Sr. RLDF Counsel

Job Title: Senior RLDF Counsel

Reports to: RLDF Director

FLSA Status: Full Time Exempt

Prepared: January 2026

Fully remote; must be located in the U.S.

If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice is a legal services and advocacy

organization that represents people in crisis, reshapes the law, and builds a network of lawyers working for reproductive justice. If/When/How defends and furthers reproductive justice in courts, capitols and communities. We are creating a future where every one of us has the power and support to make decisions about our bodies, families, and communities, without barriers, coercion or punishment, in safety and with dignity.

The Repro Legal Defense Fund (RLDF) partners with If/When/How as part of a multifaceted strategy to prevent, defend against, and put a permanent stop to the criminalization of abortion and pregnancy outcomes. RLDF aims to make strong defenses available to people who are investigated, arrested, or prosecuted by covering legal costs like attorney’s fees, expert witness costs, bail, and more.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Repro Legal Defense Fund at If/When/How (IWH) seeks a values-aligned and experienced in-house Senior RLDF Counsel to join the RLDF team and contribute to the advancement of the organization’s efforts. The Senior RLDF Counsel will play a key role in helping the RLDF grow its work to support the defenses of people criminalized around the country and will supervise staff and cases.

The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years of experience and is committed to reproductive justice, has represented indigent people in the criminal, family or immigration defense realms, and is excited to handle meaningful work in a supportive, team-oriented, remote work environment.

COMPENSATION: $100,000.00 - $120,000.000

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Client Work

• Conduct confidential, timely and trauma-informed services to RLDF clients, including intake, advocacy, and legal and practical support.
• Maintain contracts, financial documents and process payments for vendors and attorneys.
• Maintain timely records of any advocacy and legal support work in Salesforce
• Work independently on RLDF cases
• Supervise and assign RLDF staff to cases
• Participate in the RLDF on-call rotation and provide coverage on assigned days.
• Research laws and regulations around bail and bond across the country in efforts to support our clients.
• Research and maintain practical support resources and services for referrals.

Public Education:

• Create and collaborate with RLDF staff, internal and external partners on trainings related to RLDF’s work and mission.
• Create and develop written materials about criminalization and RLDF resources.

Supervision Responsibilities:

• Directly supervise RLDF Counsels
• Support RLDF Counsels in their case work
• Support opportunities for professional development, growth, and build relationships with other staff and movement partners.

OTHER DUTIES:

• Perform other RLDF team related duties as assigned
• Participate in staff meetings, department meetings, trainings, and retreats across the organization.
• Participate in committees or working groups that aligns with the core duties of their role, as deemed necessary by their direct supervisor. (e.g. Public Education Working Group)

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Required:
  • J.D. required
  • Bar admission anywhere in the U.S.
  • 3-5 years of experience in direct service provision for indigent people
  • Experience representing indigent people in their criminal, family or immigration defense cases
  • Comfort with public speaking and organizing trainings
• Strongly preferred:
  • Technical knowledge and experience working with CRMs such as Salesforce
  • Spanish language proficiency
  • Supervision experience
  • Experience at a public defender’s office
  • Experience working with bail funds
  • Experience working with abortion seekers in a service, organizing, or support role

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Fluent in written and spoken English
• Commitment to social justice and racial justice/anti-racist principles
• Familiarity with reproductive health, rights, and justice issues and frameworks
• Ability to thrive in a remote workplace and willingness to build relationships virtually
• Collaborative team player with the ability to give and receive constructive feedback
• Demonstrated good judgment with the ability to prioritize, make decisions, predict outcomes and problem solve
• Ability and willingness to keep confidential information and follow security procedures
• Proven ability to lead and develop diverse teams by fostering collaboration, setting clear expectations, resolving conflicts, promoting accountability, and supporting professional growth with strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and cultural awareness.
• Commitment to supporting individuals and communities targeted by state violence for abortion and other pregnancy outcomes
• Self-motivated, independent worker who can prioritize important and time-sensitive tasks.
• Flexibility and adaptability to change and growth.

UNION AFFILLIATION: If/When/How is an unionized workplace. This is a supervisory role, which is not eligible for inclusion in the bargaining unit.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS: Reports to RLDF Director and works closely with the Legal Services Team. Collaborates with the RLDF Counsel and Co-Executive Directors as needed.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: If/When/How maintains a virtual office and supports remote working and flexible workdays, including a 4-day work week. Reimbursements for home office equipment and supplies are available. Occasionally, employees may be expected to be available during off-hours and/or to attend events (e.g., conferences, staff retreats) on nights or weekends. Please note that this role requires the employee to be able to work in and be located within the United States. At this time, we are unable to consider applicants residing outside of the U. S. and/or lacking the credentials to work in the U.S.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Most work will be done on a computer (although attending conferences may require travel and transporting materials and the ability to carry 10 lbs). Requires typing and participating in meetings (live and virtual). Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these and other essential functions of their role.

TRAVEL: Travel will be required to support teamwork and attend staff retreats, conferences, and professional development opportunities on an annual basis.

BENEFITS: If/When/How provides a generous benefits package consisting of fully paid insurance coverage for health, vision, dental, life, and disability; flexible spending accounts (FSA) for health, dependent care, and transportation; retirement plan; sick leave, vacation (starting at 15 days a year, upfront), and holidays; plus, a one-week office closure in December. Employees also receive generous professional development stipends and paid membership to professional associations.

START DATE: Mid-May, 2026

HOW TO APPLY: Applications will be accepted until 5:00 pm ET on February 27, 2026. Interviews may begin sooner than the deadline, but we will consider all applications submitted by the deadline.

Send the following documents in PDF format with subject “Senior RLDF Counsel” to opportunities@ifwhenhow.org:

• Cover letter that (1) speaks to how your experience and skill set meet the qualifications for this role; (2) lists how you heard about this position; and (3) discusses your commitment to social, racial, and reproductive justice;
• Resumé;
• List of three (3) references with contact (name and pronouns) and relationship information (title, where/when you worked together, and LinkedIn profile, if available). Please note that references will not be contacted until the final round of interviews.

OUR HIRING PROCESS:

We value transparency and want to ensure that candidates understand our hiring process. Here’s what you can expect when applying for a position with us:

1. 1. Email Confirmation: When you submit your application via email, you will receive an automatic response confirming receipt of your application materials.
   2. Application Review: The Hiring Manager will review applications and select candidates for phone screening. Due to limited capacity, we can only notify candidates who have moved onto the phone screen round.
   3. Initial Phone Screening: If selected, you will be invited to a brief phone screening (less than 15 minutes) with the Hiring Manager. This conversation is an opportunity for us to learn more about your interest in the position, your knowledge of our organization, and your current experience.
   4. HR Screening: Candidates being considered for Round 1 interviews will meet with our HR team for a 30-minute HR Screening. The purpose of this screening is to evaluate how well you align with our organization's values and work culture.
   5. Round 1 Video Interview: Candidates advancing past the screenings will be invited to a first-round video interview with the Hiring Manager and members of the Hiring Committee. This one-hour interview will dive deeper into your qualifications, experience, and skillset, allowing us to assess your potential fit for the role. You will be notified within one week of your interview if you are not advancing to the next round.
   6. Round 2 Video Interview: A smaller group of candidates will be invited for a second-round video interview with the full Hiring Committee. This interview will explore specific areas of interest or concern, and the Hiring Manager and Hiring Committee will decide by consensus which candidates will be considered finalists.
   7. [Optional] Round 3 Interview or Exercise: Occasionally, finalists will be asked to participate in a third-round video interview and/or to complete a written or spoken exercise. We are mindful of the time and energy you are putting into this process and try to keep any written or spoken exercise short.
   8. Offer Decision: The Hiring Manager, in consultation with the Hiring Committee and HR, will make a final hiring decision. We utilize a Salary Rubric to ensure a fair offer process and aim to extend offers at least two weeks prior to the desired start date. Offers will be made via email and/or phone call.

We strive to provide a clear, consistent, and respectful experience for all candidates throughout the hiring process. A typical hiring process takes 6-8 weeks from job posting.

If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice is an “at-will” and equal opportunity employer, committed to attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional people. We welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences, identities, and educational backgrounds. Applicants and employees shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy and gender expression) identity, color, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance.

If/When/How provides a generous benefits package consisting of fully paid insurance coverage for health, vision, dental, life, and disability; flexible spending accounts (FSA) for health, dependent care, and transportation; retirement plan; sick leave, vacation (starting at 15 days a year, upfront), and holidays; plus, a one-week office closure in December. Employees also receive generous professional development stipends and paid membership to professional associations.

Fluent in written and spoke English

Strongly Preferred:

• Spanish Language Proficiency