Chief Counsel

Description :

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The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS, the League) is a nonpartisan political organization that has fought for more than 100 years to improve American systems of government and impact public policies through citizen education, advocacy, and litigation.

The enduring vitality and resonance of the League as a trusted force for change and good government comes from its unique decentralized structure : a national organization with strong partnerships at the grassroots level with more than 800 state and local Leagues across the country including the District of Columbia.

At the national level, League activities are coordinated and staffed by two distinct but complementary organizations : The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) and the League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF).

The Chief Counsel is the legal executive tasked with governance and strategic oversight of the organization’s Government Affairs, Legal and Research, and Special Projects teams.

This role sets the strategic direction and vision around the Advocacy and Litigation Department, works to raise visibility around the organization’s work and communicates legal and legislative trends in the democracy space to inform CEO and Executive Team decision-making when needed.

This role advises the officers and board on any major legal, regulatory, and political issues the organization may confront and oversees the attorneys on staff to provide tactical guidance and support.

The Chief Counsel is charged with ensuring the team meets operational goals and objectives, by working to protect and center the overall mission, vision, and values of the organization.

Directs two director-level positions : Director of Government Affairs and Director of Legal and Research. When engaged in advocacy work, the Chief Counsel works with the Director of Government Affairs to set the expectation for advocacy and lobbying portfolio.

When engaged in litigation, the Chief Counsel represents the interests of the League with outside legal counsel (e.g. law firms, legal service organizations), provides support and guidance to the Director in handling representation for each case, and plays a critical role in assessing, building, and sustaining a bench of outside attorneys who will advocate on behalf of the organization.

In oversight of the Issue Campaigns at the organization, the Chief Counsel partners with others to ensure that issue campaigns align with policy directives and support the development of goals related to issue campaigns.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Provides advice and counsel to the CEO, Executive Team, and Board of Directors on all matters relating to voting rights and elections, money in politics and ethics, redistricting and census, government dysfunction, rule of law, political participation, and protecting the election franchise.
• Provides legal services or support to League state leaders around field engagement for advocacy and litigation, including the primary programmatic areas as decided by membership biannually.
• Leads the organization in evaluating and participating in Hill engagements and lawsuits with the Administration, federal agencies, and courts.
• Oversees advocacy lobby work, including evaluating the success of paid lobbyists working on behalf of LWVUS.
• Oversees litigation work, including evaluating the success of our in-kind legal partnerships, soliciting new business as needed, and ensuring cohesive motion briefing across LWVUS federal cases.
• Furnishes assistance to the Chief Executive Officer / principal in preparing oral presentations in legislative and regulatory hearings and reviewing key points of tension across the country relevant to the organization’s work.
• Identifies ways to involve the League in the preparation, review, or drafting of proposed federal legislation, regulations, and executive orders relating to the laws administered by Congress or the Administration.
• In the absence of a CEO / principal, represents the organization in political or administrative proceedings.
• Trains, coaches, and develops Directors towards success.
• Manages primary programs related to litigation, advocacy, and education and supports the development / fundraising team in proposals that articulate the organization’s program goals and impact.

EDUCATION / CERTIFICATIONS : Juris Doctor Degree or LL.M. required from an accredited law school in the United States or international equivalent.

Must be licensed or willing to waive into the District of Columbia bar.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED :

At least 7 years of litigation experience preferred and demonstrated interest in voting rights, civil rights, and racial equity.

Ten years of progressive legal experience in a law firm, nonprofit, or government sector.

• Experience leading change and, specifically, the ability to bring about strategic change to meet organizational goals both internally and externally, as well as the ability to carry out a vision and implement vision in a continuously changing environment.
• Ability to lead people towards meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goal and provide an inclusive workplace, development of team members, facilitate cooperation and solution-oriented to resolve conflict.
• Ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results through technical knowledge and calculating risks.
• Ability to build coalitions within the democracy space, on the Hill, and with legal partners as well as be a strategic partner to support field in building effective relationships with stakeholders in public and private sectors.
• Commitment to LWVUS’s mission of empowering voters and defending democracy, as well as passion for working with communities of color to build, wield, and share power and capacity to improve their communities and bring about broader social change.
• Exceptional attention-to-detail, time-management, and written and oral communication skills.

LOCATION : The ideal candidate would be located in the Washington, DC, area. Candidates will be expected to work in the office two to three days per week.

SALARY & BENEFITS : The salary for this position is $190,000 - $220,000. We have a generous benefits package that includes 95 percent employer-sponsored health insurance, dental and vision insurance, paid holidays, vacation days, sick days, pre-tax transit benefits, and the opportunity to contribute to a 401(K) plan.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION :

The League of Women Voters of the United States is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace based on equal opportunity.

The League is committed to hiring staff that reflects this country's full range of racial, ethnic, cultural, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic identity;

a workplace where true diversity is fostered, and different perspectives are valued and freely exchanged. We actively seek and encourage women, minorities, persons with disabilities, immigrants, including DACA recipients and individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities to apply.

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