Associate Director for Impact Litigation

Giffords

12d•Remote

About The Position

GIFFORDS Law Center is seeking an Associate Director for Impact Litigation to join our team. The Associate Director is a senior attorney who will lead high-impact affirmative litigation designed to advance gun industry accountability and reduce gun violence. This role requires seasoned judgment, extensive litigation experience, and a strong commitment to addressing the systemic drivers of gun harm. The Associate Director will oversee case development and litigation strategy, manage a portfolio of industry-focused and community-protection cases, and manage two attorneys focusing on impact litigation, while working with a broader team of attorneys involved in industry accountability and Second Amendment litigation. They will help shape the organization’s legal vision and expand the field of gun violence prevention litigation nationwide. This is a full-time remote position based in the contiguous US. This position requires the ability and willingness to travel up to 10-15% of the time, as well as interest and ability in staffing occasional weekend and evening events.

Requirements

J.D. and admission to at least one state bar (or eligibility for timely admission).
Minimum of 7 years of litigation experience, with substantial affirmative, complex, or impact litigation responsibility.
Minimum of 3 years of experience working on issues related to gun violence prevention.
Demonstrated commitment to gun violence prevention and/or related areas such as consumer protection, civil rights, public health, or corporate accountability.
Experience developing and leading cases involving complex factual records, expert testimony, and industry practices.
Prior experience supervising or mentoring attorneys or legal staff.
Exceptional legal writing, analytical, and oral advocacy skills.
Ability to manage multiple litigation matters in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
Strong commitment to trauma-informed practice, and working respectfully with survivors and communities disproportionately affected by gun violence.
Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse partners, including advocates, experts, survivors, and government entities.
A demonstrated commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in Spanish and English.

Responsibilities

Identify, investigate, and develop affirmative litigation to address gun violence, including cases focused on gun industry misconduct, negligent or unlawful distribution practices, deceptive marketing, and other practices that contribute to harm from gun violence.
Lead all phases of litigation from factual investigation, drafting pleadings, discovery, motion practice, negotiations, through trial and the appellate process.
Utilize federal, state, and local laws and statutes and innovative legal theories to advance community safety and accountability.
Work closely with policy, government affairs, research, community violence intervention, and communications teams to ensure litigation is integrated into broader organizational strategies and advocacy work.
Build and maintain relationships with survivors, impacted communities, public officials, local advocates, investigators, co-counsel, and pro bono partners to support case development and litigation goals.
Supervise and lead a team of attorneys and other team members towards the achievement of team and individual goals.
Ensure high quality, mission-critical work across the affirmative litigation team
Work closely with the Chief Counsel and VP of GIFFORDS Law Center to define long-term litigation priorities and strengthen internal systems.
Follow GIFFORDS best practices for management and support of a team
Promote an inclusive, trauma-informed, and equity-centered team culture that values collaboration and learning.
Represent the organization in court, in meetings with public officials, in coalition spaces, and at conferences or convenings related to gun violence prevention and industry accountability.
Partner with the development team on grant proposals, reports, and donor engagement related to litigation work.
Support the communications team in developing messaging, including working with press, that elevates the impact of litigation and centers survivors and affected communities.
Contribute to organizational initiatives, cross-team strategy efforts, and leadership discussions.