Description

Litigation Director

Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Gainesville, Tallahassee or Fully Remote

Starting Salary: $117,500 - $165,000 (Scales Up Based on Experience)

Excellent Benefits including paid vacation, sick leave and personal holidays, contributed employer medical, vision and dental insurance, 401(K) plan with an impressive employer contribution match, Life, AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance, generous paid holidays as well as a host of additional optional benefits.  Employment at Disability Rights Florida is eligible employment for LRAP and PSLF.

Application Deadline: 30 Days

Who We Are
Disability Rights Florida (DRF) is a not-for-profit corporation that acts as the state’s federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System for individuals with disabilities. As Florida’s P&A System, DRF’s mission is to advocate, educate, investigate, and litigate to protect and advance the rights, dignity, equal opportunities, self-determination, and choices for all people with disabilities.

Purpose of the Job

The Litigation Director will focus their practice on developing and pursuing strategic individual and systemic cases on behalf of DRF clients and constituents. As the P&A organization for the state of Florida, DRF endeavors to identify and address legal issues that affect significant numbers of individuals with disabilities and/or advance significant rights. The Litigation Director will serve as lead counsel and co-counsel and assist staff attorneys in developing litigation experience. The Litigation Director is responsible for supporting, refining, building, and maintaining best practice approaches to support and assist the legal teams. The scope of cases handled by the Litigation Director will span the breadth of issues handled by DRF. In addition, the Litigation Director acts as General Counsel to the organization in matters related to Access Authority and other similarly situated cases. The Litigation Director provides leadership to ensure that DRF achieves its overall mission to protect the rights of Floridians with disabilities. 

Essential Functions

• Member of the Florida Bar and all Florida federal district bars.
• Experience practicing in both State and Federal Court as lead counsel.
• Minimum of eight (8) years or more of civil litigation experience with independent primary responsibility for litigation, with a record of success.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in enforcing civil rights and disability discrimination laws, including claims under the ADA and section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act; the Fair Housing Act; the Medicaid Act and; 42 U.S.C. section 1983. 
• Experience and expertise to conceptualize new and appropriate litigation and advocacy strategies and translate them into achievable plans.
• Government clearance by the United States Government Office of Personal Management is required for this position.
• Knowledge of state and federal law, regulations, court, and administrative procedure as well as rules of professional conduct.
• Demonstrated commitment to enforcing and expanding the rights of people with disabilities across Florida or other state(s) through individual and/or systemic litigation consistent with the mission and goals of DRF.
• Ability to read, write and speak professionally and communicate effectively in English, including a working knowledge of correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and legal citation.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex problems, plan, and direct resolution. 
• Knowledge of federal benefit and state social welfare systems and institutional regulations impacting individuals with disabilities.
• Proficient with on-line legal research. 
• Proficient with use of Microsoft Office applications, especially Word.
• Preferred experience with LegalServer case management system.
• Management skills and experience overseeing and providing direction to
  legal staff.
• Ability to travel statewide and within the U.S.
• Valid state issued identification required at time of hiring and must be maintained throughout employment in this position. 
• Availability to travel, sometimes on short notice, throughout Florida, including rural areas.
• Works with leadership, managing attorneys, and staff attorneys to guide high-impact cases addressing systemic barriers and discrimination against people with disabilities, including related violations of law, policy and practices identified through DRF’s direct client representation.
• Serves as General Counsel for DRF, in lawsuits involving access authority and other similarly situated cases, in which DRF does not retain outside counsel. 
• Represents clients consistent with DRF’s Goals and Priorities and case selection criteria and develops and implements all phases of case representation and strategies. This includes but is not limited to evaluating forums for solving issues in advance of litigation, negotiation, mediation, administrative advocacy, and litigation in state and federal courts.
• Supervises and manages DRF’s litigation, including review of filings; ensures the ongoing development of litigation on disability rights issues.
• Mentors and develop attorneys at all levels, teaching litigation skills and strategies while ensuring they remain current on procedural and substantive law. Supports, educates, and models effective litigation and advocacy approaches in state and federal courts, administrative proceedings, and in the community.
• Analyzes and interprets federal and state laws, rulings, and regulations to stay abreast of legal developments in disability law, and other related law/ethics fields.
• Works to involve private law firms, corporate counsel, and private attorneys in co-counseling and supporting legal work.
• Maintains complete and accurate records in DRF’s case management system consistent with agency policies and procedures. 
• Acts with the utmost commitment to the Florida Bar Rules of Professional Conduct and sets an example of professional conduct for the staff. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists in planning and implementing DRF’s program priorities.

• Monitors available external legal trainings and coordinates with Team Directors to suggest training opportunities for attorneys.
• Provides comprehensive reports of legal accomplishments to the Board of Directors, PAIMI Advisory Council and, as required or requested by, other executive, legislative or policy leaders. 
• Completes accurate and timely administrative reports, manages resources, and ensures staff compliance with organizational fiscal and human resource policies and procedures. 
• Participates in organizational events, maintains working relationships with other disability rights attorneys in both public legal service and private practice, and relevant state and national advocacy organizations, to enhance the visibility of the organization and further the rights of individuals with disabilities.  

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of five (5) years supervisory experience preferred.
• Preferred experience with LegalServer case management system. 
• A passion for working with mission-driven organizations.
• Leadership and executive responsibilities within a public organization, non-profit organization, or law firm.
• Knowledge of and experience working with people with disabilities.

Supervisory Responsibility: Yes

• Paralegal and/or Admin Assistant

To Apply:

Please submit a DRF Application, cover letter, resume, three professional references (at least two direct supervisors) and a legal writing sample to: Cynthia Ryan Harris, Disability Rights Florida, 2473 Care Drive, Ste. 200, Tallahassee, Florida 32308, fax 850-558-1821 or email: job402@disabilityrightsflorida.org or visit: http://www.disabilityrightsflorida.org/about/employment opportunities.

We encourage individuals with disabilities and from other diverse backgrounds to apply.

DFWP/EOE