Senior Counsel

Position:Senior Counsel

Department:Legal

Office Location:The ideal candidate is located in Dallas, TX (SCRO) or Atlanta, GA (SRO), but we are open to candidates located any of the following states or major metropolitan areas where Lambda Legal has an office: New York, NY (Headquarters); Chicago, IL (Midwest); Los Angeles, CA (Western); or Washington, D.C.

Work Type Designation:Hybrid

Reports to:Senior Counsel or Deputy Legal Director

Union Status:This is not a union position.

Annual Salary Range:$145,000 - $180,000 annually. The salary for this role will be determined by a candidate's years of relevant experience related to the position, as well as their geographic region.

Travel:Up to 30%

FLSA Status:Exempt, Full-Time

Supervisory Responsibilities:May be assigned any of the following based on organizational need: Paralegal, Senior Paralegal, Staff Attorney, Senior Attorney, Counsel.

Who We Are

Lambda Legal is a national advocacy organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Since 1973, Lambda Legal has used impact litigation and other advocacy tools to decriminalize same-sex relationships; challenge discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV in the workplace, in the home, in schools, in health care, and in the military; and protect LGBTQ+ families, including by winning and defending marriage equality. Our clients are not charged for legal representation or advocacy and Lambda Legal receives no government funding. Headquartered in New York City, Lambda Legal also has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, DC.

We believe that serving the full breadth of the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities requires cultural competency and enthusiasm for diversity of all kinds. To be successful, we must approach our work with an understanding that discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status is not the only obstacle to achieving full formal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV; rather, we recognize the intersectional nature of discrimination, specifically including biases based on race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, education, and class. Considering this reality, we prioritize a proactive commitment to counteracting these biases and their compounding effects in the work we do, but also in how we work together as an organization.

Senior Counsel

Senior Counsels at Lambda Legal lead and engage in cutting-edge impact litigation, public policy advocacy, and education furthering Lambda Legal's mission. The Senior Counsel will work independently and collaboratively to help serve Lambda Legal's Regional Office and to further the mission of Lambda Legal nationwide.

What you'll do:

All Lambda Legal attorneys engage in four major areas of work:

• Impact Litigation
  • Devise legal theories and litigation strategy
  • Identify and cultivate litigation opportunities, whether from our legal Help Desk, referrals from private attorneys, media accounts, or in response to government action
  • Conduct litigation in trial and appellate courts with a high degree of independence
  • Provide amicus curiae support through brief writing, coordination, and consultation
  • Consult with private lawyers who are handling matters related to Lambda Legal's areas of expertise
• Public Policy
  • Conceptualize and draft legislative and administrative proposals affecting the LGBTQ+ community or people living with HIV.
  • Track and analyze relevant proposals by others, often under significant time pressure.
  • Provide testimony, administrative and regulatory comments, and letters of support or opposition concerning policy proposals.
  • Work with stakeholders at the local, state, and national levelincluding elected and appointed officials, community leaders, and partner organizations to support or oppose policy proposals.
• Education, Engagement and Outreach
  • Cultivate relationships with key coalition partners and allied organizations.
  • Pursue opportunities to share Lambda Legal's organizational expertise, including by speaking at legal conferences, participating in continuing legal education programs, giving interviews to print, radio, television, and web reporters, and engaging in other public education activities.
• Cross-Department Collaboration
  • Work collaboratively with colleagues in Lambda Legal's Communications and Development Departments to advance knowledge about and gain support for Lambda Legal's efforts to secure full legal and lived equality for LGBT people and everyone living with HIV.

In addition to the above, Senior Counsel is a lead attorney within Lambda Legal and is responsible for the following:

• Participate in the management of the Legal Department including coverage of responsibilities of other senior managers as needed within the department.
• Promote a team-oriented culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, continuous professional growth, and job satisfaction.
• Enter agreements on behalf of Lambda Legal, including retainer, expert, and co-counsel agreements.
• Provide guidance on legal and policy matters considered by the Lambda Legal Board.
• Represent Lambda Legal in legal proceedings, offering legal advice, and negotiating on the organization's behalf.
• Consult with the Chief Legal Officer, the Deputy Directors, and/or other senior department leaders concerning the status of important cases, initiatives, staffing, legal and ethical compliance, and other department concerns.
• Serve as a liaison to external partners including legislative and regulatory bodies.
• Review a high volume of general correspondence, legal opinions, authorizations, instructions, and advisory materials that emanate from the department.
• Build relationships with internal and external stakeholders through a responsive, collaborative, and solutions-oriented approach.
• Supervise, mentor, and delegate tasks to Counsels, Senior Attorneys, Staff Attorneys, and/or Paralegals.

Who you are:

With the understanding that no one person will offer every desired skill and characteristic outlined below, compelling candidates will offer much of the following:

• Must possess a J.D. degree, be licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney
• A minimum of 15 years of experience working in a legal setting, preferably one focused on social justice, including litigation experience and at least 5 years of exceptional team leadership.
• Exceptional written and oral advocacy skills, including the ability to address legal and other complex issues in clear, persuasive terms for a wide variety of audiences.
• Creativity, tenacity, and leadership capacity to develop and execute strategies to advance Lambda Legal's mission.
• Significant experience supervising and mentoring other legal professionals and participating in management of a legal team, including negotiation of client and expert retainers, co-counsel agreements, and other partnership documents or contracts.
• Ability to operate with a high degree of independence and initiative, to work well with others, to meet deadlines, and to manage stressful situations with equanimity.
• Cultural competency and a commitment to addressing the mutually reinforcing forms of discrimination that exist in our society, including discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, immigration status, disability, education and class; successful candidates will demonstrate their appreciation of why we prioritize stopping these forms of discrimination within our work to end discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status.
• Ability toskillfully and empathetically interact with and counsel clients from the broad range of communities that Lambda Legal serves, including communities of color, immigrant communities, and lower-income communities.
• Previous experience managing strategic priorities based on organizational goals, budget considerations, and staffing needs.
• Ability to lead change and strategic efforts, both within and outside Lambda Legal, to meet organizational goals.
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to implement organizational vision.
• Spanish language proficiency is a plus.

Successful candidates will welcome the opportunity to work in a racially- and gender-diverse environment and to contribute to a positive and inclusive atmosphere. Working at Lambda Legal requires a demonstrated awareness of and commitment to the concerns of the breadth of the communities that Lambda Legal serves. Prior work on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community and/or people living with HIV is highly desirable. Experience working with other historically marginalized communities (in a professional or volunteer capacity) is also desirable.

All employees at Lambda Legal are expected to adhere to ethical conduct in all interactions and tasks, ensuring a positive and respectful workplace environment.

Why Work at Lambda Legal?

You get to do meaningful, life-changing work at a national level for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV. Lambda Legal also proudly offers competitive benefits for our team. We understand that our staff's dedication and effort are instrumental in achieving our mission. A highlight of the benefits we offer include:

• Medical benefits that begin on your start date
• Dental, Vision, and Life insurance (effective 30 days from your start date)
• Short & Long-Term Disability plans (effective 30 days from your start date)
• 403(b) Retirement Plan (employer contribution and matching program begins after 90 days of employment)
• Paid Time Off:
  • Paid Vacation (15 Days)
  • Sick Leave (12 Days)
  • Personal Leave (3 Days)
  • Religious Observance Leave (3 Days)
  • Bereavement and Bereavement Anniversary Leave
  • Floating Holiday (1 Day)
• 12 paid holidays and 5 early office closures
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA/DC FSA) and Commuter Benefits
• Health Reimbursement Account
• Annual professional development fund
• $50 monthly mobile phone reimbursement
• Summer Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day
• Premium subscription to the Calm App
• Paid sabbatical after 7 years of service at Lambda Legal (4 weeks for non-exempt positions and 8 weeks for exempt positions)

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Read more about Lambda Legal's work on our blog and Instagram.

Lambda Legal believes in creating a more equitable playing field for applicants and values the depth of relevant skills built through successful education, work, and life experiences. If your background and skills are a close match for this position, you are strongly encouraged to apply.

Lambda Legal is committed to further building and maintaining a staff that reflects the full range of LGBTQ+, HIV-affected and allied communities, and is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Lambda Legal encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship or immigration status, disability, veteran status, record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender and gender-diverse people, women, people with abilities in multiple languages, immigrants, people living with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals and individuals living with HIV are all encouraged to apply.