Associate General Counsel

Who We Are:

The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s mission is to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. The Animal Legal Defense fund accomplishes this mission by filing high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm, providing free legal assistance and training to prosecutors to assure that animal abusers are held accountable for their crimes, supporting tough animal protection legislation and fighting legislation harmful to animals, advocating for strong enforcement of regulations that protect animals and appropriate regulation of industries that impact them, and providing resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law.

Role Description:

You will provide the Animal Legal Defense Fund with guidance and counsel to internal stakeholders on a range of matters, which may include general operations and administration, nonprofit governance, contracts, fundraising, labor and employment, litigation, intellectual property, tax, data privacy and cybersecurity, and lobbying. You will work closely with the General Counsel and other Associate General Counsel at ALDF to protect and support the organization.

How You Will Make a Difference:

• Advising ALDF on all aspects of day-to-day legal issues, including labor and employment, contracts, insurance, intellectual property, nonprofit corporate governance, lobbying, privacy and security, and lobbying.
• Establishing, implementing, and updating ALDF policies and procedures to mitigate risk and ensure compliance with various legal requirements and best practices.
• Providing timely and comprehensive advice on labor and employment matters to the human resources department, to facilitate compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a variety of contracts and other agreements requested by various departments across the organization, and overseeing the contract management function.
• Providing counsel and drafting and reviewing agreements related to charitable fundraising, to ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing charitable solicitation, tax issues, and bequests.
• Drafting memoranda, correspondence, standard operating procedures, policy documents, and other written materials.
• Conducting timely legal research into unique legal issues that arise in the course of operating a nonprofit animal advocacy organization.
• Assisting with various administrative tasks from time to time, including updating internal monitoring systems relating to contracts and lobbying.
• Advising and counseling on various intellectual property matters relating to trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and licensing.
• Consulting, coordinating with, and supervising outside counsel as needed.
• Working with the General Counsel manage the in-house legal department, assisting the General Counsel with the development and management of the annual department budget and developing and implementing new practices to improve efficiency.
• When requested, providing services to the Animal Legal Defense Legislative Fund, an affiliated 501(c)(4) organization.
• Performing other duties as assigned.
• Occasional Travel may be required for organizational retreats or other functions.

We Are Looking for Candidates With:

• J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school and admitted to practice in at least one jurisdiction
• At least 6 years of experience in the practice of law, with prior corporate or transactional experience preferred
• Excellent judgment, prioritization, and time management skills necessary to manage competing requests from a variety of internal stakeholders
• Thorough working knowledge in the following areas is preferred:
• Contracts, including prior experience managing contract workflows as an in-house counsel
• Labor and employment, including prior experience with a multi-state, remote employer or union environment
• Nonprofit governance, tax, and compliance, including prior experience advising public charities on the federal and state laws that apply to them
• Ability to work with minimal guidance and a solutions-oriented mindset
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A clear understanding of and commitment to the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s mission
• Strong attention to detail, integrity, and high ethical standards
• Experience with basic software applications

The application deadline for this position is October 1, 2025

Additional information:

This is a U.S. based position. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) is an equal opportunity employer and committed to providing an employment environment which is welcoming of persons from diverse backgrounds and free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, and in which all legal rights of our employees are recognized and protected. ALDF conducts all internal and external operations, programs, and employment-related decision making (including hiring decisions) without regard to actual or perceived race, ancestry, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, political affiliation, disability or medical condition (including physical, intellectual, or psychiatric), sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, age, or other protected category, and in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws. Consistent with the organization’s mission, our offices and events are free of animal products and byproducts.