Staff Attorney

About LWVUS:

The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS, the League) is a nonpartisan political organization that has fought for more than 100 years to improve American systems of government and impact public policies through citizen education, advocacy, and litigation. The enduring vitality and resonance of the League as a trusted force for change and good government comes from its unique decentralized structure: a national organization with strong partnerships at the grassroots level with more than 700 state and local Leagues across the country including the District of Columbia.

At the national level, League activities are coordinated and staffed by two distinct but complementary organizations: The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) and the League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF).

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Staff Attorney is expected to show a high level of leadership capability and expertise in working collaboratively at all levels of the organization. The staff attorney is responsible for shaping solutions and formulating policy guidance for legal issues relating to our core and urgent issues determined by our membership. The League's core issue work includes voting rights, redistricting and census, improving elections, and campaign finance. Our urgent policy issues cover immigration, healthcare, climate change, gun safety, the national popular vote, and the electoral college. The individual will benefit from broad exposure or familiarity with these policy issues.

In this role, the individual will manage staff and the federal litigation portfolio, support and build out a state litigation portfolio, coordinate legal research with legal interns and legal partners, and oversee legal intern hiring and work plan development. Additionally, the staff attorney represents the organization with internal and external audiences. The successful candidate will have a clear desire to work at a nonprofit doing primarily legal case management work. This role will also work closely with the senior manager of policy and legislative affairs, as needed, and the person must have experience supporting state leaders or clients with litigation across multiple states. Oversight will require daily review and tracking for procedural updates and keeping our state leader-clients updated on case progress. Candidates must show an ability to think strategically and critically through emerging legal issues. 

The Staff Attorney will report to the Chief Counsel, Senior Director of Advocacy and Litigation, and plays a crucial role in the department. The goal of our work is to balance the needs of our membership and protecting our nonpartisan policy with often complex electoral and civil rights issues. As a member of the department, the individual will also develop a range of education and training materials, plan litigation webinars to disseminate research and legal findings, and to develop recommendations for public consumption. This is an opportunity for a seasoned attorney with management experience and a demonstrable interest in working long-term in the public advocacy, nonprofit, and civil rights law space. 

This position is a grant-funded position per fiscal year (July 1 - June 30) with potential renewal based on performance, need, and funding.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provide advice and training to other members of litigation team including policy team, law clerks, and legal interns.
• Supports implementation of League political strategies and policy positions, primarily on election reform and voting rights issues.
• Assists Chief Counsel in assessing prospective state and federal litigation (as a party or amicus) around core issues and urgent issues.
• Works with allied organizations to forward League policies, strategies, and mission.
• Represents the organization in oral and written briefings for Leagues, coalition partners, and allies.
• Works alongside other departments, including communications, to draft press releases, issue-specific policy reports, fact sheets, action alerts, talking points, issue briefs, op-eds for states.
• Approves legal intern work plans and relevant evaluations required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS:

• J.D. from an accredited national law school and admission to any state bar in the United States.

• Minimum of three years of experience as an attorney; voting rights experience in either a traditional law firm, nonprofit, or government setting is a plus.
• Demonstrable commitment to working with and in diverse communities and promote DEI in the workplace.
• Evidence of strong organizational skills and an ability to track a high volume of information at the local, state, and federal level.
• Ability to conduct comprehensive research and translate legalese into plain language for non-legal audiences.
• Ability to multitask, balance competing needs, pay attention to detail and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work with and center historically marginalized communities of different cultures and backgrounds. This includes having a mature understanding of how structural racism and prejudice impact marginalized communities and balancing the appropriate role for the League.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including a commitment to teamwork and collaboration.
• Experience working with volunteers preferred.
• Willingness to travel, work evenings, weekends, as needed.
• Personal and professional alignment with the LWVUS’s mission and values.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: 

Licensed attorney in good standing in at least one state in the United States. 

SALARY AND BENEFITS: 

The starting salary is $75,000 which will be adjusted to align with experience. The position also comes with a generous benefits package that includes 95 percent employer-sponsored health insurance, dental and vision insurance, paid holidays, vacation days, sick days, pre-tax transit benefits, and the opportunity to contribute to a 401(k) plan.

LOCATION: 

This position is based in Washington, DC. Due to the ongoing public health crisis, LWVUS staff will be working remotely until advised that it is safe to return to work. During this period of remote work, we are working with staff members on an individual basis to set up flex schedules if needed for childcare or other care commitments.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The League of Women Voters of the United States is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace based on equal opportunity. The League is committed to hiring staff that reflects this country's full range of racial, ethnic, cultural, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic identity; a workplace where true diversity is fostered, and different perspectives are valued and freely exchanged. We actively seek and encourage women, minorities, persons with disabilities, immigrants, including DACA recipients, and individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. 

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La Liga de Mujeres Votantes de los Estados Unidos está comprometida con un lugar de trabajo diverso e inclusivo basado en la igualdad de oportunidades. La Liga se compromete a contratar personal que refleje la gama completa de la raza, etnia, cultura, orientación sexual y la identidad socioeconómica de este país; un lugar de trabajo donde se fomenta la verdadera diversidad y se valoran e intercambian libremente diferentes perspectivas. Buscamos y alentamos activamente a las mujeres, las minorías, las personas con discapacidades, los inmigrantes, incluyendo los beneficiarios de DACA y las personas de comunidades tradicionalmente subrepresentadas, a aplicar.

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply for this position, please send resumes to [email protected] with "Staff Attorney” in subject line. Candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. If you have questions about this position, please direct them to the same email. No phone calls please.