Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) seeks a passionate and creative senior litigator to join our legal team and help us secure our democracy and build a better Washington. This position is a unique opportunity to be on the front lines of the fight for a more ethical, equitable and accountable government, while working alongside smart, dedicated and kind people.

As a leading nonpartisan nonprofit government watchdog, CREW is dedicated to defending our democratic institutions, rooting out government corruption and fighting the influence of money in politics through legal action and communications grounded by in-depth research. CREW is looking for a creative, results-driven attorney who is committed to our mission and cares deeply about protecting our democracy. We welcome diverse skills, backgrounds, and experiences.

Responsibilities:

• Work on a wide variety of CREW’s legal actions, including litigation, administrative complaints, and open records requests.
• Lead or support CREW litigation as needed, including by drafting pleadings, briefs, and legal memoranda, engaging in discovery and motion practice, and conducting evidentiary hearings and oral arguments in trial and appellate courts.
• Independently identify and develop new cases and work with potential plaintiffs and witnesses.
• Identify potential violations of law by government officials and entities, file administrative complaints, and litigate resulting cases.
• Engage in legal and policy research and analysis.
• Work alongside policy and ethics experts to develop and advocate for policies to advance CREW’s mission.

A great candidate has:

• J.D. (required).
• Admitted or eligible to waive in for admission to the D.C. Bar.
• A minimum of 6-10 years of substantive litigation experience (including clerkships and fellowships).
• Experience litigating on behalf of or against governments (federal or state)
• Familiarity with administrative law, constitutional law, federal civil service laws, FOIA, federal recordkeeping laws, FACA, campaign finance, or election law.
• Experience managing teams of attorneys and paralegals, setting agendas and priorities, and coordinating with external partners.
• Experience working independently to identify litigation opportunities and bring them to fruition.
• Experience building and managing partner and client relationships.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and sound judgment, including the ability to work effectively with outside counsel.
• The position is based in Washington, D.C. but will be hybrid with employees splitting their time between working at home and working in the office.

Compensation/Benefits

The salary range for this position is $120,000-$165,000 based on experience and qualifications. CREW offers a compensation and benefits program that creates a supportive, respectful, sustainable environment that allows our employees to show up as their authentic selves and perform at their best. We’re in this work for the long-haul, and that means investing in our most important asset: our staff. We are always working to improve our benefits program, currently they include:

• Generous paid time off
• Platinum medical insurance (100% of premium covered for employees; 55% of premium covered for dependents)
• Dental and vision insurance (99.9% of premium covered for employees and 55% of premium covered for dependents)
• 10 weeks paid family leave for non-birthing parent and 16 weeks paid family leave for birthing parent
• Family planning and gender affirming care benefits that include a $10k annual employer contribution with up to $30k over the term of your employment for employees AND their partners
• Option to enroll in FSA and dependent care FSA accounts with a $2,500 employer contribution to dependent care FSAs
• Option to enroll in commuter benefits
• Flexible, hybrid work environment
• Fully vested 401k with 3% employer contribution starting on day one
• Paid holiday closures between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, as well as major national holidays
• Employee assistance program
• Summer Fridays all year long
• Free in-office lunches weekly (and snacks daily!)
• Free virtual yoga classes

How to apply

Please email a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to jobs@citizensforethics.org. Please include your last name and “Senior Litigation Counsel” in the subject line. No phone calls, please. We are only able to respond to candidates we are contacting for an interview. CREW is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity in our workplace and in our work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. We strongly encourage candidates from all groups and communities to apply.