Job Description
Program Counsel i Who We Are:Founded in 1907, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is a nonpartisan association that serves as the national forum for the 56 state and territory attorneys general and their staff to collaboratively address issues important to their work and provides resources to support the work they do to enforce state law and the United States Constitution. NAAG fosters an environment of cooperative leadership, helping attorneys general respond effectively individually and collectively to emerging state and federal issues. NAAG emphasizes service to one another and our community, a commitment to professional excellence, and quality of life for our employees.
The Job Brief: NAAG s Program Counsel I position will be housed in NAAG s Training and Research Division (NTR). The NTR Division provides high-quality, non-partisan, and innovative training, research, and other developmental resources to support state and territory attorney general offices (AGOs). Services offered to NAAG members cover a breadth of subject areas and delivery formats and is a premier national organization for training and research throughout the government legal, law enforcement, and prosecutorial arenas.
The Program Counsel I is responsible for providing high-quality legal training to state and territory attorney general offices. Specifically, the position is responsible for initiating, coordinating, and executing NAAG trainings, serving as faculty on trainings, developing new in-person and online courses, conducting research, and producing research deliverables. The Counsel regularly conducts traditional legal skills- and advocacy-based trainings and other substantive trainings, as assigned, to the attorney general community or other government attorneys and staff. Counsel will organize other legal programming that benefits the attorney general community. Counsel will serve as an in-house expert on topics that match the professional expertise of the Counsel, particularly involving general litigation, criminal and/or civil law, energy and environment, civil rights, and/or appellate advocacy. Counsel will serve as liaison to assigned NAAG Committees as needed. Counsel will assist with developing resources to onboard and develop NTR faculty, in consultation with the Legal Skills and Faculty Development Section of the Division.
Success in this position requires creativity, flexibility, initiative, follow-through, attention to detail, strong oral and written presentation skills, a love for teaching and mentoring, teamwork, patience, relationship-building, and collegiality. One must value and understand the importance of having a dedicated focus that supports state attorney general offices and similar government partners and works well with changing environments and personalities.
Travel Responsibilities and Reporting Structure:
Significant monthly domestic travel is inherent to this position, possibly including international travel occasionally.
The Program Counsel I will report to the Director of NTR s Legal Skills and Faculty Development Section.
Responsibilities - Training and Faculty Development- Develop, execute, and serve as supporting and lead Faculty for NAAG trainings and related programs as assigned for attorney general offices, domestically, internationally, and online.
- Serve as supporting and lead faculty for NAAG legal skills trainings, which may include but are not limited to, Trial Advocacy, Motion Practice, Deposition Skills, Negotiation Skills, Evidentiary Foundations and Issues, Legal Writing, Trial Practice, Habeas, and/or E-Discovery.
- Develop new legal skills trainings and update existing trainings based on the evolving needs of the attorney general community.
- Create content and materials to supplement NAAG legal and other substantive skills and general trainings.
- Develop new courses and update existing courses on topics and areas assigned based on training needs.
- Assist with creating and curating helpful resources for the NAAG faculty community to develop their teaching and presentation skills.
- Identify and recruit appropriate faculty, speakers, and experts for NTR and other NAAG training and programs.
- Research- Conduct research and develop content for the benefit of the attorney general community.
- Conduct research to draft articles for publications and other resources on specifically assigned legal areas.
- Write and edit articles and publications in support of the attorney general community.
- Serve as resident expert in legal areas as assigned including civil rights and energy and environment.
- Identify research projects and areas based on emerging trends for topics assigned to Counsel s portfolio.
- Supervise and mentor law clerks on identified research projects and areas upon requests from the attorney general community.
- Committee and Attorney General Office Support- Support NAAG Committees as assigned to include facilitating conference calls, organizing panels or trainings or symposia, preparing agendas and memos, and following up on action items.
- Support programming for NAAG conferences as assigned including developing substantive content, identifying speakers, and building program agendas.
- Work with NAAG staff, speakers, and faculty to ensure that all trainings and related events and content comport with NAAG procedures.
- Develop grant applications and manage grants as opportunities arise.
- Manage a Department of Energy Grant assisting attorney general environmental attorneys.
- Staff attorney general office working groups serving as organizer, intermediary, and content lead.
- Build external partnerships and relationships at the association and government local, state, and national levels to the benefit of the attorney general community.
- Other Skills and Duties as Needed- Proficiency in the general practice of law sufficient to serve as a subject matter expert when called by State Offices of the Attorney General to assist in training and other lawyering skills as needed.
- Work throughout NAAG to ensure workplace effectiveness in furtherance of the NAAG and NTR Strategic Plans, including through team meetings, retreats, and related assignments.
- Improve professional epertise by identifying and attending professional development sessions and courses that benefit NAAG and its members.
- Possess technological savviness and a willingness to learn the unknown.
- Respond well to being flexible and adaptable and handling unexpected situations quickly.
- Ability to work as a generalist legally and substantively.
- Additional duties and responsibilities as determined by the needs of the Association and its members.
Is this you?- J.D. degree from an accreted law school required.
- Active Bar license and membership in good standing in a U.S. jurisdiction.
- At least five years of litigation and trial (bench and jury) experience as an attorney in a dynamic legal environment, preferably that of an attorney general s office. Will consider those from a district attorney s office, U.S. Attorney s office, military JAG office, or related state or federal agency.
- Experience planning and delivering legal courses and trainings for attorneys, legal practitioners, and/or law students.
Location:- This position may be considered for hybrid or remote work.
- If remote, it will require occasional travel to the NAAG headquarters in Washington, D.C. In addition, travel will be required for meetings, conferences, legal skills trainings, and other necessary Association activities.
- Any permissible remote work must adhere to the Association s remote work policy.
Compensation:
- Salary range for this position is $105,000 to $115,000, commensurate with experience and budget availability.
- Exceptional benefits package which includes health, dental, vision, life/disability, long-term care, and 401k retirement plan (with an employer match and profit sharing).
To Apply:- We invite you to apply today. Please click Apply below and submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and salary requirements.
- Applications received prior to June 5, 2024, will be given priority review. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
NAAG believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical to success. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. PI3b6f6fd96b96-3426