Careers

Legislative and Policy Counsel

Organization Overview

For decades, the right invested billions in capturing the judiciary—and succeeded. They packed the courts with extremists and anti-populist lawyers while progressives failed to mount sufficient resistance.

Today we’re living with the consequences: Donald Trump enjoys criminal immunity, Roe v. Wade was overturned, the Voting Rights Act is gutted, and research shows that federal courts overwhelmingly rule in favor of corporations and billionaires over working people. Meanwhile, he is using the Department of Justice as his own personal law firm.

Now Trump is taking it further. Run-of-the-mill extremist nominees are no longer enough—judicial nominees must now show their loyalty to Trump above all else. He is determined not just to break the law, but to dismantle it—attacking institutions, individuals, and anyone standing in his way.

This moment requires aggressive, strategic, and disruptive opposition to the dismantling and corruption of the rule of law by Trump and his cronies.

Demand Justice’s Core Mission:

• Expose Trump’s court takeover: Force a public reckoning about the right-wing’s capture of our courts and Trump’s authoritarian grip on judicial power; shock, educate, and activate a progressive base to invest in the fight for our courts.
• Hold Democrats accountable: Ensure Democrats in power and running for office stand up and fight back—we reward them when they do and fearlessly hold them accountable when they don’t.
• Build support for bold reforms ahead of 2028 and beyond: Propose and build consensus around bold reforms to the Supreme Court, lower courts, and the judicial system generally.
• Fight Trump’s court nominees, including any second-term nominees to the Supreme Court.

Demand Justice is a bold, disruptive organization that wages advocacy and media campaigns. We use all our organizational tools — a c3, c4 and PAC — to stiffen the spines of those in power to fight for the rule of law and move the entire public discourse of the courts toward reform.

Position Overview

Demand Justice seeks a Legislative and Policy Counsel to help develop and advance the organization’s legislative and policy platform, including a suite of bold reform proposals. The Legislative and Policy Counsel will also participate in coalition efforts, helping to grow a network of like-minded organizations, policymakers, academics, and legal advocates to achieve Demand Justice’s vision of a progressive judiciary. 

Reporting to the Chief Counsel, the Legislative and Policy Counsel will be a trusted member of the team and provide legal and policy expertise across the organization. 

Key Responsibilities

Legislative and Policy Strategy

• Provide legal and policy content expertise on the federal judiciary system, legislative and rulemaking processes, and court-related actions coming out of Congress and the Trump Administration, including for purposes of rapid response.
• Advise the President and Chief Counsel on policy and campaign strategies. 
• Conduct, draft, and revise legal and policy research and analyses.
• Under the direction of the Chief Counsel, develop and execute strategic legislative, campaign, and administrative policy options, including a suite of bold proposals to reform the federal judiciary and improve the accountability and transparency of the Justice Department.
• Source existing policy ideas related to the courts and evaluate merit and impact. 

Coalition Building 

• Organize and work with external organizations to bolster support for Demand Justice’s goals – or to minimize opposition to those goals – and grow the organization’s sphere of influence.
• Leverage relationships within the legal advocacy community to support the work of Demand Justice; identify areas of alignment and opportunities for collaboration. 

Public Education and Narrative Building 

• Collaborate with the communications team to translate complex legal and policy information into accessible language that educates and mobilizes diverse audiences for social media posts, press statements, newsletters, and other purposes.
• Help conceive and contribute to the development of strategic narratives, written reports, and other communications materials to bolster Demand Justice’s work. 
• Other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school and admission to the bar in any state, territory, or the District of Columbia
• 5 or more years of combined professional experience in legal, policy, strategic campaign, or similar settings
• Exceptional legal research, analysis, and reasoning skills
• Compelling written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated interest in government accountability and public interest advocacy
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, operate with increasing independence, and work collaboratively as part of a dynamic team

Desired Requirements:

• Expertise or litigation experience in voting rights, civil rights, or related issues
• Working knowledge of Supreme Court practice and court reform proposals
• Meaningful experience in organizing, campaigns, strategic research, or a similar mission-focused environment requiring responsiveness, adaptability, and good judgement 

Compensation and Location 

Annual compensation for this role is between $120,000-$145,000, depending on experience, as well as a generous benefits package, including medical, vision and dental insurance provided by the employer and matching 401K.

Demand Justice is a hybrid workplace, and this role is expected to work in the Washington, DC office three to four days a week. 

How to Apply 

To apply for this role, submit a resume, cover letter, and brief writing sample (no more than three pages) to [email protected].  The cover letter should be concise, compelling, and outline the specific ways in which you would be a good fit for this position. The writing sample may be in any professional or academic format (or an excerpt therefrom), and should showcase your skills in written persuasion, or analysis, or both. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Demand Justice is dedicated to building a team of diverse individuals and committed to providing a workplace of mutual respect and inclusion. Demand Justice’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.