2025 Legal Fellow

About Us

Founded in 2003, the Transgender Legal Defense & Educational Fund (TLDEF) is a national organization committed to advancing justice and equity for transgender and non-binary people through impact litigation, direct legal services, advocacy, and public education. TLDEFs Legal Programs Department currently includes the Impact Litigation Project, Name Change Project, and Trans Health Project. TLDEF has sued counties in New York and Florida for violence against trans people in jails. Weve won federal lawsuits in Georgia and North Carolina seeking the removal of transgender-related exclusions in employee health care plans. We are actively partnering with grassroots leaders and organizations in Texas and other states to push back against the attacks on transgender young people. Last year alone, we assisted over 500 low-income trans people in name changes. And were just getting started.

TLDEF recently announced a merger with the NCTE and the NCTE Action Fund to form a larger and stronger combined organization, Advocates for Transgender Equality (A4TE) and Advocates for Transgender Equality Education Fund (A4TE Education Fund). TLDEF is the current hiring entity and the Legal Administrative Assistant will continue employment with A4TE and A4TE Education Fund with no disruption to their position or union eligibility as the organization changes its name.

Position Overview

Title: 2025 Legal Fellow

Reports to: Senior Staff Attorney or Senior Counsel

Type: Exempt

Location: Remote, U.S.

Projected Salary: $81,952.58. (Please note, Legal Fellows are responsible for sourcing their own financial compensation from a fellowship program)

TLDEF seeks applications for sponsorship of an organized, adaptive, and motivated Legal Fellow to join its growing Legal Program. The fellowship is a one or two year position that combines furthering TLDEFs legal work and mission with learning the skills necessary for successful impact litigation and legal advocacy. The Legal Fellow should be: passionate about transgender legal advocacy; committed to centering the needs of TLDEFs transgender clients and stakeholders; intellectually curious; collegial; and familiar with and respectful of gender diversity.

Primary Responsibilities

• Participate in all phases of impact litigation as they arise in relevant cases during a fellowship year, including development and investigation, administrative matters, pleadings, motion practice, discovery, trials, appeals, and settlement negotiations.
• Participate in all aspects of amicus briefing, including research, writing, and working with clients and pro bono partners.

• Address intakes and participate in the investigation of new cases.
• Assist the Transgender Health Project with research, drafting demand letters and negotiation documents, and advocacy materials.
• Monitor federal and state legislation and rulemaking pertinent to potential litigation or advocacy.
• Draft legal and policy resources for a range of audiences, including Know Your Rights content, template legal documents, legal memos, and advocacy materials.

Additional Duties

• Assist the development, communications, and public education teams with their development of presentations, written materials, and other content.
• Assist the Legal Program and support staff with developing and implementing new IT and administrative systems.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• A J.D. degreeor expected to receive a J.D. degree by spring of 2025from an accredited U.S. law school.
• Eithera license to practice law or, for recent graduates, completion of the bar exam and pending admission application.
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analysis skills.
• Ability to conceptualize and implement a fellowship project that addresses an unmet legal need and aligns with TLDEF's mission and expertise.
• Demonstrated interest in and commitment to issues impacting transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary people.
• Familiarity with the fundamental anti-discrimination and transgender rights statutes and legal precedents, including but not limited to federal statutory and constitutional guarantees.
• Willingness to be part of a diverse movement with multiple leaders, and to represent and amplify the voices of communities that cross lines of gender identity and expression, race, class, ability, and immigration status.
• Ability to think critically about intersectional and systemic issues, including but not limited to transphobia, racism, classism, ableism, and xenophobia.
• Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to effectively partner with diverse stakeholders.

• Commitment to remain positive, maintain discretion, and resolve conflict from a place of integrity, humility, and compassion.
• Ability to set priorities and juggle multiple deadlines.
• Proficient in Microsoft applications, legal research tools, and Internet research.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed.
• Fluency or proficiency in Spanish is a plus, but not required.

Application Requirements
Only applications that are submitted through BambooHR will be considered. Please include the following:

• A resume
• Cover letter outlining the proposal that candidates seek to develop and the funders to whom they intend to present it.
• A writing sample of no more than ten pages.

Timeline

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants should be sure to leave enough time to develop their proposal before it needs to be presented to their potential funders, a process that typically takes several weeks. TLDEF will contact those applicants whose proposals it seeks to proceed on and anticipates it will do so by late July, 2024. The anticipated start date will be in the Fall of 2025.

Union

This position is union-eligible. TLDEFs collective bargaining unit is affiliated with UAW Local 2325.

Hiring at TLDEF

TLDEF acknowledges that applicants from groups that have been historically marginalized are less likely to apply for positions unless they feel that they meet 100% of a job descriptions qualifications. We understand that the ideal candidate might not completely meet the criteria listed in our job descriptions or be equally proficient in each area. If your background and skills are a close match for an open position, you are strongly encouraged to apply; we especially encourage potential applicants who are impacted by TLDEFs work to submit their application.

TLDEF is an equal opportunity employer. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color (BIPOC); lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; immigrants; people with disabilities, including those living with HIV; formerly incarcerated people; and people with lived experiences of poverty are all strongly encouraged to apply.

Transparency:

For detailed information about our salary philosophy, offered benefits, and the terms of collective bargaining agreement, please visit our website.