We are also interested in non-traditional applicants who are passionate
about our work.
**Members Only** Senior Attorney - Advocate for Sustainable and Just Food Systems
**Members Only** is seeking a highly experienced and motivated Senior Attorney to join our team. As the only legal project in the country dedicated solely to taking on industrial animal agriculture, we are committed to dismantling the structures that enable corporate power and extractive practices in our food system. Our vision is for a more regenerative, humane, and farmer-owned animal agriculture industry, and we believe that this change can only be achieved through collaboration and partnership across movement sectors.
As the Senior Attorney, you will play a crucial role in developing new legal strategies to hold corporations and the government accountable for their abuses while advancing our mission. We are open to hearing from applicants about the specific docket they wish to develop, but we are particularly interested in strategies that complement our current regulatory litigation efforts and expand the use of consumer protection laws, such as false advertising statutes. Our litigation work is not an end unto itself, but a tool for power building, and we expect our Senior Attorney to be able to articulate how their docket will support broader advocacy and campaigns.
Reporting to the Managing Director of Litigation, you will also be responsible for managing components of our existing docket and supervising staff attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, fellows, and externs. You will lead legal teams that work across organizations, including private firms, with whom we frequently collaborate. As a top-notch litigator with experience leading teams and working closely with organizers and grassroots groups, you will be a key member of our team.
Given that **Members Only** works nationally, this position will involve some travel.
Responsibilities:
• Develop new cases and manage existing dockets aligned with **Members Only**’s Strategic Plan in state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
• Litigate cases from beginning to end as lead or co-counsel, performing all aspects of litigation.
• Integrate litigation into advocacy initiatives, campaigns, and strategies with our partners.
• Engage in advocacy outside of court, including building relationships with the media and decision-makers, reviewing legislation, commenting on administrative petitions and letters, and reviewing fact sheets and other materials.
• Actively engage in outreach and participate in coalitions and collaborative networks to build relationships and support for **Members Only**’s mission.
• Represent **Members Only** at conferences and events and assist with fundraising as requested.
• Supervise the work of staff attorneys, law fellows, and law clerks throughout the organization and contribute to the development of less experienced attorneys.
• Help manage our case intake process, provide resources to potential clients, and coordinate volunteer attorneys, members, and other legal resources for intakes.
• Conduct other advocacy work to further **Members Only**’s priorities.
Qualifications:
• Law degree and at least eight years of litigation experience. Clerkships and fellowships will be included in determining litigation experience.
• Admission to a State Bar and willingness to be admitted to the DC Bar.
• Excellent litigation skills, including proven legal research, writing, analytical, and oral advocacy skills, and the ability to manage a litigation docket effectively.
• Strong communication skills to convey litigation and advocacy goals and messages to the media and the public.
• Ability to work independently and in collaboration with client partners, leading a team.
• Strong initiative, good judgment, creativity, and work ethic.
• Willingness to travel as needed for case work, court appearances, and presentations.
• Sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals and groups from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.
• Willingness to contribute to the creation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work community that encourages collaboration.
• A strong desire to build a movement for a more just food system.
Work structure:
This is a full-time, exempt position with a starting salary of $115,000 for a 2017 law school graduate, with adjustments made based on experience. We are a fully remote workplace, although we maintain an office address in .
Benefits:
We offer a flexible work schedule, 17 days of paid vacation, 8 days of sick leave, all federal holidays, additional **Members Only** holidays, employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, and a 401(k) plan.
To Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a:
• Cover letter that conveys why you are drawn to **Members Only**’s mission and the objectives of this position, your vision for your docket, and how your experience fits with those objectives.
• Resume.
• Law school transcript (official or unofficial).
• Contact information for three references.
• Writing sample, preferably a legal brief unedited or only lightly edited by another, including a cover sheet explaining the extent of editing by someone else.
Your application should consist of two electronic files: (1) your cover letter, resume, transcript, and references in a single file; and (2) a writing sample in another file. We encourage applicants to submit their materials by April 14, 2025, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Please submit both files to with “Senior Attorney” in the subject line.
**Members Only** is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and progressive workplace. We recognize that women and people of color may be less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every one of the qualifications listed. We are most interested in finding the best fit, not completing a checklist. We encourage women, people of color, LGBTQ applicants, people with disabilities, and non-traditional applicants who are passionate about our work to apply.
