Legal Counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives

About The Lawyering Project

Founded in 2017, the Lawyering Project is a legal advocacy organization that blends traditional impact litigation with movement lawyering to promote reproductive health, rights, and justice throughout the United States.  We are currently fiscally sponsored by the Tides Center, a 501(c)(3) organization, but will be operating as an independent 501(c)(3) in the coming months. 

Laws that undermine reproductive health, rights, and justice deprive people of moral agency, rob us of control over our bodies, and compound other forms of oppression like racism, sexism, and poverty.  Our mission is to eliminate these laws and the harmful impacts they have on people’s lives.  We are especially focused on laws that limit the availability or affordability of abortion care; contribute to disparities in reproductive health outcomes; embody gender-based stereotypes; or discriminate against people based on their reproductive decisions. 

We envision a society with laws that enable each of us to make decisions about intensely personal matters like sex, pregnancy, family, and healthcare based on our own beliefs and values, and ensure that we all have access to safe pregnancy care, safe abortion care, and safe communities for our families.   

About The Role

Reporting to the Senior Counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives, the Legal Counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives' main responsibility is to serve as an Attorney Navigator for the Abortion Defense Network (ADN). The Lawyering Project manages ADN, which is a collaboration with other public interest legal organizations and private law firms to ensure that every abortion provider and supporter who needs direct legal services in the post-Roe legal landscape will have access to high-quality representation regardless of their financial means.  The Legal Counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives plays a key role in advancing this work. In addition to the work as Attorney Navigator, the Legal Counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives will also be responsible for other aspects of ADN’s work, including helping to develop specialized legal trainings and resources for ADN’s participating attorneys; outreach to partners and potential clients; and engagement with other stakeholders.  

The Legal Counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives will also work to advance the Lawyering Project’s internal pro bono program. This may include, but is not limited to, managing relationships with private law firms; coordinating amicus brief preparation and other assistance offered by these firms to the Lawyering Project; managing and supervising law school clinic projects; and overseeing or participating in the Lawyering Project’s intern and extern programs.  

In addition to the work described above, the Legal Counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives may assist the Lawyering Project’s other programs through legal research and writing, media appearances, and other outreach.  

Who We're Looking For

We seek a highly motivated and strategic legal professional to serve as a critical liaison between individuals and organizations seeking legal support related to reproductive rights and our network of volunteer attorneys. This role requires a dedicated individual with exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and legal research skills to effectively manage case intake, attorney recruitment, and training while advancing the mission of the Abortion Defense Network.

The essential duties and responsibilities for this role, include but are not limited to:

• Act as an Attorney Navigator for the Abortion Defense Network by conducting client interviews and assessing prospective clients’ legal needs and then matching these individuals with volunteer attorneys or funding resources; 
• Assist in recruiting and vetting a nationwide network of volunteer attorneys; 
• Participate in and organize trainings for volunteer attorneys; 
• Engage in high-level legal research, analysis, and writing; 
• Coordinate with other public interest legal organizations working to advance reproductive health, rights, and justice; 
• Solicit input from key stakeholders to ensure that their needs are being met; 
• Publicize the Abortion Defense Network and the Lawyering Project to target audiences;
• Stay up to date on developments in relevant areas of the law; 
• Recruit, mentor, train, support, and supervise the Lawyering Project’s interns and externs;
• Build and maintain relationships with the Abortion Defense Network and Lawyering Project’s partners and stakeholders
• Assist with the recruitment and orientation of new staff members and interns/externs; 
• Assist with the Lawyering Project’s other programs;  
• Represent the Lawyering Project and ADN in media appearances
• Represent the Lawyering Project and ADN at conferences, convenings and speaking engagements
• Cultivate an organizational culture that aligns with the Lawyering Project’s core values

Requirements

Education and Experience

The Legal Counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives must have:  

• A J.D. or equivalent degree;
• At least 2 years of experience practicing law or working in the legal field; and
• A commitment to advancing reproductive health, rights, and justice

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the reproductive health, rights, and justice movements; reproductive rights jurisprudence; and the national pro bono ecosystem;
• Skill in legal research, analysis, and writing;
• Skill in cultivating strategic relationships; managing information and tasks; and utilizing a secure database; and
• Ability to communicate effectively to diverse audiences; conduct client interviews with empathy; analyze complex legal issues and write about them succinctly; meet deadlines; work well under pressure and be able to adapt to changing circumstances
• Ability to cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences

Additional Requirements

• Must be able to travel domestically on an airplane 3-5 times per year

Benefits

Compensation

The Lawyering Project has a fixed salary scale based on job responsibilities, education, and experience. The average salary for a candidate applying for this role (with 3-4 years of relevant work experience) is $116,379. 

This number is subject to change based on education and years of experience.

Benefits

The Lawyering Project offers a robust benefits package that includes:

• 100% employer sponsored health insurance plans (medical, dental, and vision)
• Disability and AD&D Life insurance
• Health Spending Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for health, dependent care, and transportation
• (401)k retirement savings plan with 4% employer match
• Paid vacation, holiday, and sick days
• Paid parental, family, and medical leave
• Annual professional development stipend and reimbursement for state bar membership fees

Remote Work Environment

This role is a full-time exempt position that sometimes requires work during evenings and weekends to complete key assignments and related tasks on schedule. This position may be based anywhere within the United States and has the option to work from home or from office space provided by the Lawyering Project.