National Lawyers Guild National Office
Remote Position
Position Description: The NLG Director of Mass Defense (DMD) is a full-time staff member in the NLG National Office (NLG NO). In collaboration with other NO staff, the DMD is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the NLG’s national protest support program, the Mass Defense Program, and its subparts. The position is largely an organizing and rapid response role, responsible for overseeing and advising national mass defense-related network-building and membership-building activities, including supporting collaboration within and across NLG chapters, regions, committees, projects, and members. The DMD reports to the NLG NO Executive Director and works closely with NLG staff and members to identify and implement priorities and strategies, as well as create and maintain necessary resources.
About the National Lawyers Guild: The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) is a membership-based organization with a longstanding commitment to racial, economic, gender, disability, queer liberation, the rights of people who are incarcerated, prison and policing abolition, and more. Our mission is to use the law for the people. We unite lawyers, law students, legal workers, and jailhouse lawyers to form an effective force in service of the people, valuing human rights and the rights of ecosystems over property interests. This is achieved through the work of our members and NLG’s numerous organizational committees, caucuses, and projects, reflecting a wide spectrum of intersectional issues. Learn more at www.nlg.org.
Location: Remote, with a preference for New York, North Carolina, Oregon, or Texas.
Salary and Benefits: The starting salary is $67,530.53-$90,755.38, commensurate with experience, with opportunities for annual COLA increases and pay raises. This position is unionized (UAW District 65, Local 2320), non-exempt, and has a 35-hour workweek. Benefits include employer-paid medical, vision, and dental insurance; a 401(k) plan with up to 4% employer match; paid family leave, disability, and life insurance; and paid time off, including three personal days, seven fixed holidays, four floating holidays, 18 sick days, and 20 regular vacation days annually. The NLG NO also observes three office-wide closures per year. This is subject to revision during the collective bargaining agreement process. The position is contingent based on continued funding.
Required Qualifications:
- Commitment to NLG principles (including, but not limited to, anti-racism, anti-imperialism, anti-capitalism, and anti-oppression);
- 5+ years of experience in legal support organizing, community organizing, or similar experience providing direct support for social movements;
- Experience in preparing, reviewing, delivering, and/or facilitating political education and mass defense content, including, but not limited to, trainings on anti-repression, direct actions, Know Your Risks, Legal Observing, and anti-protest laws;
- Demonstrable involvement with successful social justice campaigns;
- Ability to think strategically and identify mass defense opportunities and challenges;
- Knowledge and familiarity with evolving digital security practices and platforms;
- Ability to share information prioritizing anti-oppressive practices, disability justice, and reaching diverse audiences;
- Ability to work collaboratively, share responsibilities, and support and acknowledge contributions of colleagues and partner organizations;
- Excellent project and time-management skills for individual and collaborative projects;
- Ability to write clearly, concisely, and by deadlines; and
- Must be authorized to work in the United States.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Knowledge about Constitutional and First Amendment law and organizing;
- Direct experience advocating against political prosecutions;
- Legal experience or background, particularly in criminal defense;
- In relationship with social justice organizations and coalitions across the United States;
- Experience with media and public-facing communications;
- Familiarity with NLG’s Legal Observer Program;
- Understanding of state repression and political organizing in response;
- Understanding of left radical/progressive social movements and political ideologies;
- Familiarity with CiviCRM, WordPress, GoogleSuite, and Canva;
- Experience working in nonprofit or mission-based organizations;
- Experience and knowledge of the NLG and our internal structures; and
- Experience with collaborative workplaces and consensus-based decision making.
Job Duties:
Rapid Response (25%)
- Serve as the first line of response for all internal and external mass defense-related inquiries and requests
- Engage in rapid response to movement moments and challenges, particularly in situations of mass repression of dissent
- Evaluate and recommend bold and aligned organizational positions in the face of movement crises
- Coordinate movement support with all staff, relevant chapters, members, and organizational partners
- Respond to litigation and arrests involving NLG members and volunteers, reporting to the Executive Director and appropriate NLG entities for strategic solutions
Political Education (20%)
- Propose, organize, and execute public-facing and internal political education
- Support members, chapters, and committees in the creation of mass defense-related materials and resources
- Support the Director of Communications with the creation of timely media and content that is relevant to current mass defense issues
Programming (20%)
- Proactively analyze the political landscape to identify current social movements and needed response(s)
- Standardize and update internal trainings to address situations affecting mass defense priorities and circumstances in the country
- Oversee the creation and support of Legal Observer Programs and other NLG mass defense initiatives, with a focus on unstaffed chapters and members at large
Collective Projects (15%)
- In collaboration with NO staff, administer the creation, update, and distribution of mass defense-related resources and materials, particularly Legal Observer Program materials and legal education resources
- In collaboration with the Director of Membership, assist NLG members, chapters, and committees in their organizing and protest legal support of aligned social movements, prioritizing geographic regions without staffed chapters
- Report to staff updates from existing coalitions and identify members to participate in ongoing partnerships
Organizational Development (15%)
- Act as a liaison between the NO and the Mass Defense Steering Committee
- Provide support and input to emergent organizational needs
- Report to grant requirements and funders on mass defense priorities and initiatives as needed by the Executive Director and NLG Foundation
Conventions (5%)
- Assist with selection and generation of programming for the national convention
- Attend and provide in-person support for the national convention
Work Environment:
The work environment described here represents what an employee will encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals of all abilities to perform the essential functions.
- This position is remote. The DMD must be able to participate in online virtual communications, including email and video conferencing, used to facilitate virtual office culture and work sharing.
- This full-time (35-hour week) non-exempt position generally requires availability during core office hours of Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, and occasional work on evenings and weekends as needed.
- Employees must be able to conduct business in English; however, fluency in languages other than English is a plus.
- This position requires some work at off-site locations (e.g., annual convention, National Executive Committee meetings); the NLG aims for accessibility in any off-site location.
- This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and webcams. Employees are regularly required to communicate effectively both remotely and in-person.
How To Apply:
Candidates should submit a letter of interest, a resume, three pages of political education content, and two references in one PDF document to jobs@nlg.org, with “[Full Name] – Director of Mass Defense” as the subject of the email.
The letter of interest should describe your motivations for working with the NLG, any movement experience, and details about your demonstrated experience in any of the job functions. Letters of interest will not be evaluated based on adherence to any specific cover letter conventions; we just want to know more about your personal, political, and/or professional interest in this role.
The political education content should consist of three pages of one or more of the following:
- Graphics created for a campaign, event, explainer, or social justice topic;
- Select slides of a training, workshop, or presentation;
- Excerpts of a written report, white paper, memorandum, brief, or guide;
- An outline, syllabus, or curriculum of a training, workshop or presentation;
- Screenshots of social media publications; and/or
- Similar content that reflects experience preparing, reviewing, delivering, and/or facilitating political education and mass defense content.
If necessary, a short explanation of the content may be included within the page. Candidates must have contributed significantly to the development of submitted content and be prepared to explain their contributions during the interview process. Content created for or while employed by another organization is welcome. Relevance to NLG’s Mass Defense Program will be more important than the complexity or popularity of the content. More than three pages will not be considered.
References will not be checked until the last round of interviews and candidates will be given an opportunity to notify their references in advance. This position is remote with some travel, and candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
Timeline:
Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Application review will proceed immediately, with decisions beginning on September 2, 2026. Please apply early to ensure your application is considered. Tentative start date is October 12, 2026.
The NLG National Office complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact jobs@nlg.org.
The NLG is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. BIPOC, trans and LGBTQ people, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, formerly incarcerated people, and people who have lived in poverty are strongly encouraged to apply.
