ABOUT LEGAL VOICE

Founded in 1978 in Seattle, Washington, Legal Voice is a nonprofit civil rights advocacy organization fighting for social justice and gender liberation in the Pacific Northwest. We challenge patriarchal and racist power structures to widen pathways to justice so that all people can live their lives with dignity, safety, and autonomy.

Legal Voice has continually evolved and changed to meet the growing needs and has expanded to serve communities in Idaho, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and Montana. We actively seek and engage individuals and groups in our community who have been impacted by gender and racial discrimination. Legal Voice lifts the voices of our community partners, and they guide our work as we address their issues through education, advocacy, and legal action at the state and federal levels.

WHAT WE DO

Legal Voice’s work is centered in these program areas:

Gender-Based Violence

Economic Justice

Healthcare Access

Reproductive Freedom

Racial & Gender Discrimination

We learn from our clients, allies, partners, and community members about practices and laws that stand in the way of equality. We address those issues through lawsuits, advocacy, and education. From courtrooms to the court of public opinion, we challenge patriarchal and racist power structures to widen pathways to justice.

HOW WE DO IT

Legislative Program: We participate in the legislative process in Idaho and Washington by drafting, lobbying, and monitoring legislation impacting BIPOC and LGBTQ communities and by educating lawmakers during the legislative session, ensuring that all voices are heard and represented.

Litigation Program: When an issue is raised by our community, we partner with local activists, community leaders, and organizations like the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and the Lawyering Project to pursue litigation in the court system to protect civil rights. Our clients are activists standing up for more than themselves and we are here to support them, empower them to know their rights, and to amplify their voices.

Legal Education Program: When community members approach us with “hot topics” we share our expertise through events, collaborations, and free know-your-rights materials.

Legal Voice has a staff of 12 in Washington and Idaho, a 9-person Board of Directors, and an annual budget of $2.3 million plus an additional $1 million in pro bono legal services.

Learn more about our mission, vision, and values at www.legalvoice.org.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Legal Voice is committed to equity and to sharing power. In 2021, we eliminated our hierarchical internal structures and moved to a shared leadership team model. Together with the Co-Director of Operations and the Co-Director of Development and Communications, the Co-Director of Advocacy will be part of Legal Voice's shared leadership team (SLT), helping to create a new multiyear plan and define our North Star, mission, and vision of gender and racial equity. All three Co-Directors at Legal Voice report directly to the Board of Directors.

Organizational Leadership

• Partner closely with the other Co-Directors, Board of Directors, staff, and community stakeholders to create a new multi-year strategic plan that supports our work in all program areas of economic justice, gender-based violence, reproductive justice healthcare access, and gender discrimination and prepares the organization for growth and further expansion
• Working alongside the other Co-Directors, ensure that Legal Voice has the systems, processes, and people in place to expand with staff in all five states in the Pacific Northwest
• As a crucial member of the SLT, take an active role in both the creation and ongoing monitoring of the budget using current best practices
• Provide intentional, effective leadership by building strong relationships with stakeholders across the organization including community partners, internal staff, and the Board of Directors
• Co-architect an authentic, non-hierarchical internal culture of collaboration and co-creation across the organization
• Participate in new board member recruiting, onboarding, and support including but not limited to attending and presenting at regular board meetings
• Encourage a culture of philanthropy, where each person in the organization is equipped to be a Legal Voice ambassador

Program Team Leadership

• Lead Legal Voice’s litigation and legislative work with an understanding of both regional and local impact that relies heavily on community voice
• Guide the collaborative process with the program team to determine what Legal Voice’s top priorities should be for both our litigation and legislative work, ensuring that our strategy, values, priorities, and community needs are all aligned
• Co-create individual work plans with each member the program staff that align with the organization’s strategic plan to contribute to meeting the organization’s strategic goals and mission
• Identify and provide the necessary resources, support, continuing education, and learning opportunities essential for the program team to achieve both individual and collective goals
• Serve as a sounding board, technical advisor, and thought partner for the program team and community partners
• Foster and steward Legal Voice’s relationships with law firms, pro bono counsel, and volunteers
• Engage in regular appreciative inquiry check-ins to support staff growth and success: celebrate victories, hold staff accountable, redirect or reimagine work plans as needed

Community Engagement

• Foster and steward relationships with community leaders, coalition partners, ally organizations, and supporters at the local, state, and national levels who focus on civil rights to continue to build subject matter expertise and stay apprised of the current political climate and issues that are impacting the people we serve
• Work closely with the program staff and Co-Director of Development and Communications to provide narrative and tell Legal Voice’s story for grant proposals and reports for funders
• Act as the primary contact with funders who provide restricted grants and provide the detailed, compelling story of the work being done by the advocacy team
• As one of the faces of Legal Voice in the community, take part in speaking engagements, engage with donors, and nurture relationships with donors and community members

WHAT YOU WILL BRING

The Co-Director of Advocacy will be humble, highly collaborative, and will thrive when working with a talented and engaged team that is centered on advancing and protecting the civil rights of all people in the Pacific Northwest. Co-Director candidates will bring a deep passion for Legal Voice and our commitment to co-creating a world where each person is seen in their full humanity, thriving in communities free from oppression and racism. The selected candidate will have demonstrated experience leading, mentoring, and investing in other attorneys.

Candidates will also bring the following skills and experiences:

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• At least eight years of increasingly responsible legal experience through litigation and policy making, including substantial state and federal constitutional law experience
• A license to practice law and the selected candidate must be licensed in Idaho or Washington within one year of hire
• Experience leading others with coaching, persuasion, and influence
• Experience championing civil rights through an intersectional lens in two or more of the topics Legal Voice addresses, including economic justice, gender-based violence, reproductive justice, healthcare access, and gender discrimination
• Patience in planning and working on social justice cases and legislation, revisiting and adjusting tactics periodically, while remaining focused on long-term wins
• A commitment to race and gender equity that includes an understanding of the intersection of gender and racial oppressions, as well as a willingness to be self-reflective and learn more about these topics
• A strong sense of socio-emotional intelligence, integrity, and commitment to fostering equity, inclusion, and anti-oppression in their work with staff, community partners, external consultants, media, and other core collaborators
• Demonstrated ability to collect, and analyze legal and legislative data and use it to tell a compelling story that is adjusted and targeted for different audiences
• Strong written and verbal communication skills including comfort as a spokesperson of an organization across a diverse audience; bilingual skills are not required, but would be beneficial

WHAT WE OFFER

Compensation

This full-time position has a salary range of $115,000-$123,000.

Benefits include medical, mental health, dental, and vision coverage; 45 days PTO annually; 401K eligibility after six months of employment with a possible employer contribution; flexible and generous family leave; self-care Fridays; and professional development opportunities.

Location

Legal Voice is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with staff in both Washington and Idaho. The role will be based in either state and require occasional travel to meet with partners and staff throughout Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Alaska.

How To Apply

Legal Voice is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to addressing discriminatory practices, and to working toward racial equity. Our values include honoring and supporting the self-determination of communities of color and marginalized communities, and we aim to build the power of these communities. We value building authentic relationships with and being accountable to communities of color and other marginalized communities.

We seek candidates who share our values and candidates of color and from diverse communities are especially encouraged to apply. We invite applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact us.

To be considered, please submit both your resume and cover letter together in one PDF or Microsoft Word document expressing your passion for the mission and fit for the role. The role will remain open until filled and candidates are encouraged to submit materials before January 31, 2024.

The search for the Co-Director, Advocacy is supported by a team at ND Executive Search. Please do not reach out to Legal Voice. Questions and nominations of potential candidates should be directed to:

Mikkell Jackson Roeland: mikkell@nextdeavor.com