Undertakes substantive legal work for grant funded projects, including grant writing, and provides substantive support and expertise to the Commission specifically in the areas of health and long-term care, guardianship and surrogate decision-making, elder abuse, capacity assessment, legal services delivery, other dimensions of elder rights, and other subjects as needed. Supervised by the Director. Includes research, writing, consultative work, and speaking. May have supervisory duties of non-attorney staff.

Conducts in-depth legal research, writes, publishes, speaks – providing technical assistance, directs educational activities, and engages in grant development and fund raising. Also is an expert in his/her specific field; often considered a national expert.

This role is a higher level than that of Staff Attorney 2/Chief Counsel 1 in that the level of legal work is more sophisticated, the projects are larger, the ABA committees/commissions for whom the work is done involve more members, and the work of the cttee/cmmssns are more complex in the number and scope of the projects.

 

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities

-Provide substantive advice, information and policy. Serve as principal ABA expert in a substantive area of law or public policy. Conduct research and meetings; develop recommendations and memos. Includes contacts with government entities including officials and with media.

-Write memoranda, speeches, articles, including for publication.

-Analyze laws, regulations, court rules and policies/policy proposals. Prepare memoranda on law or public policy. Provide legal counsel to client or ABA committees.

-Manage substantive/legal aspects of a project. Oversee research, report writing and publishing. Coordinate or support member sub-groups or advisory committees, and coordinate with external constituencies. Manage, supervise, and mentor staff.

-Give presentations and/or teach on substantive legal or policy issues. Act as a consultant designing substantive content of events, developing model documents, and conducting trainings.

-Research, draft, author, review and critique legislative/rule/policy or regulatory text. Manage policy adoption process.

– Requires outstanding legal research and writing skills, communication and collaboration skills, advocacy experience, excellent organizational skills, and ability to exercise independent judgment.

– Also requires substantial experience in one or more of the following, surrogate decision-making issues, guardianship, elder abuse, access to health care and related civil justice systems issues.

– We are proud to be an EOE/AA employer M/F/D/V.

-Performs other related duties as required.

 

Required Education, Qualifications, Experience

-Requires Doctoral Degree (JD, PhD).

-At least 8+ years of practice or other experience in relevant specialized area of law.

-Substantial experience and high level of skills in policy analysis and scholarly writing, public speaking, other professional legal writing.

-Grant administration and supplemental subject matter experience may be required.

 

 

Detailed Description

 

Ability to work in the DC office preferred.  Telecommuting negotiable from District of Columbia, Maryland Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, California, and Texas.

 

This position provides grant-funded project support in the form of research, writing, editing, implementation, and monitoring in connection with multiple Commission projects under the supervision of the Director.  Specifically, duties will include some or all of the following:

 

1. Project development and grant writing.
   
2. Conducting legal or other research.
   
3. Writing memoranda, reports, resource materials, presentations, or articles, including for publication both for professional audiences as well as the public.
   

 

The American Bar Association is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with the American Bar Association please call 312-988-5188.

Flexible/hybrid work arrangements may be available for residents of CA, IL, IN, DC, MD, VA, and TX.  Residency requirements may apply. 

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