The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs seeks an experienced attorney to pursue litigation and advocacy to address a broad range of youth rights, with a particular focus on education, criminal justice and disability.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND URBAN AFFAIRS
The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs works to create legal, economic, and social equity through litigation, client and public education, and public policy advocacy with a primary focus on racial justice. For the last 50 years, the Committee has been on the cutting edge of civil rights advocacy in the region bringing precedent setting litigation to address discrimination. Our work focuses on injustices in housing, employment, the criminal legal system, education, public accommodations, and civil rights of immigrants. We partner with individuals and communities facing discrimination and with the legal community to achieve justice. For more information on the Washington Lawyers’ Committee, please go to www.washlaw.org.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The selected candidate will work with other Committee lawyers, law firm co-counsel, advocacy organizations, and affected individuals to develop and pursue cutting edge civil rights cases and policy initiatives. The focus of her or his work will be litigation to address systemic civil rights violations that affect children and young people transitioning to adulthood. We expect that this attorney will work on matters designed to overcome racial and disability-based inequities in education, address the criminalization of youth of color and interrupt the school to prison pipeline and conditions of confinement in juvenile detention facilities. We also expect that the attorney will establish close working relationships with community-based organizations to identify and pursue barriers facing youth of color, including immigrant children.
The attorney will be responsible to:
• Identify and develop with other WLC staff, matters appropriate for advocacy or litigation;
• Conduct complex class and individual impact litigation;
• Engage in policy advocacy with District, state, and federal agencies, as well as legislatures including the District of Columbia Council;
• Work effectively with organizational clients, and in partnership with policy and advocacy organizations; and
• Work in partnership with co-counsel law firms and attorneys.
The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and qualifications:
• Passion for civil rights and racial equity advocacy;
• Experience in complex litigation; •
• Substantial writing experience, including drafting persuasive pleadings, motions and memoranda. Appellate writing experience a plus.
• Experience with discovery, including drafting and responding to written discovery and conducting or defending deposition, a plus.
• DC bar membership (in good standing), or the ability to waive in to the DC Bar (membership in Maryland, Virginia, and federal district courts in the DC area a plus);
• Experience working with community-based organizations and organizers.
• Bilingual ability (professional fluency) preferred but not required.
Please send a letter detailing your interest, resume, and brief writing sample to: [email protected].
Please place “[your name] – Youth Rights Attorney” in the subject line.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled.
Compensation is based on the Committee's experience-based scale, available at: https://www.washlaw.org/about-us/employment-at-wlc/youth-rights-attorney/
The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs is an equal opportunity employer. Diversity is an essential component of the Committee, and we encourage all qualified persons to apply. Applicants are accorded an equal opportunity for selection without regard to actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibility, personal appearance, matriculation, or political affiliation.