Legal Counsel, Ethics

Position summary

Central to the mission of Campaign Legal Center (“CLC”) is the protection of the right to a government free from both the reality and appearance of improper influence and corruption. To this end, CLC engages with federal, state, and local governments to expose unethical conduct. CLC works to ensure vigorous and fair enforcement of ethics laws, regulations, and policies, with the aim of holding candidates and officeholders accountable for compliance with these legal authorities.

Reporting to the Ethics Director, the Legal Counsel works on both proactive and responsive actions consistent with mission of CLC’s ethics program, including conducting legal and factual research, ethics investigations, drafting complaints, rulemaking petitions, letters, testimony and other public documents, as well as working with outside groups to advance our mission.  The Legal Counsel will advise on the application of various ethics laws and rules, including the Ethics in Government Act, 18 U.S.C. §208, the Lobbying Disclosure Act, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, congressional ethics rules, and the Code of Conduct for Justices of the Supreme Court. 

The Legal Counsel’s duties will include bringing legal actions before the Office of Government Ethics, the Office of Special Counsel, the U.S. Senate Committee on Ethics, the U.S. House Committee on Ethics, the Office of Congressional Conduct, the Judicial Conference, the Department of Justice, and state and local ethics commissions. 

Responsibilities

• Research and draft documents that explore ethics issues and explain how applicable legal authorities prohibit conflicts of interest and improper influencing of government decisions. Writing assignments may include complaints, white papers, reports, requests for information, blogs and other public documents.
• Conduct factual research to build a record and identify compliance issues regarding government ethics.
• Monitor and report on the activities of governmental ethics agencies and committees to ensure they are actively and appropriately enforcing ethics laws.
• Advise, assist, draft and comment on proposed ethics legislation and regulations. This may include drafting petitions for rulemaking and commenting on proposed regulations, and drafting and presenting testimony at administrative and legislative hearings.
• Promote effectiveness and transparency of ethics programs by ensuring that ethics information is publicly available.
• Monitor and review public ethics filings of elected and appointed officeholders, as well as candidates for those positions, to identify and disclose potential conflicts of interest.
• Research, draft and file letters and complaints regarding violations of the ethics laws, where appropriate.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Two to four years of legal experience
• Active member of the bar in good standing
• Exceptional writing and analytical skills and ability to write both legal documents and material for a general audience
• Experience conducting factual investigations or research
• Commitment to nonpartisan government reform
• Exceptional interpersonal communication skills with a proven ability to work effectively and collaboratively as part of a team

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a nondiscriminatory work environment. CLC is proud to be an inclusive organization. It does not make hiring or advancement, or other employment decisions, based on race, national origin, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, familial status or responsibilities, personal appearance, pregnancy, political affiliation, ancestry, military or veteran status, genetic information, disability, record of arrest or conviction, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, District of Columbia, or local law. This policy applies to all aspects of employment including, but not limited to, recruitment, selection, job assignment, compensation, promotion, termination, benefits, and training. 

Compensation and Benefits 

Campaign Legal Center is committed to fostering a workplace that supports every team member's personal and professional well-being. Our compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive and inclusive benefits package tailored to meet the diverse needs of our staff. 

Our benefits include: 

• Generous health, dental, and vision insurance with low employee premiums
• A 401(k) retirement plan with a dollar-for-dollar match up to 6%, with immediate vesting
• 20 vacation days, 12 sick days, and 3 floating holidays annually
• 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, 10 days of bereavement leave, and 8 weeks of sabbatical leave for those who qualify
• Office closures for all federal holidays, plus typically a week in late summer, and a week in the winter.
• Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts
• A $1,000 annual professional development stipend and bar membership reimbursement
• A $300 annual technology allowance
• Pre-tax metro smart benefits
• New family and family planning support, including reimbursement for travel to access legal reproductive healthcare
• An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free, confidential support for personal, financial, and family matters.

At CLC, we believe that caring for our team is essential to sustaining our mission. We strive to create a culture where everyone can thrive inside and outside work. 

Disclaimer: This description of the position summary, key responsibilities, benefits, and compensation is intended to provide an overview of this position and is not all inclusive. The incumbent in this position will be expected to perform other duties as required. Responsibilities may change over time. This description of the position summary, key responsibilities, benefits, and compensation is provided for informational purposes only and does not form the basis of a contract.

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