Lambda Legal is a national nonprofit organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ("LGBT") people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Founded in 1973 and headquartered in New York City, Lambda Legal has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas. The Legal Assistant's work will include a focus on issues related to impact litigation, education and public policy affecting people living with HIV, as well as other aspects of Lambda Legal's mission. 

Lambda Legal's law reform, policy, and education work encompasses a wide range of areas critically important to LGBT people and those living with HIV, such as federal and state constitutional law issues; relationship protections, including the freedom to marry; child custody, visitation, assisted reproduction, adoption, and foster care; sexual orientation, gender identity, and HIV discrimination in employment, schools, youth in out-of-home care systems, health care, identity documents, the criminal justice system, and other areas; asylum and immigration policy; harassment and violence; and anti-LGBT ballot initiatives. Lambda Legal has been involved in numerous landmark United States and state Supreme Court cases, including Lawrence v. Texas, Romer v. Evans, Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, University of Alabama v. Garrett, In re Marriage Cases, Varnum v. Brien, Benitez v. North Coast Women's Care Medical Group, and Brandon v. County of Richardson. For more information about Lambda Legal, visit www.lambdalegal.org 

Responsibilities: The Legal Assistant will primarily be responsible for legal and administrative support to attorneys who work on an array of priorities, including but not limited to legal work important to people living with HIV. In addition to the production of legal briefs and cite-checking, Legal Assistants are tasked with preparing other legal filings; performing non-legal research; maintaining case files and other organizational systems; drafting correspondence; contacting court personnel and other attorneys and advocates; and providing general administrative support to attorneys in the Legal Department. Finally, Legal Assistants will also help staff the Legal Help Desk intake line, which involves initial pre-screening and information-gathering to identify potential clients, as well as helping callers locate resources.

Qualifications: Excellent oral and written communication skills. Motivated, detail-oriented, well-organized, self-starting, dependable, able to work well under pressure, a team player, computer-literate. Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, and internet research skills required. Prior legal secretarial or support work is highly desired, and a willingness to develop the specialized knowledge about the legal system and legal documents necessary to perform duties in a law office setting is essential. Familiarity with LexisNexis, Electronic Court Filing systems (including the federal judiciary's Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system), Excel, and PowerPoint is helpful. Because of the focused and challenging nature of the work Lambda Legal does, a background in or familiarity with issues, legal or otherwise, important to the LGBT community and/or people with HIV will greatly strengthen an application. Ability to handle intake calls, often from people facing crises or significant problems, is critical; thus any experience with hotlines is also helpful. Working at Lambda Legal requires a demonstrated awareness of and commitment to the concerns of the communities Lambda Legal represents. A minimum two-year commitment is required, and fluency in Spanish is a plus.

Salary: Low- to mid-30s, DOE. Excellent employer-paid benefits package including medical, dental, life and long-term disability insurance, and generous employer contribution to retirement account. Generous vacation.

Application: The position is open until filled. Send resume, brief writing sample (five pages or less), and a letter or email explaining your interest in the position and how you learned of the job opening to:

Please include the words "Legal Assistant - Headquarters" on the first line of the address of the envelope or the subject line of the email transmitting your application materials. 

No calls please.

Lambda Legal is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, transgender people, and people with disabilities, including HIV, are encouraged to apply.

This can be done from anywhere as long as you have access to a computer, email and internet.