Protect Democracy is seeking an In-House Counsel to join our team.

In this role, you will serve as an effective legal guardian with the utmost integrity, ensuring Protect Democracy and its affiliated organizations operate within the law at all times and offering your expert counsel on legal, risk, and governance issues. 

To succeed in this role, you must have strong legal judgment, experience managing legal and reputational risk, familiarity with the political environments in which US pro-democracy organizations do their work, and sound knowledge and understanding of applicable laws and regulations. Top candidates will have substantial experience managing government/internal investigations and/or enforcement matters, the ability to absorb information quickly and offer crisp guidance, and bring stellar partnership, advocacy, and people skills to the role. All applicants must share a passion for our mission to prevent the United States from declining into a more authoritarian form of government.

Protect Democracy recognizes that there is strength in diversity and strongly encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum to apply. You can work from any location in the United States. 

In this role, you will work in collaboration with General Counsel and the In-House team to:

• Identify potential or emerging internal and external risk pertaining to the way we operate and seek to achieve our mission. 
• Evaluate those risks to determine which are likely to materialize and identify strategic ways to mitigate those risks. 
• Undertake and strategically manage Protect Democracy’s systems and processes to mitigate and address emergent high risk scenarios that involve regulatory scrutiny, enforcement actions, and other proceedings like defensive litigation and internal investigations; lead any internal and external work to defend the organization

In addition as part of the In-House team, you will:

• Ensure we are in compliance with laws and regulations applicable to our operation, including but not limited to employment law, tax law, lobbying and fundraising registration, professional responsibility rules, and reporting requirements.
• Assess systems and data, including identifying needs for development of new systems and/or policies to maximize compliance and minimize legal and reputational risk, and design and implement trainings for staff.
• Where capacity allows and skills align, contribute to impact litigation and other programmatic work. 

The ideal candidate brings:

• JD, equivalent degree, or equivalent practical experience.
• 7+ years of experience including leading defensive litigation, navigating government investigations and enforcement matters, and internal investigations.
• Admitted to a bar where the role is located and in good standing or otherwise authorized to practice law (e.g. registered in-house status); ability to travel within the country for events, appearances, hearings, etc. 
• Experience with high risk incident response and excellent judgment on how to assess, mitigate, and, when necessary, operate with risk.  
• Ability to convert legal rules and requirements into practical operational guidance for staff and programs to ensure compliance.
• Ability to foster collaborative relationships and work in a team environment with people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, including strong external relationship development skills and the ability to work effectively with outside counsel.
• Rigorous attention to detail and the highest standards for excellence in execution.
• Ability to track, prioritize, and balance a diverse set of responsibilities.
• Growth mindset and enthusiasm for giving and receiving feedback up, down, and sideways.
• A passionate commitment to the preservation of democratic norms and institutions.
• Comfort working in a startup environment, proactively working to build the organization and figure out what’s needed to move your work forward. 

Compensation

The starting salary range is $110,077-$129,502 for mid-career candidates (typically with 7-11 years of experience) and $152,111-$178,954 for more experienced candidates (typically with 12-17 years of experience). Where a candidate falls within the salary range is determined by a number of factors including the relevant experience, capabilities and skills a candidate brings, and internal organizational equity.

About Protect Democracy

• Flexible location. You can work from any location in the United States. The only requirement is that your location be one that allows you to complete the demands of the position and mission. We currently have staff in Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and elsewhere around the country. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we offered shared workspaces in those locations for staff members who enjoy working in an office environment, and we are reopening our workspaces in line with current guidance.
• Commitment to a diverse workplace. Protect Democracy is an equal opportunity employer. Our culture principles emphasize that there is strength in diversity as we believe diverse teams are more innovative, creative, and productive. Protect Democracy encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.
• Competitive pay and phenomenal benefits. In addition to a competitive salary, our benefits package includes: unlimited PTO, 18 weeks of paid parental leave, a 401(k) plan with up to 6% employer match that vests immediately, excellent employer-sponsored health, vision, and dental plans, long-term disability and life insurance for all employees, a home office stipend, and as budget allows, discretionary bonuses.
• Ample opportunities for personal & professional development. Candidates who do not meet all listed criteria should still apply, as our organizational structure focuses on providing mentorship and opportunities for professional growth.

Please contact hiring@protectdemocracy.org if you require accommodations at any point in the application process.