Staff Attorney - Education

Who we are:

Situated at the forefront of the national stage in the racial justice movement, Advancement Project National Office is a cutting-edge, no-holds-barred national nonprofit whose team members are dedicated to creating free and safe communities for people of color. From ending the school-to-prison pipeline to the fight to expand the right to vote, from calling for a complete overhaul of how we view the police and carceral state, to fighting for immigrant justice, Advancement Project National Office team members impact real change from the ground up. This moment demands alignment, sharp strategic thinking, and creativity to imagine a more just world in which racism no longer exists and all people of color can be free and safe – and we are excited to bring on new talent to change our world.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a creative problem solver, strong advocate, and skilled attorney to work from our Washington D.C. office to serve as a Staff Attorney to work in the Opportunity to Learn (OTL) program supporting campaigns for quality education and ending the school-to-prison pipeline including advocating for police free schools.  The ideal candidate will understand how to use policy, litigation, and legislation to support organizing campaigns. Through research, analysis, writing, and litigation, the staff attorney will provide support to grassroots partners, and our national campaigns and collaborate with and across teams to do so.

This position will report to the Deputy Director for Opportunity to Learn Program and will be a member of the union with compensation determined by the union compensation structure.

What you’ll do:

The staff attorney is part of a team that provides strategic counsel and partners with grassroots organizations for education justice campaigns at the local and national levels.  The staff attorney will research and analyze policies, laws, and regulations on assigned issues in support of grassroots partners and Advancement Project’s overall mission. The work will entail the investigation of racial justice issues, including through data, anecdotal, and other factual collection, and analysis. The attorney prepares legal memoranda and drafts other associated policy-related and legal documents. This role also assists with litigation efforts, including discovery and motion writing when appropriate. The attorney assists with legislative efforts, including analyzing and drafting language for bills.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

• Collaborate with colleagues, internally and externally, in various program and function areas to develop and implement strategies.
• Cultivate external relationships with national and local organizations and allies.
• Author reports and other content on education justice issues for a variety of audiences.
• Serve as an expert internally and externally on education justice issues.
• Monitor legal and legislative developments in assigned issue areas.
• Assist with legal and policy work cross-program, as needed;
• Use a variety of legal, policy, communications, organizing, and coalition-building strategies to assist our community partners.

What you need to be considered:

• State bar membership (must be willing to become a member of or able to waive into DC Bar);
• Two years of legal experience.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice.
• Excellent written, verbal, analytical, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Interest in working with grassroots organizations.
• Willingness to travel.
• Experience in civil rights is preferred.
• Willingness to work in multiple program areas, as needed.
• Organizing, litigation, and coalition-building experiences are pluses.
• Fluency in Spanish is preferred

PLEASE SUBMIT 2 WRITING SAMPLES WITH YOUR COVER LETTER

This position pays between $85,000 to $102,000 on our compensation scale