Senior Staff Attorney

Position Overview  

Title: Senior Staff Attorney or Senior Counsel  

Reports to: Litigation Director or Legal Director 

Type: Full-Time, Exempt, Bargaining Unit Position  

Location: Remote, U.S.  

Projected Salary: $99,130.98 - $117,585.46 

TLDEF seeks a Senior Staff Attorney to join its growing Legal Program. The Senior Staff Attorney (or Senior Counsel, depending on experience) will develop and litigate cases designed to defend our communities where it matters most. This position also involves opportunities to participate in other forms of advocacy.  

Primary Responsibilities 

In this role, you will spend most of your time on litigation, serving as lead counsel in three to five matters. Currently, our docket focuses on access to healthcare, housing, shelter, name change, identity documents, and safer jail conditions for trans and nonbinary people. Your main responsibilities will include: 

• Developing legal strategy. Selecting and developing new cases, anticipating and resolving strategic decisions in ongoing cases, participating in long-term planning.  
• Leading and participating in all phases of impact litigation. Pre-litigation administrative advocacy, investigation, pleadings, motion practice, discovery, trials, appeals, settlement negotiations, and mediations. 
• Writing amicus briefs. 
• Training and mentoring staff and recruiting and supervising legal interns.  
• Consulting and collaborating with state and local partners. 
• In collaboration with colleagues in Communications, State Policy, Federal Policy, Public Education, Research, and Mobilization departments, use holistic strategies to achieve the goals of our clients and communities. Drafting know-your-rights materials, participating in coalitions, and participating in events. 
• Serving as a TLDEF spokesperson to both expert and lay audiences as needed by the Strategic Communications and Public Education Departments. Interacting with reporters and journalists and presenting at conferences, CLEs, and other public forums.  
• In collaboration with Litigation and Legal Team colleagues, supporting the work of the team overall. Maintaining detailed case and client records, serving on hiring committees, and thinking proactively about how to improve internal systems, policies, goals, and approaches. 
• In collaboration with all colleagues, helping to make TLDEF’s work equitable, sustainable, and excellent. Participating in planning processes, team building, anti-racist organizational development, documentation and compliance duties, and fundraising.  
• Other duties as assigned.  

Required Qualifications  

TLDEF acknowledges that applicants from communities that have been historically marginalized are less likely to apply for positions unless they feel that they completely meet all qualifications listed in a job description. We understand that an ideal candidate might not completely meet the criteria listed below or be equally proficient in each area; we especially encourage applicants who are impacted by TLDEF’s work to submit their application anyway.  

• Admitted to practice law in a U.S. jurisdiction.  
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analysis skills.  
• 8 to 12 years of federal civil litigation experience, preferably involving both statutory and constitutional issues at both trial and appellate levels. At least 6 of those years should be after law school and in a U.S. jurisdiction.  
• Experience using litigation as a tool to benefit large numbers of people, advance a cause, support a movement, or change the law.  
• Experience as lead counsel or the only lawyer for your clients. 
• Substantial experience in most of these areas: 
• Using negotiation or mediation to resolve disputes 
• Taking and defending depositions 
• Briefing and arguing motions and appeals 
• Mentoring junior attorneys and legal workers 
• Conducting and managing discovery 
• Leading a team of co-counsel 
• Strong grasp of federal procedure, rules of professional conduct, and at least some of the key causes of action used in trans rights cases, such as Title VII, Title IX, Fair Housing Act, § 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, 42 U.S.C. §1983, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fourteenth Amendment, the First Amendment, and the Eighth Amendment.  
• Demonstrated interest in and commitment to issues impacting trans and nonbinary people. 
• Awareness of the current legal and political climate for trans and nonbinary communities.  
• Capacity to think creatively and strategically about how to use litigation and alternative dispute resolution to advance equity for trans and nonbinary communities. 
• Competency at working respectfully and effectively with trans and nonbinary people who are BIPOC, people with disabilities, incarcerated or formerly incarcerated, and low or no income. 
• Strong interpersonal communication skills that enable you to develop positive relationships with clients, pro bono partners, and movement leaders. Commitment to resolve conflict from a place of integrity, humility, and compassion.  
• A keen understanding of power and privilege and a willingness to accept input and feedback, especially from clients, colleagues, community members, and those impacted by TLDEF’s work.  
• Ability to think critically about intersectional and systemic issues, including but not limited to transphobia, sexism, racism, classism, ableism, and xenophobia, and translate those thoughts into action.  
• Ability to set priorities and juggle multiple deadlines.  
• Proficient in Microsoft applications, legal research tools, and Internet research.  
• Ability to occasionally travel in the U.S. 

Preferred Qualifications and Skills 

• Litigation experience in trans rights, civil rights, civil liberties, discrimination, police misconduct, prisoners’ rights, healthcare access, voting rights, environmental justice, reproductive rights, disability rights, or LGBTQI+ rights. 
• Supreme Court advocacy experience. 
• Trial advocacy experience. 
• Experience communicating about trans and nonbinary communities and issues to diverse audiences. 
• Experience collaborating with community-based organizations and/or litigating or providing services in the U.S. South or Midwest.  
• Fluency or proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English. 
• Proficiency with case management and discovery software. 
• Experience working with medical experts or reviewing medical literature or records.