Staff Attorney

Washington, D.C., nonprofit organization dedicated to saving and improving human and animal lives seeks an attorney with at least five years of experience to provide legal advice on compliance and risk issues and participate in legal advocacy including litigation, legislation, and other legal efforts to effectuate the organization’s mission.  

About the Physicians Committee

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is dedicated to saving and improving human and animal lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. Our vision is to create a healthier world through a new emphasis on plant-based nutrition, and scientific research conducted ethically, without using animals. We invite you to visit our YouTube channel, our website, and Physicians Committee president Dr. Neal Barnard’s blog.

About the Legal Team

The Physicians Committee’s legal team provides legal support to our advocacy efforts, including campaigns to change federal and state government policy through litigation, public outreach, and working with Congress and other institutions. The team also ensures compliance with all corporate governance standards, business requirements, and tax laws and provides legal advice to all team members as requested on a wide variety of topics.

About this Career Opportunity

The Staff Attorney will provide sound and constructive legal advice on compliance and risk issues to colleagues in all departments of the Physicians Committee and affiliated organizations. The Staff Attorney will also participate in legal advocacy pursued by the Physicians Committee, including litigation, legislation, and other legal efforts to effectuate the missions of the affiliated organizations. Essential functions will include:

Provide general corporate advice to team members:

• Ensure organizations function consistent with tax exempt status.
• Review, negotiate, and draft contracts, vendor agreements, grant agreements, MOUs, and other legal agreements. Advise on contract issues, including compliance, amendment, and termination.
• Advise on personnel and human resources matters.
• Advise on intellectual property matters, including trademark filings and infringements and copyright advice and compliance.
• Advise on potential litigation risks associated with correspondence, advertisements, or public advocacy statements.
• Advise on obtaining legal permission to conduct activities, such as demonstrations on public property.
• Review trusts and estate correspondence to ensure records are complete and to determine organization’s interest.
• Advise and report on lobbying activities and compliance.
• Retain outside counsel on matters requiring special expertise.
• Comply with federal, state, and local lobbying requirements.
• Maintain highest levels of corporate governance for all affiliated organizations.
• Research health care law issues (e.g., HIPAA, Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law).

Pursue legal advocacy efforts to support Physicians Committee campaigns:

• Draft memoranda, pleadings, and documents in support of campaigns, maximizing media attention.
• File lawsuits under public records laws and federal Administrative Procedure Act.
• Brainstorm with campaign staff on potential new lawsuits, analyze potential suits raising new legal issues, and advise on litigation strategy.
• Assist staff in interpreting statutes and regulations.
• Draft and file petitions.
• Draft clear and precise memoranda and legal briefs as needed.
• Assist in drafting requests for public records and related administrative appeals.
• Perform legal research on local cruelty laws; state, federal, and international animal research laws; and open government laws.
• Retain and work with outside counsel and prosecutors as necessary.

This is a full-time position that may be performed at our office or remotely from any location in the United States. The Physicians Committee is headquartered in Washington, D.C. (Friendship Heights on Metro’s Red Line).

Who We’re Looking For

We are looking for an attorney with at least five years of experience and at least three to five years of experience in relevant practice areas. Knowledge of and experience with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Administrative Procedure Act are a plus. We’re looking for a team member who will excel at researching and carefully applying a wide variety of laws in novel contexts. If you have these qualifications and are passionate about the Physicians Committee's mission, we'd like to hear from you.

How to Apply

We require a formal cover letter and resume to apply. In your cover letter, please tell us about your interest in our mission, your related experience and accomplishments, and your professional goals. Click here to apply online. We look forward to hearing from you! Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis.