Senior Directing Attorney

The Litigation Team

NCYL’s Legal Advocacy team engages in impact litigation across all the issues on which NCYL works, including civil rights, youth justice, ensuring equitable education, youth healthcare access, prevention of harms from the family regulation system, access to core public benefits, among other priority areas. The team brings systemic litigation in federal and state courts to reform systems that serve children and youth, often in collaboration with other public interest legal organizations and with support from pro bono law firm partners. A description of our current cases can be found here: .

The Position

The Senior Directing Attorney independently leads and directs the development and execution of complex litigation, from identifying strategic legal opportunities to managing investigations, filings, discovery, negotiations, trials, appeals, and public communications. The role includes strategic case generation, overseeing remedy implementation, supervising legal staff, coordinating with co-counsel, and handling case budgeting and fee recovery. The position also requires identification and promotion of litigation strategy aligned with NCYL’s mission and participation in fundraising, media engagement, and external representation of NCYL. NCYL is actively investigating matters to ensure access to essential public benefits and to defend the civil rights of LGBTQ+ youth and seeks a Senior Directing Attorney who can effectively lead these matters and strategy around other litigation development. The role will report to the co-directors of litigation.

Essential Functions

• Partner with NCYL Co-Directors of Litigation and other NCYL staff to develop litigation strategy aligned with NCYL's mission and strategic plan to promote and defend youth rights.
• Generate new litigation opportunities challenging emerging harms to children and youth including but not limited to: litigation to ensure that children and families maintain access to essential public benefits; and/or litigation on behalf of LGBTQ+ youth.
• Lead all aspects of complex litigation, representing plaintiffs and clients across multiple jurisdictions, including staffing plans; fact investigation; legal research; client engagement; drafting and filing pleadings, motions, memoranda, and briefs; written and oral discovery; expert retention and development; negotiating with opposing counsel; settlement negotiation and drafting; narrative development; court appearances and oral arguments; trial and appellate work; and media work.
• Lead all aspects of remedy and settlement implementation in litigation such as tracking compliance, communicating with clients and monitors, negotiating with opposing counsel and filing related motions and declarations.
• Manage case budgets, including litigation cost and fee recovery.
• Manage all aspects of relationships with external litigation partners including recruiting co-counsel and pro bono counsel; negotiating co-counsel and retainer agreements; leading legal practice oversight for cases; supervising staff from co-counsel firms on case-related responsibilities as appropriate.
• Represent NCYL's litigation externally in a variety of forums, including at national conferences and with media outlets; support development of strategic and effective communications to further NCYL’s goals.
• Participates in fundraising and development efforts to support NCYL's litigation.
• Supervise NCYL staff, including directing attorneys, senior attorneys, staff attorneys, paralegals, fellows, and law clerks, including assigning and directing work, and using independent judgment.
• Assist with other duties as assigned.