Staff Attorney - Strategic Litigation

Position Description:

The Human Trafficking Legal Center is seeking a Staff Attorney to join the organization’s strategic litigation program. The strategic litigation program works to combat forced labor and all forms of human trafficking through federal litigation under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.

The Staff Attorney will work with the Senior Staff Attorney for Strategic Litigation on (1) case development focused on forced labor in supply chains; (2) active litigation with partner organizations and pro bono counsel on federal civil human trafficking cases; (3) provision of expert technical assistance to partner organizations and pro bono counsel on civil trafficking cases; (4) appellate advocacy, particularly amicus briefs; (5) community development, including the management of community listservs, the planning and execution of an annual strategic litigation/forced labor convening in Washington, D.C., and monthly civil litigation Zoom meetings; (6) research and analysis on the organization’s federal civil litigation database, and; (7) drafting reports and guides, including publication of the Human Trafficking Legal Center’s Civil Litigation Report. The Staff Attorney is expected to work in the office at least one day each week. The Staff Attorney must be available to travel domestically for hearings and trials.

The Mission:

The Human Trafficking Legal Center is a bridge to justice for trafficking survivors. The Human Trafficking Legal Center connects trafficking survivors with pro bono representation so they can seek justice and thrive. We demand accountability from traffickers, from governments, and from corporations.

Responsibilities:

• Case development of forced labor cases under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA);
• Litigation of forced labor/human trafficking cases with partner firms and organizations, including research, analysis, drafting, and filings;
• Advancement of the amicus brief program, including legal research, drafting, and coordinating with co-counsel;
• Provision of case-specific technical support to civil litigators, including reviewing and editing briefs, organizing and participating in moots, and providing case strategy advice;
• Maintenance of the civil case database, including both the public-facing database and internal federal case tracking;
• Development and maintenance of collaborative relationships with community partners at the domestic and international levels;
• Management of the organization’s International Strategic Litigation Listserv and Civil Litigation Listserv;
• Facilitation of the Human Trafficking Legal Center’s monthly civil litigation Zoom meetings for the Civil Litigation Listserv community;
• Planning of the annual strategic litigation convening in Washington, D.C.;
• Publishing articles, blogs, and reports on developments on civil litigation and developments in the strategic litigation field;
• Drafting and publishing the Civil Litigation Data Update, a five-year report analyzing trends in the civil case database.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school with a strong academic record;
• Admission to a U.S. state bar, in good standing (member or eligibility for membership in the D.C. Bar);
• 3-4 years of legal experience involving federal civil litigation, including clerkships;
• Excellent legal research and writing skills;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Ability to work collaboratively with partner organizations, NGOs, pro bono law firms, legislators, attorneys, and advocates;
• Excellent organizational, time management, and communication skills;
• Attention to detail;
• Ability to work as part of a team;
• Ability to work well under pressure while managing multiple tasks simultaneously;
• Ability to think strategically and creatively;
• Ability to work independently and take initiative;
• Ability and willingness to collaborate across teams and cultures;
• A sense of humor.

Preferred but not required qualifications:

• Federal judicial clerkship preferred;
• Experience in human trafficking work preferred, but not required;
• Experience working with or representing vulnerable populations;
• Experience litigating cases in federal court, including trial experience;
• Fluency in a second language, preferably Spanish.

This is a full-time, salaried position. Regular hours are 9:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday. The Human Trafficking Legal Center has a generous leave and benefits program.

Benefits include three weeks of paid vacation each year, one floating holiday per calendar year, your birthday as a holiday, and five days of sick leave per year. We offer up to twelve weeks of parental leave through the D.C. Paid Family Leave Program. We observe all federal holidays as paid days off, including the Friday after Thanksgiving. The Human Trafficking Legal Center office is closed for a mental health week one week in August each year. The office is also closed between Christmas and New Year; these weeks are considered paid time off. The Human Trafficking Legal Center makes an annual contribution equal to 2% of each employee’s annual earnings to an Ascensus Trust SIMPLE IRA. Employees may also make voluntary contributions to this account each month from pre-tax earnings. The Human Trafficking Legal Center provides 100%-employer-paid medical, dental, and vision care insurance for employees. Employees have the option to pay for coverage of dependents through salary deductions.