Justice Catalyst - Counsel and Senior Counsel

Full Time
Posted
2 years ago

Our Organization


A nonprofit organization founded in 2018, Justice Catalyst Law develops cutting-edge, interdisciplinary
impact cases and legal strategies that advance economic and social justice. We specialize in fighting
corporate or private actor abuses by applying multiple areas of law to new contexts. We often work in
collaboration with a diverse set of nonprofits, advocates, and law firms to develop, investigate, and
litigate bold cases with broad, practical, on-the-ground impact. Our mission is to expand the legal
system’s potential to provide meaningful accountability for the most powerful, and to bring justice and
sustainable change to the communities that are most often left behind by our economic and legal
systems, with attention to racial and other longstanding inequities.


Many of our cases cut across substantive enforcement areas, such as anti-trust, RICO, consumer,
environmental, and civil rights laws, to shape novel applications of those laws to real-world problems
and economic injustices. For a sample of our cases, please visit catalystlaw.org/issue-areas.
We are a small and highly collaborative team of people who work hard and laugh hard, and welcome
new perspectives and ideas. We enjoy a lively start-up culture that encourages spirited debate based on
throwing ourselves deeply into the details of a particular problem, and pushing to find a path to a
practical and permanent solution. Our team stands together in our shared commitment to using our talents and energy to making a more just and equitable world right now. We have an experimental
mindset and encourage unconventional thinking and risk-taking. We value employee relationships,
growth, and well-being, and strive to create an equitable, inclusive organization.
Justice Catalyst Law works closely with Justice Catalyst, a nonprofit organization that supports
innovative legal work and administers a fellowship program for new attorneys in public interest fields at
nonprofits, government agencies, and other offices.


Justice Catalyst Law is tax-exempt as a 501(c)(3) human and civil rights organization.


Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion


We believe that a variety of perspectives and backgrounds enriches and maximizes our work. We aim to
assemble an applicant pool that is reflective of the world in which we live — one that is diverse in race,
color, age, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation,
economic background, professional background, mental and physical abilities, and other traits that
make us who we are.


We are also an organization made up of lawyers and non-lawyers, and we work alongside, and have
great respect for advocates, organizers, and clients from every walk of life. The right person for this role
will be committed to listening to and learning from people with different life experiences and expertise.
JCL is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to any status
or activity protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We strongly encourage anyone who is
interested in this opportunity to apply.


The Role: Counsel

Justice Catalyst Law (“JCL”) is looking for Counsel to join our team! Working under the direction of the
Legal Director, Counsel will be responsible for leading a subset of Justice Catalyst Law’s litigation and
non-litigation projects, and working in collaboration with our team to generate and investigate new
cases.


Manager: Legal Director
Location: Preference for being based in NYC, but other locations will be considered, with agreement
both to align core work hours with that of colleagues in NYC headquarters and to travel at least
quarterly to work in NYC. This position may be performed remotely, with occasional travel required as
necessary to attend litigation-related matters in-person, along with the quarterly in-person staff
meetings and/or retreats.
Schedule: Full-time, exempt
Core Responsibilities

 

  • Working quickly and under tight deadlines to research and provide analysis of novel legal theories and translating those ideas into concrete legal actions or strategies that can be filed or advanced to further social or economic justice now
  • Conducting factual investigations into corporate and economic abuses, including outreach to potential clients, interviewing witnesses, and online factual research
  • Developing, supporting, planning and executing high-level legal and litigation strategies
  • Discussing and developing case ideas, including with potential partners and co-counsel, as assigned
  • All aspects of early-stage litigation, including drafting and securing retainers, co-counsel agreements, and complaints, briefs and motion practices. JCL primarily focuses on early stage litigation, and as such, this position typically does not involve trial work, but regularly may include work up to and including summary judgment
  • Developing and maintaining relationships with partners and allies, as assigned
  • Other duties assigned by the Legal Director

Core Skills

 

  • Pragmatic and creative mindset, with a high tolerance for litigation risk and novel legal strategies
  • Flexibility and ability to thrive in a dynamic, experimental work environment
  • Preference for active, rather than passive engagement to secure broad, immediate and practical impact
  • Strong oral and written presentation and brief-writing skills, and ability to effectively communicate ideas to co-counsel, partners, allies, and advisory boards
  • Demonstrated skill at meeting high-stakes deadlines in a highly demanding intellectual environment
  • Ability to work independently with great efficiency
  • Openness to asking questions, and sharing and learning from mistakes
  • Enthusiasm for being part of a new and growing organization
  • Compassion, empathy, and enthusiasm for working in a highly collaborative environment

Required Qualifications

  • J.D. and bar admission to any U.S. jurisdiction
  • Minimum 5 years of full-time civil litigation practice as an attorney
  • Passion for social and economic justice work

Desired Qualifications

  • 5+ years of full-time civil litigation practice as an attorney, preferably including experience in a private or non-profit setting
  • Class action litigation experience in a private or non-profit setting
  • Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following areas of law: antitrust, consumer, corporate, criminal, employment, human rights, RICO, whistleblower, data / privacy
  • Proficiency in speaking and communicating in a second language in common use in affected stakeholder communities, preferably Spanish
  • Interest in working to help us grow as an organization long term

Compensation and Benefits


Justice Catalyst Law salaries are commensurate with relevant skill and experience, and competitive with
the U.S. federal government General Schedule (GS) payscale. Salaries are also adjusted based on locality
area in accordance with the U.S. federal GS locality pay adjustments. The starting annual salary for a JCL
Counsel (located in N.Y.C.) in 2022 is $129,621.00.


Justice Catalyst Law also offers a competitive benefits package, which includes an employer-sponsored
medical, dental, and vision plan, a matching 401k plan (up to 4% of base salary), a flexible spending
account, professional development opportunities, paid bar and legal organization membership dues,
flexible hours and ability to work remotely, and a generous vacation policy.


To Apply


Please submit a resume and brief personal statement to the Counsel position at:
Your personal statement should address:

  1. Your experience in early stage civil litigation including developing case ideas, designing and overseeing investigations, drafting and securing retainers, co-counsel agreements, complaints, briefs and motion practices;
  2. An experience applying a legal subject matter in an unusual context. For example, applying consumer law to address a problem in the criminal legal system context. If you have never done this, please provide an example of another type of innovative litigation that you have carried out;
  3. Your experience building, developing, or working with coalitions;
  4. How you might add diversity, of any kind, to the JCL team (Please note that this is optional).

 

The Role: Senior Counsel

Justice Catalyst Law (“JCL”) is looking for an experienced Senior Counsel to join our team. Senior
Counsel will provide substantive and technical expertise and leadership to boost JCL’s case development
and litigation capacity. Working under the direction of the Legal Director, Senior Counsel will have the
experience, ability, and drive to lead and work independently on assigned projects.


Manager: Legal Director
Location: Preference for being based in NYC, but other locations will be considered, with agreement
both to align core work hours with that of colleagues in NYC headquarters and to travel at least
quarterly to work in NYC. This position may be performed remotely, with occasional travel required as
necessary to attend litigation-related matters in-person, along with the quarterly in-person staff
meetings and/or retreats.
Schedule: Full-time, exempt


Core Responsibilities

  • Working quickly and under tight deadlines to research and provide high-quality analysis of novel legal theories and translating those ideas into concrete legal actions or strategies that can be filed or advanced to further social or economic justice now
  • Conducting and overseeing multiple simultaneous factual investigations into corporate and economic abuses, including outreach to potential clients, interviewing witnesses, and online factual research
  • Developing, supporting, planning and executing high-level legal and litigation strategies
  • Developing and being accountable for maintaining, supporting and growing relationships with partners and allies
  • Discussing and developing case ideas, including with potential partners and co-counsel
  • All aspects of early-stage litigation, including drafting and securing retainers, co-counsel agreements, and complaints, briefs and motion practices. JCL primarily focuses on early stage litigation, and as such, this position typically does not involve trial work, but regularly may include work up to and including summary judgment.
  • As needed, and as assigned, providing guidance and direction to other members of the legal team
  • Other duties assigned by the Legal Director

Core Skills

  • Pragmatic and creative mindset, with a high tolerance for litigation risk and novel legal strategies
  • Flexibility and ability to thrive in a dynamic, experimental work environment
  • Preference for active, rather than passive engagement to secure broad, immediate and practical impact
  • Advanced oral and written presentation and brief-writing skills, and ability to effectively communicate ideas to co-counsel, partners, allies, and advisory boards
  • Ability to produce written briefing and advocacy materials that require minimal editing
  • Expert skill at meeting high-stakes deadlines in a highly demanding intellectual environment
  • Exceptional ability to work independently with great efficiency and manage complex projects with minimal supervisory oversight
  • Openness to asking questions, and sharing and learning from mistakes
  • Enthusiasm for being part of a new and growing organization
  • Compassion, empathy, and enthusiasm for working in a highly collaborative environment


Required Qualifications

  • J.D. and bar admission to any U.S. jurisdiction
  • Minimum 12-15 years of full-time civil litigation practice as an attorney
  • Class action litigation experience in a private or non-profit setting
  • Passion for social and economic justice work

Desired Qualifications

  • 15+ years of full-time civil litigation practice as an attorney, preferably including experience in a private or non-profit setting
  • Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following areas of law: antitrust, consumer, corporate, criminal, employment, human rights, RICO, whistleblower, data / privacy
  • Proficiency in speaking and communicating in a second language in common use in affected stakeholder communities, preferably Spanish
  • Interest in working to help us grow as an organization long term

Compensation and Benefits
Justice Catalyst Law salaries are commensurate with relevant skill and experience, and competitive with
the U.S. federal government General Schedule (GS) payscale. Salaries are also adjusted based on locality
area in accordance with the U.S. federal GS locality pay adjustments. The starting base salary for a
Senior Counsel (located in N.Y.C.) in 2022 is $152,469.00.


Justice Catalyst Law also offers a competitive benefits package, which includes an employer-sponsored
medical, dental, and vision plan, a matching 401k plan (up to 4% of base salary), a flexible spending
account, professional development opportunities, paid bar and legal organization membership dues,
flexible hours and ability to work remotely, and a generous vacation policy.

To Apply
Please submit a resume and brief personal statement to the Senior Counsel position
at: catalystlaw.org/join-our-team. Your personal statement should address:

  1. Your experience with leading change and innovation, developing a new technique, implementation, or designing enforcement or advocacy to cut across traditional divisions or conceptions of legal thinking and enforcement;
  2. An experience applying a legal subject matter in an unusual context. For example, applying consumer law to address a problem in the criminal legal system context. If you have never done this, please provide an example of another type of innovative litigation that you have carried out;
  3. Your experience building, developing, or working with coalitions;
  4. How you might add diversity, of any kind, to the JCL team (Please note that this is optional).