Senior Attorney or Counsel, Public Education

Position: Senior Attorney or Counsel, Public Education

Department: Legal

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

Work Type Designation: Hybrid

Reports To: Deputy Legal Director for Legal Education and Public Engagement

Union Status: L7 or L8. This is a union position.

Annual Salary Range: 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. Our salary scale steps start at 1 year or less and go up to 30+ years of experience.

• L7 = $98,154 - $153,184
• L8 = $117,981 - $168,502

Travel: Up to 30%

• This role requires periodic travel for such things as public education events and engaging in other in-person advocacy coalition and other community gatherings; and educational activities like conferences and staff retreats.
• Lead or participate in in-person trainings and onboarding sessions for staff, interns, and volunteers, offering hands-on guidance in delivering “Know Your Rights” content and conducting community outreach;
• Represent Lambda Legal in office-based briefings and visits with donors, partners, and other stakeholders, strengthening relationships through live interaction and showcasing public education initiatives

FLSA Status: Exempt / Full Time

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 Attorney or Counsel, Public Education:

The Senior Attorney or Counsel, Public Education is a principal driver of Lambda Legal’s legal education efforts to ensure that LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV are informed, empowered, and equipped to assert their rights. This role combines legal acumen with public engagement and strategic outreach to advance legal literacy, promote community resilience, and support systemic change through public education.The ideal candidate brings both independent initiative and collaborative spirit, with the ability to design and implement high-impact education campaigns while working closely with colleagues across legal, policy, and communications teams. This position plays a vital role in advancing Lambda Legal’s mission to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV.

What you'll do:

Legal Education Content Development

• Lead and support the design and delivery of community legal education initiatives, including “Know Your Rights” (KYR) presentations, materials, and trainings.
• Draft and refine public-facing legal education content—such as fact sheets, FAQs, toolkits, web-based case and issue pages, blog posts, and guides—tailored to diverse LGBTQ+ and HIV-affected communities.
• Ensure education materials are legally accurate, up-to-date, and accessible to a wide range of literacy levels.
• Oversee translation of legal education resources to ensure accessibility across languages.

Collaborative Strategy and Messaging

• Partner with communications, legal, and policy teams to ensure education content aligns with Lambda Legal’s broader advocacy goals and messaging.
• Serve as a department liaison to the Communications department
• Co-develop multimedia and social media content in collaboration with the communications team and legal department members to expand the accessibility and reach of public education efforts.

Legal and Policy Monitoring

• Stay current on emerging legal trends and policy developments impacting LGBTQ+ communities and people living with HIV.
• Assess and interpret changes in law or administrative policy to inform updates to KYR curriculum and outreach materials.
• Translate complex legal shifts into clear, actionable guidance for non-lawyer audiences.

Rapid Response and Crisis Education

• Provide legal education support for internal and external affairs during moments of crisis or heightened community need, such as targeted enforcement actions or new legislation.
• Lead or coordinate rapid-response KYR briefings and community outreach in collaboration with legal, policy, communications, and regional program staff.

Evaluation and Impact Tracking

• Support internal reporting and grant compliance through data collection and narrative summaries of public education activities.
• Gather and analyze community feedback to inform content design and delivery.
• Maintain records of outreach events, trainings participation, and materials dissemination to measure impact and identify areas for growth.

Training and Capacity Building

• Mentor and support colleagues engaged in KYR and community education work.
• Train staff, community leaders, and volunteers to deliver KYR presentations and materials.
• Develop toolkits and training curricula to support partner organizations in replicating KYR programs independently.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

• As circumstances and resources permit, cultivate and sustain partnerships with community-based organizations, educators, service providers, and faith groups to broaden the reach of Lambda Legal’s public education initiatives.
• Plan, oversee, and/or conduct community listening sessions, legal clinics, and collaborative outreach to ensure programming is grounded in relevant lived experiences and responsive to local needs.

Counsels shall be required to satisfy all the criteria listed above specified for Senior Attorneys, as set forth in their position description, with their respective criteria for success. In addition, they will be responsible for administrative supervision and management, when applicable, and a demonstration of leadership in the department.

Who you are:

Minimum competencies and qualifications:

Legal Experience and Expertise

• J.D. Degree from an ABA-accredited law school
• License to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• A minimum of six years of legal practice experience for the Senior Attorney level, or at least nine years for the Counsel level.

Mission-Aligned Legal Strategy and Advocacy

• Strong legal research, analysis, and writing skills, with the ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly and persuasively to a variety of audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic legal or advocacy initiatives aligned with organizational mission and goals.

Organizational and Leadership Skills

• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with attention to both detail and big-picture strategy.
• Creativity, initiative, and leadership potential to shape and drive impactful public education strategies.

Commitment to Mission and Equity

• A deep commitment to Lambda Legal’s mission and to advancing the rights of LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV.
• Demonstrated cultural humility and competence, particularly in working across communities affected by intersecting forms of oppression, including racism, sexism, classism, xenophobia, and ableism.

We recognize that no one candidate will possess every qualification listed below. However, compelling candidates will demonstrate many of the following:

Community Engagement and Communication

• Experience designing and delivering legal education content, community trainings, or “Know Your Rights” materials tailored to diverse populations.
• Prior experience advocating for LGBTQ+ communities, people living with HIV, and/or other historically marginalized groups.
• Background in journalism, media, or related communications fields is preferred, especially with experience crafting accessible, public-facing content.
• Comfort and fluency with digital platforms, including social media, web content, and multimedia formats.

Relationship Building and Counseling

• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage respectfully and empathetically with clients, community partners, and coalition members.
• Experience working with communities of color, immigrant communities, lower-income individuals, and other underrepresented groups.

Language Skills

• Fluency in Spanish or another language in addition to English is a strong 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.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 funds
• $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.

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