The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) works to amplify youth power, dismantle racism and other structural inequities, and build 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 litigation in federal and state courts to improve systems that serve children and youth, often in collaboration with other public interest law firms and with support from pro bono partners. A description of our current cases can be found here: https://youthlaw.org/legal-advocacy-impact-litigation .

Position

Through strategy development and leadership, the Senior Directing Attorney (Litigation) will help to manage NCYL’s litigation agenda to transform the systems that impact the well-being of children, youth, and communities. This is an excellent leadership opportunity for someone who has significant litigation skills and experience and is interested in using those skills across multiple issue areas and jurisdictions to advance rights for young people.

This position is supervised by the Litigation Director.

Essential Functions

• Develop, file, and pursue new impact litigation in partnership with NCYL’s Litigation Director and other team directors.
• Lead all aspects of complex litigation in partnership with the litigation director, team directors and other senior attorneys.
• Work closely and assist the litigation director in overall management of NCYL’s caseloads.
• Recruit co-counsel and manage external relationships.
• Represent NCYL's litigation externally in a variety of forums, such as national conferences and the media.
• Collaborate with state and local advocacy organizations, service providers, and other partner organizations, to develop new legal strategies and responses.
• Together with the Litigation Director, assist with fundraising efforts to support NCYL's litigation.
• Mentor and supervise other attorneys and staff on the Legal Advocacy team.
• Work with non-litigating NCYL staff, including communications and development, to ensure any litigation is informed by and advancing other organizational goals and priorities.
• Foster a positive and collaborative team and work environment.