Senior Attorney or Counsel

Position: Senior Attorney or Counsel

Department: Legal

Office Location: The ideal candidate is located in Atlanta, GA

Work Type Designation: Hybrid

• Generally, employees can live in any of the states that fall within the Combined Statistical Area (CSA) boundaries of their Office of Record as long as they reside within three (3) hours of their Office of Record by ground transportation or ferry. Exceptions may be possible. These states include California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C. 
• Work from Office and Hybrid employees must be able to commute to the Regional Office as their schedule demands. 

Report To: Senior Counsel

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

Annual Salary Range: 

• L7 = $98,154 - $132,044
• ​​​L8 = $117,981 - $145,249 

The salary for this role will be based on a step scale and 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: Full-Time / Exempt

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 

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

What you'll do:

This Lambda Legal attorney position is responsible for 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, in response to government action, or other sources   
  • Conduct litigation in trial and appellate courts with a high degree of independence   
  • Provide amicus curiae support through brief writing and coordination   
  • Consult with private lawyers who are handling matters related to Lambda Legal’s areas of expertise  
  • Preparing deposition and trial materials in office when needed with Legal team members 
• Public Policy 
  • Conceptualize and draft legislative and administrative proposals affecting the LGBTQ+ community and/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 levels including 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 speaking  
• 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 LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV   

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:   

• J.D. degree and admission to practice law in Georgia. 
• Minimum of six years of experience practicing law to be considered for the Senior Attorney title or a minimum of nine years of experience practicing law to be considered for the Counsel title. 
• Strong 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 
• 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 to skillfully 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    
• Ability to operate with a high level of independence and initiative, to work well with others, to meet deadlines, and to manage stressful situations with equanimity 
• Prior work on behalf of LGBTQ+ people and/or people living with HIV and/or experience working with other historically marginalized communities is preferred 
• Trial experience is a plus 
• Teaching or training experience is a plus 
• Leadership or supervisory experience of other legal professionals is a plus 
• 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 
• $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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