Attorney (Temporary)

The 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: https://youthlaw.org/legal-advocacy-impact-litigation.

The Position

The Attorney supports the implementation and maintenance of ongoing litigation, as well as related policy and advocacy initiatives. The role assists litigation efforts in all phases, from investigations and filing complaints through trial and appeal. This work includes but is not limited to legal research, factual development, document review, drafting memos and pleadings, handling depositions, assisting with preparation of witnesses, and expert vetting.

This position is slated to last one year.

Essential Functions

• Conduct case factual and legal development to support investigations, including outreach to external partners, youth and families, and others; record and data review; legal research and drafting pre-litigation memos.
• Assist with pleading and proving case claims, including document review; preparing and handling depositions; witness preparation; communication with class members and clients; expert vetting; drafting declarations, pleadings, motions, briefs, legal memos and discovery requests and responses; presenting oral argument, as necessary; settlement negotiation preparation; and cite/ legal checks and line edits.
• Assist with implementing remedies and settlement agreements, including tracking compliance; communicating with clients, monitors, co-counsel, and opposing counsel; and drafting related motions and declarations.
• Collaborate with other NCYL staff and external partners to represent NCYL's litigation, including through communications/messaging and at conferences.
• Provide input into developing litigation strategy aligned with NCYL's mission and strategic plan.
• May direct paralegals and supervise fellows and law/policy clerks as needed.
• Assist with other duties as assigned.