Title: Legal Counsel/Assistant General Counsel
Department: General Counsel
This role reports to: General Counsel
Number of Openings: 2
Location: Candidates must be based in a state where The Bail Project currently operates which includes the following: AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IN, IL, KY, MD, MO, MT, NY, NC, OH, OK, TX, PA, SC, WA
About The Bail Project
The Problem
There is no place in the criminal legal system where money more clearly buys justice than bail. People who can’t afford bail remain in jail before trial, while those with money buy their liberty. Tying freedom to financial ability upends the presumption of innocence, tears lives apart, and perpetuates racial and economic disparities. It is also a key driver of mass incarceration. Each year, an estimated 2.5 million people sit in jail cells across America because they cannot afford bail.
The Response
The Bail Project is a national nonprofit that provides free bail assistance and pretrial support to thousands of low-income people every year. We are on a mission to combat mass incarceration and demonstrate that a more humane, equitable, and effective pretrial system is possible.
The Model
The Bail Project uses a national revolving bail fund to pay bail for individuals who are legally presumed innocent, and whom a judge has deemed eligible for release. We then provide court reminders, transportation, and work with local partner organizations to connect our clients with voluntary social services and community-based programs. We call this model Community Release with Support, and it has proven highly effective in helping people make their court dates. As our clients’ cases close, bail comes back into the fund where it is recycled to help additional people. The goal of The Bail Project is to work ourselves out of a job by gathering human stories and data from our ground work to advance legislative and policy change to end cash bail and invest in Community Release with Support (AfterCashBail.org).
The Team
We are a community of advocates committed to ending mass incarceration and advancing racial and economic justice. Our organization consists of a central support hub and a network of client advocates or “Bail Disruptors” who work in their local communities to provide bail assistance and help advance advocacy efforts on the ground.
Description
The Legal Counsel/Assistant General Counsel will be a part of our General Counsel’s Office and will report to the General Counsel. The General Counsel’s Office represents and advises The Bail Project as an organization, including representing management interests by taking or recommending discretionary actions that effectively control or implement employer policy. In its performance of this key function, the General Counsel’s Office handles all of the legal matters of the organization, either directly or by supervising and managing the work of outside contracted counsel, and ensures that TBP strategies, policies, and programs are developed and applied in full recognition of all legal implications and risks. The Legal Counsel/Assistant General Counsel plays a vital role in the General Counsel’s Office and supports the General Counsel in performance of its key functions, including by performing the responsibilities listed below.
Responsibilities
- Review and draft a variety of contracts and other agreements;
- Research and provide legal advice to the organization to guarantee compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, standards, and practices, including, but not limited to, lobbying disclosure requirements, ethics rules, and tax laws governing exempt organizations;
- Seek, interview, and participate in hiring process and management of outside counsel;
- Under the supervision of General Counsel, coordinate with outside counsel and drive litigation strategy on behalf of TBP;
- Support corporate maintenance, registration, and compliance with all relevant jurisdictions;
- Provide legal advice to the organization on proposed policy initiatives, including review of proposed legislation, executive orders, or court rules;
- Render legal advice and/or coordinate with outside counsel in all areas of general law, including data privacy and security, employment and labor, intellectual property, insurance, and fiscal and regulatory matters;
- In partnership with the COO, create staff-friendly policies, procedures, and systems for legal compliance issues and mechanisms to audit those policies;
- Work with the Communications, Marketing, and Development Teams to ensure communication strategies are compliant with applicable federal and state laws, including data privacy;
- Provide or manage training of TBP staff on topics within the purview of the General Counsel’s Office;
- Research and respond to incoming issues and concerns addressed to the General Counsel’s Office, including those of a sensitive or confidential nature;
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications - Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school in the United States (required);
- Active license to practice law in any state or territory of the United States (required);
- 1 to 5 years of relevant legal experience that includes demonstrated experience with rigorous legal research and reading and analyzing state statutes and court rules (required);
- A minimum of three years of relevant legal experience to be considered for the Assistant General Counsel role;
- Experience with non-profit corporate and tax matters a plus;
- Strong attention to detail;
- Strong ethical and moral compass;
- Experience at a major law firm, in-house at a large corporation and/or at a nonprofit organization preferred;
- Experience with, and working knowledge of, the federal and state laws applicable to 501(c)(3) organizations preferred;
- Experience with, and working knowledge of, one or more of the following is desirable:
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and contract process management experience;
- Information governance, cyber security, and data privacy laws and policies;
- Labor and employment laws and policies;
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills and ability to communicate well to a variety of stakeholders, and the capacity to articulate legal concepts and complex policy issues to a variety of audiences;
- Strategic thinker with an ability to anticipate challenges and address roadblocks as they arise;
- Ability to meet quick deadlines, work with efficiency, and execute multiple tasks while responding to different priorities;
- Applicants must be willing to work in a collaborative, entrepreneurial, team-based environment and possess an innovative spirit, sense of humor, and willingness to adapt to the change inherent in a growing organization;
- Commitment to approaching the work through a racial justice and equity lens;
- Demonstrated commitment to mission, purpose, and values of The Bail Project.
We encourage individuals to apply even if they do not have all of the desired qualifications.
This role will perform all work from home. The Bail Project will provide equipment to support work from home but staff must provide their own reliable internet access.
This is a full-time, exempt, out-of-unit position. The Bail Project offers benefit programs including competitive Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Account (HSA), Life Insurance, Supplemental Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, Paid Parental Leave, a generous PTO and Sick Leave policy, and a 401(k) plan.
How To Apply
Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample. In the cover letter, please address the following:
- Why do you want to work for The Bail Project?
- Please share 2-3 experiences that highlight why you would be a strong candidate for our Legal Counsel/ Assistant General Counsel position and how you meet the qualifications for the position.
No faxes or phone calls please. Applicants will be notified regarding whether or not they have been selected for an interview.
Applications without cover letters and/or writing samples will not be processed.
The Bail Project is proud to be an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and actively seeks the candidacy of people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ people and formerly incarcerated individuals. We are committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff.
Salary Range: $75,000 - $105,000
Closing Date: September 8, 2024
E-Verify Statement
The Bail Project utilizes the E-Verify in states where required by law. To learn more about E-Verify you can call 1-800-255-7688 or visit their website. E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the United States Department of Homeland Security.
