Assistant or Senior Counsel, Strategic Initiatives

Job Description

Job Description

The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the country’s first and foremost civil and human rights law organization. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, who subsequently became the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread state-sponsored racial inequality. From that era to the present, LDF’s mission has been transformative—to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society.

LDF’s litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education programs in the substantive areas of criminal justice, economic justice, education, and political participation seek to ensure the fundamental and basic human rights of all people to quality education, economic opportunity, the right to vote and fully participate in democracy, and the right to a fair and just judicial system. LDF continues to make an impact in the area of public service and was recognized by Fast Company as one of its 2023 Brands That Matter under its public service category.

The Strategic Initiatives Department at LDF seeks an experienced attorney to join LDF as Assistant or Senior Counsel. The Assistant or Senior Counsel will bring litigation expertise to the Justice in Public Safety Project and the Pro Truth Initiative within SID. The Assistant or Senior Counsel will also develop best practices in integrating litigation with community organizing and policy advocacy. Other matters may be assigned pursuant to departmental and/or organizational needs. The Assistant or Senior Counsel will report to either the Director or Deputy Director of SID.

LDF operates in a hybrid work environment where employees are expected to be in the office a minimum of two days per week, unless otherwise indicated.

Responsibilities:

• Litigating racial justice issues, with a special emphasis on matters pertaining to public safety, policing, and the criminalization of Black people; the censorship of programs and curricula benefiting Black students in K-12 and higher education; and the censorship of exhibits, displays, and speech pertaining to a truthful and inclusive articulation of history;
• Working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams of LDF attorneys, community organizers, policy advocates, communications specialists, and researchers as a litigator to develop and sustain a multi-disciplinary and community-informed approach to various advocacy efforts on racial justice issues in the Strategic Initiatives Department;
• Developing, leading, supervising, consulting, and advising on complex, civil rights impact cases in federal and state courts and after administrative bodies;
• Drafting petitions for certiorari, merits briefs and amicus briefs in the United States Supreme Court, other federal courts, and state courts that bear significantly on issues within the Strategic Initiatives Department;
• Investigating potential claims, preparing complaints, participating in motion practice, discovery, hearings and oral arguments, trials and appeals;
• Supervising, assisting, and managing litigation teams that include LDF staff attorneys, organizers, cooperating counsel, fellows, legal interns, and others from within and outside of LDF;
• Serving as a public thought leader on issues confronting Black communities in America;
• Representing LDF in the media, at conferences, and in other public venues;
• Developing and maintaining relationships with community partners, coalition members, and legal allies;
• Assisting in creating and implementing multi-pronged strategic plans using litigation, organizing, public education, legislation, policy advocacy, and strategic communications;
• Preparing policy reports, memoranda, briefing papers, public education materials, and talking points for internal and external use;
• Assisting LDF colleagues in developing skills in integrated, impact litigation and the other interdisciplinary advocacy strategies necessary to effect change;
• Fostering relationships with other advocates, lawyers, and civil rights organizations;
• Travel as necessary, when conditions permit; and
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor degree;
• Minimum of years of seven (7) litigation experience for Assistant Counsel and minimum of ten (10) years litigation experience for Senior Counsel
• Admission to the New York, District of Columbia, or Georgia Bar pursuant to office location (or eligibility to waive in);
• Demonstrated commitment to the racial justice mission of LDF and civil rights;
• Outstanding legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills;
• Broad, relevant litigation experience at the trial and appellate level (exposure to class action litigation is a plus);
• Experience working with organizers, policy advocates, and non-attorney staff in collaboration with community-based partners in a holistic and comprehensive advocacy strategy;
• Federal and/or state advocacy experience relating to issues affecting communities of color, especially Black communities;
• Public speaking experience after a wide range of audiences;
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently;
• Supervisory and case management experience with an interest in and commitment to the professional development, training, and support of attorneys, legal interns, and administrative staff;
• Capacity to analyze and articulate legal concepts and other complex issues to a wide range of audiences;
• Fluency in discussing racial justice issues in multiple settings and venues;
• A vision for attacking persistent barriers to full access and equality for people of color, and Black people in particular;
• Ability to think creatively and “outside the box” to advance comprehensive and holistic advocacy strategies; and
• Respect for impacted people and the expertise and insight they bring to racial justice advocacy.

The total salary range for this position for candidates with 7-15 years post-law school graduation, exclusive of compensation for additional administrative responsibilities where applicable, is the following and will be commensurate with experience: 

New York: $147,000 - $192,000

Washington D.C. : $141,000 - $184,000

Atlanta: $128,000 - $166,500

This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements, or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.   This description does not constitute a contract of employment, and LDF may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.

LDF offers all eligible employees a generous benefits package.  To learn more, click the following link: 2026 Benefits Overview.

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The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to you without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, age, veteran status, medical condition or disability, genetic information, gender identity, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local law.