Senior Counsel, Legal Initiatives

Position Summary

The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law seeks an experienced, collaborative, and mission-driven Senior Counsel to join its Legal Initiatives team. Reporting to the Director of Legal Initiatives, the Senior Attorney will play a key role in advancing the Brandeis Center's mission by protecting the civil rights of Jewish individuals and communities through strategic legal advocacy, administrative enforcement, education, and public policy initiatives.

The Senior Attorney will manage a diverse portfolio of legal matters, with a primary focus on preparing and advancing administrative complaints before federal and state agencies, conducting factual investigations, engaging with government investigators, negotiating resolutions, analyzing and drafting legislation, and/or advising clients on legal strategy. The position also supports broader legal initiatives involving education, employment, housing, healthcare, and other civil rights matters.

The ideal candidate is an exceptional legal writer, strategic thinker, and skilled advocate who enjoys working collaboratively in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and is committed to advancing civil rights through innovative legal advocacy.

Essential Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of administrative civil rights matters from intake through resolution.
Conduct factual investigations, interview complainants and witnesses, gather documentary evidence, and develop legal theories supporting administrative enforcement actions.
Draft administrative complaints, legal memoranda, position statements, demand letters, settlement proposals, and other legal submissions.
Review, analyze, and/or draft federal and state legislation.
Represent clients before federal and state administrative agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and comparable state agencies.
Work directly with agency investigators and enforcement personnel throughout the investigative process.
Develop legal strategies to address emerging civil rights issues involving education, employment, housing, healthcare, and other areas affecting Jewish individuals and communities.
Negotiate favorable resolutions through mediation, conciliation, and settlement discussions.
Provide legal advice and strategic guidance to clients regarding their rights, available remedies, and enforcement options.
Collaborate with attorneys and professionals across the Legal Initiatives, Litigation, Investigations, Policy, and Communications teams to advance organizational priorities.
Prepare legal analyses, educational materials, articles, reports, webinars, and presentations for internal and external audiences.
Represent the Brandeis Center at conferences, trainings, meetings, and other public-facing events.
Mentor fellows, junior attorneys, legal interns, and other legal staff, as appropriate.
Monitor legal developments affecting civil rights enforcement and identify opportunities to advance the Brandeis Center's mission.
Support litigation and appellate matters when appropriate and consistent with departmental priorities.
Support the work of Brandeis Center’s separate litigation team in cases in the state and federal courts upon request, when consistent with departmental priorities.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
Active membership in good standing with at least one state bar.
Approximately 10+ years of legal experience in civil rights, administrative law, constitutional law, education law, employment law, housing law, or related practice areas.
Exceptional legal research, writing, analytical, and communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex legal matters from inception through resolution.
Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Excellent organizational and project management abilities with careful attention to detail.
Commitment to the mission of the Brandeis Center.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience preparing and managing administrative complaints before federal or state enforcement agencies.
Experience working with the U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, HUD, EEOC, or comparable agencies.
Strong negotiation, mediation, and dispute resolution skills.
Experience resolving legal matters through settlement or administrative resolution.
Experience in civil rights advocacy, legislative analysis, public interest law, higher education law, employment law, housing law, healthcare law, or constitutional law.
Experience working in Congress, a nonprofit, advocacy organization, government agency, or educational institution.
Public speaking, legal education, or policy advocacy experience.