Senior Staff Attorney, Litigation (Two-Year Term) at Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)

Organizational Profile: Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC ("AAJC") is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991. Our mission is to advance the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and to build and promote a fair and equitable society for all. For more than 30 years, we have served as the leading Asian American voice on civil rights issues in our nation’s capital – fighting for the rights of our communities through policy advocacy, litigation, research, public education, and community engagement.

Based in Washington, DC, Advancing Justice | AAJC is a member of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice) affiliation. With our affiliates in Atlanta, Chicago, and Southern California, we work together as equal and independent partners, operate under one name, and strive to speak with one unified and powerful voice to promote justice, empower our communities, bring local and national constituents together, and strengthen our multiracial democracy.

Title: Senior Staff Attorney, Litigation (“Attorney”)

Reports to: Senior Director and Assistant Director of Litigation

Term: Immediately; Two-Year Term

Status: Full-time, Exempt Employee, 40 hours/week

Salary: $110,000-$120,000

This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific terms and conditions of employment are subject to collective bargaining.

Position Summary: The Senior Staff Attorney (“Attorney”), a member of the Litigation team, is an experienced litigator responsible for identifying, developing, and litigating impact cases advancing the civil and human rights of Asian Americans primarily in federal courts. AAJC’s docket includes, but is not limited to, civil rights cases focusing on immigration/immigrant rights (including family reunification), voting rights, and educational equity (Higher Education and K-12). The Attorney must manage cases and pursue litigation with limited supervision. The Attorney will collaborate closely with the litigation, policy, and community engagement teams to advance AAJC’s policy goals through litigation. The Attorney will endeavor to empower vulnerable communities through a multi-pronged approach of impact litigation, amicus briefs, policy advocacy, strategic communications, and movement building, while addressing the needs of the Asian American community and civil rights coalitions. The Attorney will also work with their counterparts at the other Advancing Justice affiliates to ensure alignment with our litigation strategies and to maximize the effectiveness of our collective endeavors.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities

• • Identify, develop, and lead litigation in federal and state courts. Prepare pleadings, motions, and briefs; conduct discovery; present oral arguments; and handle appeals.
  • Strategically, creatively, and boldly use client-driven, community-grounded impact litigation to support AAJC’s policy priorities.
  • Collaborate with staff across the organization, including the Communications, Community Engagement, Research, Development, and relevant policy teams.
  • Assist with and support AAJC’s administrative and legislative advocacy by providing legal analysis and technical assistance to colleagues, in close collaboration with the organization’s policy leads. Provide support to other staff on issues of subject-matter expertise.
  • Develop community education tools, including but not limited to, webinars, trainings, and Know Your Rights (KYR) materials.
  • Serve as a legal/policy expert in coalitions with external partners.
  • Supervise law student interns and legal fellows, and manage external consultants, as needed.
  • Facilitate coordination with pro bono counsel, coalitional partners, and AAJC’s affiliate partners.
  • Work with and help lead junior attorneys on case-specific assignments.
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of strategic communications plans related to litigation issues, including providing content support, responding to press inquiries, and making public speaking appearances as necessary and appropriate.
  • Engage in the development and implementation of Community Partners’ Network strategies, tactics, and activities on litigation issues as necessary and appropriate.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Fundraising

• • Help create and implement a development-supported growth strategy for litigation, to include identifying donor prospects through work with peer organizations and other professional contacts and developing programmatic elements that may be of particular interest to donors/prospects.
  • Work with the Senior Director and Assistant Director to craft project budgets and contribute to the development of grant proposals relating to litigation.
  • Provide content/information for donor communications and materials (donor newsletters, action alerts, special reports from the executive director, social media postings, etc.).

General AAJC Roles

• • Live and exhibit the Values of AAJC, by contributing to an environment that promotes trust, teamwork, and transparency among staff, board, National Advisory Council, affiliates, and community partners.
  • Contribute to, establish, and follow policies and procedures, including maintenance of confidentiality, to ensure that the principles of AAJC are implemented.
  • Participate in and lead decision-making processes, understand outcomes, and be accountable for decisions made in or affecting their program area.
  • Understand the values and principles of AAJC and apply them fully in work responsibilities.
  • Participate in other activities and serve on ad hoc committees as requested.
  • Attend and contribute to AAJC and Board of Directors’ meetings as requested.
  • Be available to travel and work occasional evenings and weekends.

EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Education and Experience

• • J.D. degree from accredited law school and a member in good standing with a state bar association with ability to waive into DC bar.
  • At least six years of litigation experience in federal courts, with experience in immigration/immigrant rights, voting rights, and/or educational equity strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience in the investigation, development, and litigation of impact cases advancing civil rights (including taking and defending depositions, drafting and responding to discovery requests, preparation of expert reports, and trial experience).
  • Significant experience working with coalitions, including a track record of forging alliances and moving people to take collective action.
  • Experience working with diverse groups from various sectors, including individuals with limited English proficiency, community-based organizations, national policy organizations, and government.
  • Experience navigating the litigation process with limited resources and capacity.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• • Ability to meet internal and external deadlines in a fast-paced, rapidly-changing environment.
  • Ability to adapt to changing priorities and balance competing assignments.
  • Ability to operationalize vision, think strategically, creatively solve problems, exercise good judgment, and lead change.
  • Ability to work effectively in case teams, including with co-counsel from other civil rights organizations and pro bono counsel.
  • Excellent writing, research, and communication skills with an ability to perform complex legal analysis to find creative, novel strategies.
  • Experience and knowledge of Asian American and/or civil and human rights issues preferred.
  • Asian language fluency is a plus.

Application Process

Send separate attachments for cover letter, resume, and a short writing sample to Hiring Manager at hiring@advancingjustice-aajc.org or 1620 L Street NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20036. Applications with all three items attached will be considered. Offers will be extended based upon satisfactory reference checks.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC is an equal opportunity employer.

• Health insurance (AAJC pays premium)
• Vision insurance (AAJC pays premium)
• Dental insurance (AAJC pays premium)
• Short-term disability insurance (AAJC pays for basic insurance premium)
• Long-term disability insurance (AAJC pays for basic insurance premium)
• Long-term care insurance (AAJC pays for basic insurance premium)
• Life insurance (AAJC pays for basic insurance premium)
• 401(k) retirement savings plan (plus 3%+ contribution from AAJC after one year)
• Employee Assistance Program
• DeleteMe’s personal information removal service from data broker sites
• 9 federal holidays; day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve off with pay
• Personal days (awarded 3 at the beginning of each calendar year)
• Vacation leave (accrue 2 weeks in year one; 3 weeks in year two, and 4 weeks thereafter)
• Sick leave (accrue one day each month)
• Up to three days of bereavement leave for the passing of specified relations
• Compressed summer schedule, with every other Friday off, regardless of service length
• Commuter benefit (set aside tax-free funds for commuting)
• Wellness stipend ($1,500 per year; taxable)
• Monthly data reimbursement stipend (taxable)
• Professional Development funding
• Other days off with pay at the discretion of the President and Executive Director, such as these observed in the past few years are:
  • Juneteenth off
  • August Fridays off

English fluency. Asian language fluency is a plus.