Litigation Director

PRP has partnered with Risepoint for the search of this role; due to volume of applications received, we will be unable to respond to individual inquiries

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Public Rights Project (PRP) is a public interest legal nonprofit with an all-remote team based throughout the United States. Our mission is to help local government officials fight for civil rights.

Since its founding in 2017, PRP has litigated in more than 100 cases (either as a party or amicus), trained 131 prosecutors and government lawyers in 24 states, built a partner network of over 670 government offices, elected officials, and community-based organizations in 43 states, secured court victories on police accountability, abortion, immigrant, worker, and voting rights, and helped to recover over $46 million in relief for marginalized people. Learn more about our work.

PRP supports local government partners in the face of an onslaught of federal and state abuses of power. We provide direct representation, legal analysis, research, training, and community partnerships to help local governments develop strategies that protect their residents’ civil rights. 

WORK SUMMARY

Public Rights Project seeks to hire an experienced litigator and manager to serve as our Litigation Director. The Litigation Director will be a key member of PRP’s team advancing the work of local governments protecting civil rights in the face of anticipated hostility from the federal government, as well as state governments and private actors. The Litigation Director will run the Litigation Team and oversee a portfolio focused on handling cases in litigation, case development, and strategic advocacy. The Litigation Team is expected to handle matters in which government clients are both plaintiffs and defendants and in both state and federal courts.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Run a well-managed, cohesive, and enterprising litigation team that does impactful work and enjoys collaborating with one another and with other teams across the organization;
• Hire, supervise, coach, and develop direct reports on the litigation team to high performance;
• Identify opportunities for advocacy and strategize pathways to action;
• Independently build and run litigation from idea generation through conclusion, including legal and factual development, case pitching, motions practice, discovery, oral argument, client management, coalition engagement, and more;
• Conduct legal research and provide guidance and analysis of laws across a range of jurisdictions;
• Draft, review, edit, and provide feedback on analytic and persuasive written work product; 
• Effectively advise government clients, including on the legal, political, and justice considerations of each particular circumstance;
• Efficiently lead regular meetings for the Litigation Team and other crucial strategic meetings and discussions, ensuring alignment, collaboration, and clear next steps; 
• Meet with government and non-government stakeholders, and persuade them to take action and/or partner with PRP;
• Represent PRP in briefings and conversations with members of the media as necessary, in collaboration with our communications team;
• Synthesize input and feedback from internal and external stakeholders;
• Hold primary responsibility for the completion of all litigation-related goals, metrics, and deliverables, and ensure the timely reporting of those outcomes including in grant reports;
• Work closely with other Directors on the Program Team about the development of a litigation pipeline and the interaction among litigation, training, technical assistance, outreach, and other program activities; 
• Collaborate with PRP’s Chief Program Officer to oversee and manage the litigation team's budget, including tracking expenditures, forecasting needs, and ensuring alignment with organizational financial goals and grant requirements;
• Participate as a member of PRP’s Senior Leadership Team, which includes other Directors and Executive Leadership Team members; and
• Build and manage an innovative, inclusive, and supportive group of advocates.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• Licensed to practice law in a jurisdiction of the United States;
• At least 12 years of relevant experience as an attorney. Relevant experience may include government enforcement, complex civil litigation, and/or advice to government officials;
• Significant litigation experience is required;
• At least 5 years of relevant experience as a manager of a litigation or legal team; and
• Prior experience with remote work in large teams in support of fast-moving and mission-driven work is preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Excellent management skills, including the ability to break projects into their component parts, deliver and receive feedback, and coach team members to develop their skills and take on new challenges;
• Outstanding writing and editing skills, including drafting and editing complex briefs and legal analysis;
• Excellent judgment about both legal issues and strategy;
• Strong communication skills, both writing and speaking;
• Strong abilities to handle all aspects of litigation including client management, discovery, oral advocacy, brief writing, deadline management, electronic filing, navigating local rules, working with cooperating counsel, and expecting the unexpected;
• Strong project management skills and ability to use electronic tools to support the participation and contribution of other team members;
• Familiarity and comfort working on issues of federal law, constitutional law, civil rights law, and other relevant legal topics;
• Team player who can work with government partners, co-counsel, community-based organizations, and other advocates, as well as internal teams;
• Commitment to building a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at PRP, and ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds;
• Demonstrated positive and respectful attitude, capacity to show presence, self-confidence, common sense, and good listening ability; and
• Belief in the power of state and local government to make positive change in the world.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIP

This position reports to the Chief Program Officer. This position will oversee the Senior Staff Attorneys for litigation and the Assistant Litigation Director. The Litigation Director will work closely with the Director of PRP’s Civil Rights Hub, the Director of PRP’s Election Protection Hub, other members of the Litigation Team, and other Program Team staff. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Requires sitting, talking, and listening for up to 8 hours per day. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Fully remote organization and team. This role requires travel several times a year to PRP events, case hearings, conferences, or meetings. 

COMPENSATION

The determined salary range for this role is set between $135,000 - $170,000, exact salary will be based on candidate experience. For internal equity purposes, PRP will not negotiate with candidates outside of the role’s designated range.