GLAD - Legal Research and Operations Manager

GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) is New England’s leading legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status, and gender identity and expression. Our work is guided by the values of Justice and Lived Equality; Inclusion, Equity, and Mutual Respect; Anti-Racism; and Collaboration.

GLAD’s Mission, Structure and Values

Through strategic litigation, legislation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLAD works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation. GLAD’s strategic priorities include racial and economic justice, state public policy work, and access to justice.

Headquartered in Boston, MA and governed by a Board of Directors, GLAD operates with a $4 million annual budget and 30+ staff members and interns.

GLAD operates with a commitment to the following core organizational values: Justice and Lived Equality; Inclusion, Equity, and Mutual Respect; Anti-Racism; and Collaboration.

Click through to learn more about GLAD’s work, history, staff, board and values.

About the Organization

GLAD provides a supportive and friendly work environment dedicated to groundbreaking achievement for LGBTQ identifying people and people living with HIV. Recent community support projects include maintaining a general COVID-19 resource list and set of FAQs focused on family protections. GLAD is proud of recent victories modernizing family and parentage laws by introducing or passing legislation in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

Other work in progress is focused on passing the Equality Act through a collaborative effort to extend protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. GLAD has also deepened and sharpened their focus on racial justice work, including through reforming and dismantling systems that we know disproportionately harm LGBTQ BIPOC, such as the criminal justice, juvenile justice, and child welfare systems. GLAD offers staff opportunities to affect change on the interconnections of race and LGBTQ status through their day-to-day work, professional development opportunities, and participation in our Racial and Economic Justice Working Group and GLAD for Economic Opportunity (GEO) committee.

About the Opportunity

GLAD’s Legal Research and Operations Manager will work collaboratively with the Legal department to help provide extensive paralegal, research, and administrative support. The successful candidate will work closely with lawyers in the legal department to help advance our organizational goals and mission. The position will include responsibilities such as legal research policy, medical, social science, and informational research, drafting basic memos and motions, maintaining case files, and collaboratively supervising legal assistants and interns.

The successful candidate may serve as a contact point for clients, conduct an initial assessment, ensure appropriate processing and data entry for referrals and intakes, conduct client screenings, intake interviews, and know your rights presentations. The Legal Research and Operations Manager will make significant contributions to the legal team and help develop policy and legal solutions on a variety of LGBTQ issues.

This role reports to the Chief Legal Strategist and works closely with all members of the Legal team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop a deep understanding of the organization’s programs and projects and substantive areas of law especially those affecting the LGBTQ+ community and those living with HIV

• Perform legal, policy, medical, social science, and informational research, draft motions, letters, and memos

• Work in a collaborative team environment with all GLAD departments.

• Manage research and other projects for the legal department and lawyers

• Cite check and proofread memoranda of law and appellate briefs for filing, as well as train the Department’s legal assistants in these tasks

• Assist legal assistants and legal interns with their work product as needed

• Collaborate on implementing improvements in GLAD’s research systems

• Work collaboratively with various departments within GLAD

• Embrace GLAD’s mission and demonstrate commitment to its organizational values.

Qualifications:

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We know people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below.

Applicants should have a commitment to civil rights and liberties, be self-motivated, and be able to work in a diverse multicultural environment. The successful applicant will be committed to fulfilling GLAD’s mission and aspire to its organizational values. Qualified candidates will have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.

• Proven research and writing abilities including mastering Bluebook legal citation and court rules

• Strong written and oral communication skills

• Excellent organizational and time management skills, and attention to detail

• The ability to collaborate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and communication styles

• Committed to prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion

• Experience with database and/or project management

• Ability to exercise sound judgment, be reliable, and flexible

• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines

Preferred Qualifications:

In addition to the qualities list above, preferred candidates will:

• Have a minimum of three years’ experience as a paralegal or law librarian

• Paralegal certification from an ABA-accredited program or law librarian certification

• Supervisory experience

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products

Compensation and Location:

This is a full time, exempt position with a salary of $85,000.

GLAD offers a robust benefits package including:

• 3 weeks of paid vacation

• 18 holidays

• 401k participation and Safe Harbor contribution

• health and dental insurance

• long term disability insurance

• professional development opportunities

This position is hybrid eligible: a portion of the job duties may be performed remotely, with an expectation of between 3 and 4 days/week in-office (Boston) and otherwise from a home office. Occasional weekend or after hours work and travel may be required.

GLAD requires all new hires to be fully vaccinated (including boosters, if eligible) against COVID-19 by their first day of employment. Employees may request an exemption to this policy as a reasonable accommodation for religious and/or medical reasons.

To Apply

Please submit an up to date resume to our online application portal.

Candidates who advance should expect to have a phone interview with the recruitment team at Positively Partners, followed by a virtual interview with the hiring manager, and a final interview which will include opportunities to meet and engage with the GLAD staff more broadly. The expected start date is spring 2022.

GLAD is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic staff committed to working in a multicultural environment. We encourage applications from people of color, transgender persons, and individuals with disabilities, including HIV.