Job details
Job type full-time
Full job description
Title: senior youth policy counsel
Department: legal
Status: full-time exempt position: $93,420-$104,319 (d.o.e.)
Location: san francisco, ca (remote possible)
Position description
The national center for lesbian rights (nclr) seeks a highly skilled, dedicated, and experienced senior youth policy counsel with 7-10 years of relevant experienceThe senior youth policy counsel will develop and implement legal strategies to promote the health and well-being of lgbtq youth through community education, strategic collaboration, and public policy advocacy nationallyThe work will be focused on developing alternatives to the youth justice and child welfare systems that are responsive to the needs and healthy development of lgbtq youthThe senior youth policy counsel will also coordinate with the born perfect team to eliminate conversion therapy, the transgender youth project director, the family law team to oppose unwarranted regulation of lgbtq families targeted by the child welfare system, and the litigation team to identify legal strategies for addressing harm to lgbtq youthThe start date for this position is january 1, 2022.
This is a full-time, exempt positionNclr is based in san francisco, ca, but any remote location within the u.sWill be consideredCurrently nearly all staff are working from home exclusively, but we hope to reopen our office in san francisco in early 2022.
Salary and benefits
This is a full-time, exempt positionSalary is non-negotiable and based on date of first bar admission:
7/1/14-6/30/15: $93,420
7/1/13-6/30/14: $97,053
7/1/12-6/30/13: $100,686
7/1/11-6/30/12: $104,319.00
Excellent benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance with a low-cost share for employees, including generous coverage of reproductive healthcare and transition-related care services; vacation and holidays; eligibility to participate in a 401(k) plan; short-term and long-term disability insurance; life insurance; flexible spending pre-tax plans for qualified medical and child daycare expenses; and commuter pre-tax benefits.
Key responsibilities
Advocate for transformation of public systems of care, particularly the child welfare and youth justice systems, by opposing punitive, harmful interventions and promoting community-based restorative practices.
Advocate for policies that curtail the use of residential treatment, institutionalization, and congregate care.
Support nclr projects in opposing discriminatory and harmful policies and practices, including conversion therapy, anti-trans laws and policies, surveillance and separation of lgbtq youth and families, incarceration, and anti-lgbtq curricula and policies in schools.
Promote legal strategies that expand the social safety net, strengthen families, and create opportunities for lgbtq youth to experience connectedness and competence in their homes, schools and communities.
Center the voices and perspectives of lgbtq youth impacted by harmful systems.
Work closely with nclr’s family law team to oppose expansion of the child welfare system, develop lgbtq support for the transformation of this system, and raise awareness about lgbtq families of origin impacted by this system.
In developing and implementing nclr’s youth policy work, prioritize the needs of lgbtq youth who are most isolated and jeopardized, including youth who are bipoc, living in poverty, experiencing unstable housing, undocumented, living in rural communities, living with disabilities, living in foster care, or involved in the justice system.
Qualifications:
License to practice law in good standing in the u.sJurisdiction where you live (or permitted to practice law in the jurisdiction where you live and licensed in good standing in another u.sJurisdiction), and 7-10 years of relevant legal experience.
Experience representing individual children and youth in dependency or delinquency matters or litigating related impact cases preferred.
Lived experience in the child welfare and/or youth justice system highly valued.
Deep knowledge of the legal and operational structure of child welfare and youth justice systems and working knowledge of the laws governing the rights of children and youth generally.
Understanding of the risks and resiliencies that impact life outcomes for lgbtq youth.
A high level of independence and initiative, good judgment, excellent speaking and writing abilities.
Ability to produce the highest caliber work, to work collaboratively both within the organization and with other groups, and to identify creative solutions to intractable problems.
Ability to respond to internal and external inquiries in a timely manner.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to talk about legal and other complex issues in clear, persuasive terms for non-lawyer audiences.
A demonstrated awareness of and commitment to intersectional advocacy and broader social justice issues, including racial and economic justice, feminism, reproductive justice, and an understanding of the multiple communities nclr represents.
Enthusiasm for the rights of lgbtq youth and their families, including a demonstrated commitment to public interest legal advocacy and a commitment to transform, rather than simply reform, the systems that harm children and families.
