Senior Attorney, Legal Advocacy Team

National Center for Youth Law 

The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) amplifies youth power, dismantles racism and other structural inequities, and builds just policies, practices, and culture in support of young people. Our efforts advance justice through research, community collaboration, impact litigation, and policy advocacy that fundamentally transforms our nation's approach to education, health, immigration, foster care, and youth justice. Our vision is a world in which every young person thrives and has a full and fair opportunity to achieve the future they envision for themselves. 

Legal Advocacy Team 

NCYL’s Legal Advocacy team engages in impact litigation across all the issues on which NCYL works. The team brings systemic cases to improve systems that serve children and youth, often in collaboration with other public interest law firms and with support from pro bono partners. Most of our cases are filed in federal court, but we do litigate in state court when appropriate.

Position 

NCYL seeks to hire a dynamic and experienced impact litigator to lead and staff existing cases and develop new impact litigation on behalf of children and youth in a changing landscape characterized by increasing attacks on our civil rights. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to and develop litigation in the areas of education, child welfare, health, mental health, reproductive equity, juvenile justice, and immigration. We are seeking a highly motivated attorney interested in litigating across our practice areas. This role will focus on systemic litigation but may support NCYL’s other core program areas as they relate to our ongoing litigation efforts. This is a unique opportunity for advocates who want to use litigation to transform and dismantle government systems that often violate the rights of vulnerable children and youth. 

Required Qualifications 

• J.D. Degree 
• Admitted to practice law in the United States 

Other Qualifications 

A minimum of 7+ years of experience in civil rights litigation or issues involving public systems affecting children and youth (federal court civil litigation or comparable experience, including demonstrated knowledge of procedural and substantive law relating to the litigation of constitutional rights and statutory claims and class actions)  

• Experience working with young people of color and their families 
• Commitment to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion and ability to bring a racial justice lens to our work 
• Excellent legal research, analysis, fact investigation, drafting and editing skills 
• Strong leadership skills including the ability to manage complex projects, delegate effectively and take responsibility for decisions 
• Subject matter expertise in at least one of NCYL’s issue areas 
• Ability to develop new legal theories or extend existing precedent to new issues  
• Experience supervising and mentoring junior attorneys and/or non-legal staff 
• Ability to collaborate with non-litigating NCYL staff to ensure our litigation is informed by and advancing the goals of our campaigns 
• Clear and persuasive oral and written communication skills, including the ability to develop rapport and influence others 
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team 
• Proficiency in written and spoken Spanish preferred 

Physical Requirements 

Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. This position requires the ability to work remotely and may require some travel. 

Salary, Benefits, and Location 

This is a full-time, exempt position. Salary is competitive at either $122,731.00 or $135,055.00 annually, based on the applicant’s knowledge, skills and abilities. A geographic salary differential may be applied if the candidate resides somewhere other than the Oakland, CA, Los Angeles, CA, or Washington, DC metro areas. 

NCYL provides a robust benefits package including health, dental, vision, and life insurances, generous vacation and sick benefits, paid family leave, flexible spending account, commuter benefits, employer contribution to a retirement plan, paid sabbatical, and short-term and long-term disability insurance. 

Candidates must reside in, or be willing to relocate to, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Virginia, Washington DC or Wisconsin. 
 
This position is eligible for 100% remote work through June 30, 2023. It is possible that in July of 2023, NCYL will require people to work in an office, in which case they will need to be in a location where they can commute to a NCYL office regularly (DC, Los Angeles, Oakland or Sacramento).  

How to Apply 

Please submit a cover letter and resume at the link below. Please, no emails or calls. 

Applicants with lived experience within any of our practice areas, and Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, are strongly encouraged to apply. 

It is the policy of NCYL to provide equal employment opportunities to all Applicants (including Employees) regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding, national origin, age, abilities/disabilities, neurotypicality, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, prior convictions, or any other protected classifications under federal, state, or local law.