Deputy Legal Director for Legal Education & Public Engagement

Position: Deputy Legal Director for Legal Education & Public Engagement

Department: Legal

Office Location:New York, NY; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Los Angeles, CA; or Washington, DC

Type:Per Lambda Legal's Work From Home (WFH) Policy, Work From Office (WFO) and WFH options are available with supervisor approval. Requires readily covering in-person activities including meeting with staff, institutional partners and sponsors, and other in-person activities.

Reports To: Chief Legal Officer

Annual Salary Range:$150,000 - $200,000

Travel: Up to 20%

FLSA Status: Exempt/Full-Time

Who We Are

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Since 1973, Lambda Legal has used impact litigation and other advocacy tools to decriminalize same-sex relationships; challenge discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV in the workplace, in the home, in schools, in health care, and in the military; and protect LGBTQ+ families, including by winning and defending marriage equality. Clients are not charged for legal representation or advocacy and Lambda Legal receives no government funding. Headquartered in New York City, Lambda Legal has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, DC.

We believe that serving the full breadth of the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities requires cultural competency and enthusiasm for diversity of all kinds. To be successful, we must approach our work with an understanding that discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status is not the only obstacle to achieving full formal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV; rather, we recognize the intersectional nature of discrimination, specifically including biases based on race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, education, and class. In light of this reality, we prioritize awareness and proactive commitment to counteracting these biases and their compounding effects.

Deputy Legal Director for Legal Education and Public Engagement

Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer, the Deputy Legal Director for Legal Education and Public Engagement will oversee the operation of the Legal Help Desk, research and publication of legal educational materials, and Lambda Legals National Pro Bono Relationships program, as well as participating as a senior leader of the Legal Department. This is an exciting opportunity to lead expansion of the Legal Departments ability to meet community needs for legal education materials, undertake research projects, and increase pro bono law firm partnerships to grow the departments impact, while also supporting professional development and equitable management for all staff in the Legal Department.

Responsibilities

Management and Supervision

• Oversee the management of Lambda Legal's Help Desk, which provides information and resources relating to discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, and HIV status to thousands of members of the public annually.
• Oversee research for and preparation of public education materials and methods of collaboration with the Communications Department.
• Supervise the Senior Counsel and Pro Bono Relationships Director, who is responsible to provide internal guidance regarding legal and ethical obligations associated with a multi-state, nonprofit, legal practice and to direct Lambda Legal's program of engagement with attorneys who expand the impact of Lambda Legal's work by partnering as pro bono co-counsel with Lambda Legal's attorneys, undertaking research projects, and providing financial support.

Team Leadership and Department Management

• Serve as a leader of the Legal Department, supporting the development and execution of department-wide work and specific projects; serve as a mentor and supporter of department members, modeling inclusive leadership and collaboration.
• Promote a team-oriented culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, continuous professional growth, and job satisfaction.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree required.
• A minimum of fifteen years of experience working in a legal setting, preferably one focused on social justice, including at least ten years of exceptional team leadership.

• Ability to build relationships and work effectively with diverse cross-functional teams.
• Collaborative approach to work and a demonstrated capacity to play well with others, including colleagues in other departments.
• Familiarity with the requirements of a multi-state legal practice, and experience overseeing compliance with legal and ethical obligations.
• Exceptional written and oral advocacy skills, including the ability to address legal and other complex issues in clear, persuasive terms for a wide variety of audiences.
• Comfort working under tight timelines and navigating a variety of stakeholders and competing priorities and interests with grace and good humor, while ensuring quality and accountability.
• Working at Lambda Legal requires a demonstrated awareness of and commitment to the concerns of the breadth of the communities that Lambda Legal serves. Prior work on behalf of the LGBTQ community and/or people living with HIV is highly desirable, and some experience working with historically marginalized communities (in a professional or volunteer capacity) also is desirable. Any successful candidate will welcome the opportunity to work in a gender-diverse and racially diverse environment.

Benefits

Benefits include Short- and Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance, Medical Insurance (Telemedicine included), Dental Insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program all at no cost for the employee-only premium. Employees mayobtain additional coverage for themselves and/or their families including Vision Insurance at a low cost. They also mayenroll in a pre-tax Health Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Dependent Care Account, and Commuter Transit Account. Lambda Legal offers a 403(b)-Retirement Plan with a percentage match from Lambda Legal as outlined in the collective bargaining agreement between Lambda Legal management and the Lambda Unites bargaining unit. Paid time off includes the opportunity to accrue up to 15 days of vacation within the first year, 3 personal and 12 sick. Lambda Legal observes 10 holidays per year and is supportive of observance of religious holidays.

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Read more about Lambda Legal's work on our blog and Instagram.

Lambda Legal believes in creating a more equitable playing field for applicants and values the depth of relevant skills built through successful education, work, and life experiences. If your background and skills are a close match for this position, you are strongly encouraged to apply.

Lambda Legal is committed to further building and maintaining a staff that reflects the full range of LGBTQ+, HIV-affected and allied communities, and is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Lambda Legal encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship or immigration status, disability, veteran status, record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender and gender-diverse people, women, people with abilities in multiple languages, immigrants, people living with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals and individuals living with HIV are all encouraged to apply.