Senior Counsel

The Social Justice Legal Foundation (SJLF) seeks a creative and skilled litigator for the role of Senior Counsel. This is a great opportunity to help develop and lead a docket of trial-focused public interest cases during a period of great threat to civil rights and the rule of law. The Senior Counsel will serve as a litigation expert on our case teams, leading investigations and all aspects of trial and impact litigation against corporate and government actors. We strongly encourage applications from litigators of varied backgrounds who are excited for leadership roles and ready to build and influence the docket of a growing civil rights nonprofit. We will prioritize applications received by May 30 for initial interviews, but the role will remain open until filled.

This role requires an entrepreneurial spirit, initiative, and significant experience developing complex, impact, or enforcement cases and litigating them at all stages from inception to trial. Ideal candidates will also have one or more of the following:

• Substantive expertise in state or federal litigation that protects the rights of underserved or historically excluded groups
• Experience working within coalitions and community partnerships to build trust, identify issues ripe for litigation, and navigate stakeholder needs and views
• Experience developing investigations into corporate or government actors
• Experience within, or relationships with, local and state government offices seeking to enforce civil rights
• Experience leading litigation case teams of 5+ people or multiple co-counsel

Part of our mission is to train young public interest litigators, and we believe that is better done in person, together. This role is also an influential, senior-level role within our small organization. We therefore prefer candidates who can join us in our downtown Los Angeles office three days a week as part of our hybrid work environment. We are open to considering flexible arrangements for the right candidate who can join us in office on a regular schedule.

What You'll Do

Legal Strategy & Docket Development

• With the Executive Director, shape SJLF’s docket of cases to support our mission and programmatic goals
• Develop and maintain external relationships with community partners, advocates, pro bono attorneys, and agencies to better allow SJLF to serve our shared constituencies and identify issues ripe for litigation
• Provide developmental feedback and expertise in reviewing the work of senior attorneys, pro bono counsel, and early-career litigation fellows
• Develop litigation strategy and expertise in emerging areas of threat, including new attacks on civil rights and civil liberties

Impact Trial Litigation

• Handle all phases of complex litigation, including drafting and editing complaints and briefs, managing discovery, taking and defending depositions, arguing motions, and serving as trial counsel
• Edit and review the work of more junior attorneys, serving as go-to resource on litigation strategy and developing the litigation judgment of other team members

What You'll Bring

The following list of core competencies and experiences is meant to provide insight into the general level of experience we seek in candidates. We encourage all qualified candidates and those with relevant or transferable experience to apply, even if you're new to mission-based work, returning to work after a gap in employment, or transitioning from a different sector. If you're passionate about using litigation for systemic change and believe you can fulfill the responsibilities of this role, we welcome your application.

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
• Active membership in good standing with the California State Bar or, if located in another state, membership in good standing of that state’s bar with the ability to become admitted in California as soon as possible
• 8+ years of experience conducting all aspects of civil trial litigation in state and federal courts, some of which will have been against federal or state governments and/or on behalf of classes of plaintiffs
• Experience developing affirmative litigation in state and/or federal courts, including researching potential theories, developing potential clients, and building factual records
• Excellent writing and editing ability with a strong voice and eye for persuasive analysis
• Familiarity with legal doctrines of civil rights or civil liberties litigation
• Demonstrated litigation expertise with experience in all phases of complex civil litigation, including discovery, depositions, dispositive motions, mediations, and trial
• Experience supervising, mentoring, or providing developmental feedback to attorneys at various stages of their careers, including senior attorneys, litigation fellows, and pro bono counsel
• Genuine interest in and ability to think strategically about the role of a litigation-focused nonprofit in meeting community needs and supporting organizers
• Experience successfully managing multiple projects and cases simultaneously and prioritizing competing deadlines under pressure
• Ability to drive litigation strategically and with relative independence
• Comfort with litigation deadlines, including the ability to work occasional long hours based on litigation cycles and periodically travel for cases as needed
• Track record of building strong, trust-based relationships with clients, particularly individuals and communities impacted by systemic injustice, is a plus

What We Offer

We care deeply about making SJLF an incredible place to work, so in addition to competitive pay, we offer great benefits to support our team and are always looking for ways to improve those offerings. Currently, they include:

• 100% employer-covered health insurance for you and 50% covered health insurance for dependents
• 99% covered dental and vision insurance
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave after the first year
• A 403(b) plan with employer contribution
• Health and dependent-care FSAs
• 30 days of combined vacation and sick leave
• 12 paid holidays and a year-end flexible closure between December 25 and January 1
• Short-term disability insurance
• Commuter benefit
• Professional development budget
• This role is also eligible for a language bonus of $3,000 per year if the candidate regularly uses non-English language skills to communicate with our clients or community partners

Beyond those tangible benefits, though:

• You will be part of a growing team at a pivot point for the organization, and you'll have the opportunity to influence our work, culture, and systems for years to come.
• You will work in a learning environment, where we emphasize personal and career growth and support skill development in formal and informal ways.
• You will have significant autonomy in your work, and you will be part of the senior team that is consulted on strategy decisions that affect the organization.