ILTA Career Center

National Center for Youth Law

The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) amplifies youth power, dismantles racism and other structural inequities, and builds just policies, practices, and culture in support of young people. Our efforts advance justice through research, community collaboration, impact litigation, and policy advocacy that fundamentally transforms our nation’s approach to education, health, immigration, foster care, and youth justice. Our vision is a world in which every young person thrives and has a full and fair opportunity to achieve the future they envision for themselves.

Legal Advocacy Team

NCYL’s Legal Advocacy team engages in impact litigation across all the issues on which NCYL works. The team brings systemic cases to improve and transform systems that serve children and youth, often in collaboration with other public interest law firms and community-based organizations and with support from pro bono partners. Most of our cases are filed in federal court, but we do litigate in state court when appropriate. A description of our current cases can be found here: https://youthlaw.org/legal-advocacy-impact-litigation. 

Position 

NCYL seeks to hire a dynamic impact litigator to staff existing cases and assist the team with the development of new litigation on behalf of children and youth in a changing landscape characterized by increasing attacks on young people’s civil rights. This position offers the opportunity to support litigation in the areas of education, child welfare, disability, health, mental health, reproductive equity, juvenile justice, and immigration. We are seeking a highly motivated attorney interested in litigating across our practice areas. This is a unique opportunity to use litigation to transform and dismantle government systems that often violate the rights of vulnerable children and youth.

We are hiring two attorneys at this time. 

Essential Functions 

• Assisting with the development of cases, including collaborating with state and local advocacy organizations, conducting on-site interviews, fact investigations, outreach to impacted individuals and communities, and analyzing potential legal claims. 
• Performing legal research, analysis, and writing. 
• Drafting complaints, motions, memoranda, and briefs. 
• Engaging in discovery, including review of incoming and outgoing document productions using litigation support technology such as Relativity. 
• Preparing for hearings, depositions, and trials. 
• Preparing for and participating in settlement negotiations. 
• Engaging in implementation and monitoring of settlement agreements. 
• Supporting overall case and project management. 
• Collaborating with other NCYL staff and with co-counsel. 

Required Qualifications

• J.D. Degree 
• Admitted to practice law in the United States 
• Minimum of 2-6 years of litigation experience at a public interest law firm, private firm, or government agency 

Other Qualifications 

• Demonstrated commitment to advocating for children and youth and to NCYL’s overarching goals and objectives. 
• Substantive knowledge in one of the practice areas impacting youth identified above. 
• Experience with impact litigation, including class actions and other forms of systemic litigation. 
• Strong interest and/or experience in developing litigation and using creative systemic advocacy strategies. 
• Excellent analytic and writing skills. 
• Outstanding oral communication skills. 
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively within a team. 
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to manage complex projects, including strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to meet deadlines and produce high-quality work product in a fast-paced environment. 
• Creative problem-solving skills and ability to stay focused on the big picture. 
• Experience working with impacted communities at the core of NCYL’s mission, including children of color, children with disabilities, and children living in carceral facilities. 
• Ability to take initiative and independently drive projects forward. 
• Ability to represent NCYL in a courteous and professional manner. 

Physical Requirements 

Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. This position may require some travel. 

Salary, Benefits, and Location 

This is a full-time, exempt position. Salary is competitive at $92,310.00, $101,488.00, or $111,585.00 annually, based on the applicant’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. A geographic salary differential may be applied if the candidate resides somewhere other than the Oakland, CA, Los Angeles, CA, or Washington, DC metro areas. 

NCYL provides a robust benefits package including health, dental, vision, and life insurances, generous vacation and sick benefits, paid family leave, flexible spending account, employer contribution to a retirement plan, paid sabbatical, and short-term and long-term disability insurance. 

Candidates must reside in, or be willing to relocate to, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Virginia, Washington DC, or Wisconsin. 

This position is eligible for 100% remote work through December 31, 2023. It is possible that starting in January of 2024, NCYL will require people to work in an office, in which case they will need to be in a location where they can commute to a NCYL office regularly (DC, Los Angeles, Oakland, or Sacramento). 

How to Apply 

Please submit a cover letter and resume at the link below. Please, no emails or calls. 

Apply at: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1591594/National-Center-For-Youth-Law/Attorney-Legal-Advocacy-Team 

Applicants with lived experience within any of our practice areas, and Black, Indigenous, and other people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. 

It is the policy of NCYL to provide equal employment opportunities to all Applicants (including Employees) regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding, national origin, age, abilities/disabilities, neurotypicality, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, prior convictions, or any other protected classifications under federal, state, or local law. 

Stay in touch with NCYL! 

About National Center for Youth Law

The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) amplifies youth power, dismantles racism and other structural inequities, and builds just policies, practices, and culture in support of young people. Our efforts advance justice through research, community collaboration, impact litigation, and policy advocacy that fundamentally transforms our nation's approach to education, health, immigration, foster care, and youth justice. Our vision is a world in which every young person thrives and has a full and fair opportunity to achieve the future they envision for themselves.

Connections working at National Center for Youth Law