Executive Director

Seeking: Executive Director of the New York City Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, the oldest human rights bar association in the United States.

The NLG-NYC has a proud history. For over 88 years, the NLG has provided support for the struggles for racial justice, civil rights and workers’ rights. The NLG was the first organization to send lawyers to the South to support the fight for desegregation and voting rights; the NLG was the first national bar organization to oppose the Vietnam War.

In the 60’s and 70’s the NLG provided legal support to the anti-war movement, the struggle for Native American rights, the women’s rights movement, the gay liberation movement, and the struggles for civil rights and black liberation

In the 80’s, the NLG provided legal support for anti-nuclear activists and to those supporting liberation in Latin America and the rights of immigrants in the US. In 1986, the NLG published the first legal handbook in response to AIDS discrimination and the legal impacts of the HIV/AIDS crisis.

In the 1990s and into the 21st century the NLG and its members provided cutting-edge strategies in the legal response to police misconduct.

In recent years the NLG-NYC has led the effort to provide legal support for the major anti-war and anti-globalization demonstrations; NLG members in NYC and across the country have joined the fight to stop abuses of governmental power such as those contained in the Patriot Act; and the fight to protect immigrants and racial minorities from scapegoating and racial profiling.

Duties of the Executive Director: The Executive Director is responsible for the operation and administration of the programmatic work of the Chapter, and reports to the Executive Committee, which is elected by the general membership and meets monthly.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• maintain and build membership;
• collaborate with the Executive Committee, preparing agendas for the board meetings;
• assist with fundraising, including dues collection, annual holiday party, annual end-of-year appeal, and, together with the Spring Fling committee, producing the Chapter’s annual Spring Fling dinner event, as well as assist with other fundraising events and initiatives;
• manage communications, including the chapter’s newsletter (with a goal of assisting the EC to produce four annually), website and social media;
• manage the financial records of the organization, including general bookkeeping, monthly financial statements, and providing information for year-end tax filings;
• produce an annual draft budget, with the Treasurer;
• manage the chapter’s membership database, currently Wild Apricot;
• facilitate and assist with the chapter’s programmatic work, including the work of its Committees, public events and training courses;
• maintain CLE Provider Status by issuing Certificates of Attendance, maintaining records of programs and reporting to the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board;
• assist the EC and Chapter committees with providing continuing legal education programs, pursuant to goals established by the EC;
• assist and facilitate the work of the National Lawyers Guild’s law school chapters, and the NLG-NYC’s Mass Defense Committee Legal Observer Program;
• answering inquiries from members and the public;
• regular supervisory meetings, along with reporting to the supervising EC members and to the EC at monthly EC meetings; and
• other tasks as determined by the Executive Committee.

Qualifications: Three years of non-profit experience as a community organizer or as an executive director on behalf of organizations seeking progressive/social/political/legal change, or comparable experience. Interest and accomplishments in fundraising is desirable. Excellent computer skills and managerial skills, public speaking and writing skills. And most of all, an abiding commitment to the progressive goals of the National Lawyers Guild.

Desired

• Experience working in a membership organization.
• Experience working with membership databases.
• Experience working with individuals in the legal profession.
• Experience working in a team-based organization that employs collaborative working and decision-making strategies.
• Experience developing and/or implementing a media plan.

Apply Now

The NLG-NYC is an equal-opportunity employer. The Chapter’s commitment to the principles of equity, justice, and non-discrimination dates to its inception. We encourage anyone interested in the position to apply.

Please include a cover letter and resume. The resume review date will begin March 1, with ongoing review of resumes until the position is filled.

The National Lawyers Guild employees are members of the National Organization of Legal Service Workers, UAW Local 2320, subject to a collective bargaining agreement. The position may require occasional weekend or evening work. The employer pays full medical benefits. Starting benefits include four weeks ’vacation and seven personal days annually.