Litigation Director | Senior Counsel for Litigation

Job Location

San Francisco - Hybrid / Nationwide - Remote

The Opportunity

Equal Rights Advocates (ERA) is conducting a national search for either a Senior Counsel for Litigation or a Litigation Director. The position presents an exciting opportunity to build on the extraordinary momentum of a legal team which has led groundbreaking litigation resulting in progress for working women and students facing gender, racial, and LGBTQI+ injustice. This position reports to the National Legal Director.The person in this position will lead state and federal court litigation, will supervise 1-3 team members on litigation matters, and will help to identify opportunities for strategic impact litigation. The specific title and pay range will depend on the candidates years and depth of litigation experience.

Specific responsibilities will include the following:

• Develop, conduct, and lead cutting-edge individual and class action impact litigation, and draft amicus briefs. Litigation will be in both federal and state courts and designed to change systems and advance civil rights in workplaces and schools across the country.
• Develop and maintain relationships with pro bono and other co-counsel (both plaintiff and defense side firms) and public interest groups to identify and develop litigation opportunities.
• Help to evolve and direct the implementation of the strategic vision for litigation and legal services in partnership with the National Legal Director and Policy Director, Deputy Legal Director.
• Supervise and support the professional development of staff attorneys on litigation matters, as well as fellows and clerks working on litigation.
• Collaborate with other legal services providers, plaintiffs attorneys, and advocacy groups by participating in task forces and coalitions, making presentations, and attending conferences.
• Represent ERA in key networks and coalitions, along with other legal staff.
• Serve as a public thought leader on the issues central to ERA litigation and strategic enforcement efforts.
• Oversee and assist with the development and review of public-facing legal training materials, resources, self-help tools, and Know Your Rights materials.
• Strategize and work with the National Legal Director, the development team, and other managers on funding for litigation and legal services, including through attorneys fee awards, cy pres awards, and institutional sources.

Candidate Qualifications:

• A passion for gender and racial equity demonstrated by a work history preserving and vigorously enforcing the civil rights of women and girls and/or those from disadvantaged communities.
• A J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Candidates for the Senior Counsel for Litigation position must have a minimum of 7 years of litigation experience. Candidates for the Litigation Director position must have a minimum of 10 years of litigation experience.
• Litigation experience must include serving as lead counsel in federal court litigation, significant experience litigating employment discrimination and harassment cases, and experience litigating class or collective actions.
• A strong background in civil rights, public interest law, and impact litigation is required.
• Substantive knowledge and understanding of constitutional law, civil rights issues related to ERAs mission and employment discrimination and harassment laws is required.
• The ability to analyze system-level problems and develop creative solutions using legal, policy, educational, and media strategies.
• Exceptional research, writing and analytical skills; excellent oral communication skills; proven ability to clearly communicate complex legal issues both in the courtroom and to the public.
• A demonstrated ability to lead and support the growth and development of attorney staff.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to work cooperatively within ERA and with external stakeholders, including government officials, service providers, lawyers, advocates, community partners, and directly impacted individuals.
• An exceptional work-ethic and sense of responsibility; detail-oriented, with a focus on quality and accuracy.
• Comfortable in a tech-oriented, paper-less environment and adept at navigating various systems and apps, including but not limited to Microsoft 365, internal messaging systems, time and expense tracking systems, virtual telecom and video meetings, and other cloud-based systems/applications.

• Experience working on litigation with a high media profile is a plus.
• Membership in good standing with the California Bar is a plus.
• Multilingual and/or multi-cultural capabilities are a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

The Senior Counsel for Litigation position has a salary range of $115,000-125,000. The Litigation Director position has a salary range of $125,000-150,000. The salary and position level will be determined based on experience and expertise.

ERA offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-paid medical and dental plan options and employer-paid life and disability insurance benefits. Voluntary benefits include vision insurance, life and accidental insurance, critical illness and pre-tax flexible spending account. ERA also offers a generous 403b match with 100% vesting from the first day of participation.Employees also receive a generous amount of sick and vacation leave as well as additional seniority-based leave every 5 years of employment.

ERA has a flexible, hybrid work environment. For candidates located in the Bay Area, the position is a hybrid position, requiring 2 days in the San Francisco office. For candidates based elsewhere, the position is currently fully remote.

About ERA

Equal Rights Advocates (ERA) is a national civil rights organization founded in 1974 to expand economic and educational access and opportunities for women and girls. ERA embraces an inclusive and intersectional view of gender justice, inclusive of trans, non-binary and gender expansive people, and we also challenge power structures and inequities compounded by race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, age, and other identities. Since its inception, ERA has been on the front-lines of advancing gender justice through a combination of impact litigation, policy advocacy, public education, and direct legal services, bringing visibility to the experiences and voices of the people we represent.

Our talented team includes litigators, policy reformers, and movement builders working at the state, multi-state, and national level promoting gender equity and racial justice, expanding economic security, and growing community power. ERAs legal initiatives include an initiative to End Sexual Violence in Education, and several campaigns chaired by ERA and led in partnership with hundreds of partner organizations across the country. These campaigns include the Equal Pay Today campaign, the Womens Agenda Initiative, the Stop Harassment State Network, and the Stronger California Womens Economic Security Campaign.

ERAs home base is in San Francisco, California, with team members also located in Washington D.C. and other locations. Our annual operating budget is approximately $4 million, and we have prioritized significant growth in the near future.

For more information on Equal Rights Advocates, please visit its website.

How to Apply

Please submit a rsum and cover letter addressed toMelvina Ford, National Legal Director,describing your interest in this particular position and your personal connection to ERAs mission by clickingHERE.Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and candidates will be contacted based on decision.We look forward to hearing from you!Please note that final round candidates will be asked to provide professional references.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

ERA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that will consider all applications equally without regard to sex, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, medical condition, religion, sexual orientation, differing ability, veteran status, marital status, arrest or conviction record, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants with differing abilities will be reasonably accommodated during the search process. If you need an accommodation during the hiring process, let us know.

ERAs Equal Opportunity Employer Policy applies to all aspects and phases of employment. Through this commitment, ERA strives daily to maintain an equitable and accessible work environment that is supportive to all and free from discrimination.