Staff Attorney, Policy

The Staff Attorney for Communities Policy and Leadership manages activities related to the governance, policies, and procedures of the D.C. Bar Communities and Communities Committee, including processes for leadership training, elections, succession planning and development, and compliance. The Staff Attorney also enhances member participation and engagement by facilitating member access to and comprehension of policy and procedures. In addition, the Staff Attorney enables member access to electronic discussion lists and coordinates Communities' development of public statements, initiatives, and written content which augment members' opportunities for active and substantive involvement. The Staff Attorney also supports programs, projects, and other activities that maintain and increase the value of the Communities membership experience.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develops and/or updates, implements, and monitors rules and procedures for the Communities and serves as first point of contact on compliance inquiries and interpretation of Communities Policies and Procedures.
• Supports the Director's liaison duties related to the Communities Committee. Drafts and edits memoranda, correspondence, reports, agendas, and minutes related to Communities Committee meetings.
• Provides oversight to Community Steering Committee Elections and maintains historical data of Communities Steering Committees.
• Implements or provides oversight regarding activities related to Community Steering Committee post-election transitions, including related correspondence, collection of steering committee and subcommittee member assignments, and leadership postings to Communities webpages.
• Develops member/volunteer training and leadership development programs.
• Identifies and recruits members for potential leadership appointments and for elected steering committee openings.
• Develops content programming for Communities and may manage Community-specific content programming as needed.
• Collaborates with Communities Staff to recommend and develop member value proposition for Community members and to develop and implement Communities membership development strategies.
• Coordinates publication of the D.C. Practice Manual and other Communities publications.
• Coordinates with steering committees on their submission of public statements, prepares and oversees the distribution of public statements for clearance process, and posts finalized and approved statements.
• Evaluates, recommends, and facilitates the implementation of new or the sunsetting of dormant Communities groups.
• Serves as liaison to assigned communities and as a project manager for assigned events.
• Manages Community of the Year and Communities Lawyers of the Year Awards programs.
• Maintains Communities webpage content.
• Facilitates member engagement in the Communities discussion lists, including monitoring posts for appropriateness, distributing information to steering committees for their posting to the listservs, sending Communities Office postings as needed, and collaborating with Communities Staff on matters related to updates and maintenance.
• With Communities staff colleagues, provides input to the IT department on necessary updates, problems, and service requirements.
• Conceptualizes and/or implements special projects or events that support the strategic direction of the D.C. Bar or Communities as assigned.
• Manages and staffs Communities meetings and programs, oversees set-ups, responds to volunteer planner requests, and supports day-of implementation, including logistics and registration as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• J.D. from an accredited ABA law school.
• Active member of the D.C. Bar or eligible to become an active D.C. Bar member within two months of being hired.
• Prior relevant work experience managing multi-faceted projects.
• Proficient in database management and Microsoft 365.
• Ability to work often after hours and sporadically on weekends.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Must be detail oriented and deadline driven. Able to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. Must work well in a team environment and be able to interact, including in-person, with Bar members, volunteers, vendors, the public and Bar employees.
• Must work well under pressure, possess excellent organizational abilities, and be able to manage several priorities in a day.
• Must be adaptable, creative, and self-motivated.
• Ability to handle and maintain the confidentiality of highly sensitive information.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in a professional association or other membership organization or similar nonprofit, managing adherence to bylaws or other policy documents.
• Direct experience managing member and volunteer leader relationships.

*** Please submit resume, cover letter, and two (2) writing samples. ***

This position is currently a hybrid position, with days worked in the office and days worked remotely. The hybrid status of this position may change at any time subject to the Bar's discretion.

This is not an attempt to list all essential functions of this position. Job duties may change over time based on organizational/department needs.

The D.C. Bar is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law.

The Bar is committed to providing qualified individuals with reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of their jobs, pursuant to applicable law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact Human Resources at

As part of the accommodation process, we will conduct an individualized interactive process and may ask you for additional information. Any final hiring decisions or start dates may be delayed while the accommodation review process is ongoing if the individual cannot begin work without the requested accommodation.