of the TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund and the Legal Network for Gender Equity. Approximately half the Litigation Counsel's time will be spent supporting NWLC's litigation and amicus efforts, and half will be spent supporting the work of the TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund and the Legal Network for Gender Equity.

This is a two-year, full-time, term-limited exempt position of 37.5 hours per week.

The Organization

The National Women's Law Center (NWLC) fights for gender justice - in the courts, in public policy, and in our society - working across the issues that are central to the lives of women and girls.

We use the law in all its forms to change culture and drive solutions to the gender inequity that shapes our society and to break down the barriers that harm all of us - especially those who face multiple forms of discrimination, including women of color, LGBTQ people, and low-income women and families.

For more than 50 years, we have been on the leading edge of every major legal and policy victory for women. Find out more at NWLC.org.

The Legal Network for Gender Equity and the TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund

The Legal Network for Gender Equity and the TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund help people facing sex discrimination in the workplace, in education, and when receiving health care connect with attorneys. They also seek to grow the capacity of the private bar to litigate these matters effectively, including through attorney education efforts. The TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund funds cases challenging workplace sex harassment and related retaliation and provides media and storytelling assistance for those who have experienced workplace sex harassment. The Legal Network for Gender Equity and the TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund are projects of the National Women's Law Center Fund, LLC.

Responsibilities

• Assist in litigation efforts, including direct representation of clients and amicus work, focused on Education and Workplace Justice team priorities;
• Assist in cross-cutting litigation matters and help coordinate NWLC-wide litigation efforts;
• Conduct legal research, draft legal memoranda, interview potential clients and witnesses, and draft and/or edit pleadings, briefs, and declarations;
• Draft, edit, and review amicus briefs, including in collaboration with other NWLC teams, pro bono counsel, and organizational partners;
• Draft and coordinate outreach communications to partner organizations regarding amicus briefs;
• Monitor trends in the courts related to team priorities;
• Assist with the review of applications to the TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund for funding to support legal representation in workplace sexual harassment matters by reviewing application materials, gathering necessary supplementary information, researching relevant legal issues, presenting grantmaking recommendations, and participating in grant decision-making;
• Assist with the review of and response to requests for legal help to address sex discrimination in the workplace, education or health care received by the Legal Network for Gender Equity;
• Help identify key opportunities for NWLC's engagement in litigation related to education and workplace justice priority areas, including matters identified through the Legal Network for Gender Equity and TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund;
• Participate in legal review of requests from partner organizations, attorneys, and potential clients for legal involvement by NWLC;
• Draft litigation highlights/fact sheets, blogs, memos to the board, and other litigation update documents for internal and external use;
• Help identify topics for and implement educational webinars and other educational opportunities for attorneys in the Legal Network for Gender Equity;
• Coordinate with the Campaigns and Communications team on telling NWLC's litigation story as well as the impact of the TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund and the Legal Network for Gender Equity; and
• Represent NWLC, TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund, and the Legal Network for Gender Equity at events, conferences, and coalition meetings as needed.

Qualifications

The candidate must possess:

• A law degree (J.D.);
• Membership in the D.C. Bar or ability to waive into the D.C. Bar;
• Some knowledge of federal anti-discrimination laws;
• Demonstrated ability to write and communicate clearly and effectively;
• Ability to provide quick and accurate legal research;
• Attention to detail and excellent time management and organizational skills;
• Ability to collaborate with colleagues, coalition partners, and outside law firm partners;
• Willingness and ability to travel;
• Demonstrated commitment to gender and racial equity;
• Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team-based environment;
• An orientation to the work that is collegial and values the contributions of all members; and
• A genuine passion for NWLC's mission.

Additional preferred skills and knowledge:

• Experience as a judicial clerk, litigation-focused intern or extern, and/or in a litigation clinic;
• Familiarity with Title VII and Title IX;
• Experience working directly with survivors of sexual harassment and/or other gender-based violence; and
• Experience working in organizational coalitions.

Key Relations

The Litigation Counsel for Education & Workplace Justice will report to the Director of Litigation for Education & Workplace Justice while being supervised on particular projects by the Senior Director of the TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund.

Compensation & Benefits

A salary within the range of $96,411 - $105,967 will be provided to the successful candidate, consistent with the National Women's Law Center's compensation framework. The successful candidate's salary within this range will be determined by the number years of relevant experience they bring to the role.

The Center offers a comprehensive benefits package, and four weeks of annual vacation.

NWLC is a non-profit organization whose headquarters and staff are based in Washington, D.C. at our new office at 1350 Eye Street N.W.  This role is based in D.C. and will be eligible for some telework while also being expected to work in person on a regular basis. The successful candidate will need to live in or relocate to the DMV (broadly defined as DC, Maryland, or Virginia).

The first 90 days of employment will be considered a probationary period.

Classification

NWLC recognizes a staff bargaining unit, NWLC United, affiliated with the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union/IFPTE Local 70, a union for non-profit workers. This position is included in NWLC's bargaining unit. Specific employment terms are subject to collective bargaining.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter, short writing sample, and resume. Please include a short legal writing sample (no more than 5 pages) from a legal memorandum, court document, or law-review type article. Your writing sample must be entirely your own work or, at most, minimally edited by others. Work drafted by AI--even partially--is not eligible. Resumes should include exact start and end dates (month and year) of employment, as well as the number of hours worked in each role. Applications accepted until position is filled.

The National Women's Law Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and values a diverse workforce.  We strongly encourage and seek applications from people with disabilities; people of all genders, gender identities and sexual orientations; people of color; and veterans.

Reasonable Accommodations

If you require reasonable accommodations during any part of the hiring process, please email us at ldiala@nwlc.org.