New

Director of Strategic Litigation & Advocacy

Atlanta, GA; Jackson, MS; Miami, FL; Montgomery, AL; New Orleans, LA; Washington, DC

The SPLC's Legal Department is seeking an experienced Director of Strategic Litigation and Advocacy who is committed to social justice!

The Director of Strategic Litigation & Advocacy (DSLA) serves as a key strategist and architect of the litigation priorities for the SPLC, with shared responsibility for the leadership of the SPLC’s legal strategy at a time when the work of the SPLC has never been more vital. The DSLA is part of the Legal Department, reports to the Chief Legal Officer (CLO), and is a key member of the SPLC Leadership Team. With hands-on engagement in litigation across the organization, the DSLA assists the CLO in leading the SPLC’s litigation teams, impact litigation strategies and case selection, and related operations in collaboration with Legal Department leadership and staff. The DSLA both supervises and acts as an active member of key case teams driving some of the most complex and weighty cases on the SPLC docket. The DSLA is responsible for direct supervision, development, and leadership of SPLC’s Deputy Legal Directors (DLDs). The DSLA is responsible as a thought partner and collaborative visionary for shaping, managing, and driving litigation strategy and will assist in managing a strategic, smart, and innovative litigation docket for the SPLC at the federal, state, regional, and local level. The DSLA may serve as a spokesperson for the SPLC on key initiatives and must be an excellent communicator. Collaboration across issues, areas, and departments within the SPLC is required. The DSLA must be deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This position serves as a trusted advisor to the senior leadership team of a prominent social justice organization, with over 400 staff in five states and the District of Columbia.

Who You Are

Experienced. Demonstrated experience in complex litigation that includes all stages of litigation, from complaint initiation to resolution through trial or settlement. Ability to provide strategic guidance and feedback to the attorneys litigating the SPLC's cases.

Manager. Demonstrated experience managing legal staff. Proven experience with mentoring, coaching, hiring and conducting performance evaluations.

Methodical. Ability to advance novel legal theories and policy.

Advocate. Demonstrated commitment to public service, social justice and civil rights.

Innovative and Strategic. Ability to be a strategic, forward thinker who can facilitate meeting with the SPLC's legal department and other departments within the SPLC.

Communicative. Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing.

Creative. Ability to be a memorable storyteller to create and maintain an effective narrative for the SPLC's legal work.

Mission, Vision & Cultural Alignment. Demonstrated awareness for the SPLC's mission and vision; and a commitment to ideals of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion and fostering an anti-racist work culture and antiracist principles and learning.

What You'll Do

As a member of the Center’s leadership team, you will collaborate with the CLO, DSLA,  and Director of Legal Management (DLM) and engage with the Center’s Executive and Leadership Teams to ensure the effective execution of the Center’s strategic plan, including its impact goals and objectives.

Serve as a member of the Legal Department Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) to provide leadership and strategic direction to the SPLC Legal Department.

Act as a liaison, point of contact, and collaborative partner with their counterparts in at least three other SPLC departments, which include the Policy Team, Communications Team, and the Strategy Team (including SPLC’s 501(c)4), as assigned by the CLO.

Be a thought partner and collaborative visionary for shaping, managing, and driving litigation strategy – including the incorporation of international legal trends and scholarship into the Legal Department’s litigation strategies.

Assist in managing a strategic and innovative litigation docket for the SPLC at the federal, state, and regional level.

Supervise and be an active member of key case teams driving some of the most complex and weighty cases on the SPLC docket.

Manage the DLDs, by providing mentoring and coaching to support them and their work. 

Minimum Qualifications 

We are committed to equitable hiring practices, therefore you must meet the minimum qualifications to be considered for the role.

  • Juris Doctorate Degree from an ABA accredited law school;
  • At least 10 years of complex litigation experience, which includes experience managing and supervising litigation;
  • At least 5 years of managerial experience of a team of legal professionals, which includes hiring, training and conducting performance reviews;
  • Membership in good standing with a bar at time of application, and willingness to sit for the next Bar Exam after relocation to a state where SPLC has an office (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and the District of Columbia) if the attorney cannot waive. Must be barred in the State where the position is located;
  • Proven ability to co-create and execute a complex vision for litigation priorities;
  • Experience working deeply in communities and with a diverse array of stakeholders; and
  • Experience handling all stages of litigation, from complaint initiation to resolution through trial or settlement, and be able to provide strategic guidance and feedback to the attorneys litigating the cases.

Compensation & Benefits

This is an exempt role and the minimum starting salary is $229,751. Salary is commensurate with experience. 

Click here to view the benefits available to SPLC staff.

Where & How You'll Work 

This role has the following work designation options:

  • Local Remote: Will work remotely, but is expected to attend work-related activities that occur at the SPLC offices or in the states in which the SPLC operates.
  • Telework: Will work at an SPLC office at least three days per week and may work two days per week from an alternative work location.
  • This position will report to the Chief Legal Officer.

Other Special Considerations 

This job is performed under general office conditions and is not subject to any strenuous physical demands or dangerous conditions.

 

Disclaimer:

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position. These statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.

An Equal-Opportunity Employer with a Commitment to Diversity

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and as an organization committed to diversity and the perspective of all voices, we consider applicants equally without regard to age, caregiver status, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, national origin, on the basis of genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy, or veteran status.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Please upload one document that contains the name and contact information of three (3) professional references. Please include former colleagues and at least one supervisor. *

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
Select...

Will you now or in the future require SPLC to commence (“sponsor”) an immigration case in order to employ you (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration case)? This is sometimes called “sponsorship” for an employment-based visa status

Select...

View our Privacy & SMS Policy: https://www.splcenter.org/about/careers/jobs

Select...

Optional Demographic Information

SPLC does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, religion, disability, or other identity characteristic. In order to track the effectiveness of our recruiting efforts and ensure we consider the needs of all staff, please consider answering the following optional questions. These questions are optional, and the information will only be used in its aggregate form and will not be tied to any individual. 

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Southern Poverty Law Center’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.