Current Openings

Job Title: Staff Attorney (Training & Publications)

Position Type: Full-time

Location: Remote

Background:  The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) is a high-impact national nonprofit veterans service organization based in Arlington, Virginia. Established in 1981, NVLSP’s mission is to ensure that the government delivers to our nation’s veterans and active-duty personnel the benefits they have earned due to the disabilities that resulted from their military service.

To this end, NVLSP and its attorneys provide legal representation at no cost to veterans and surviving family members before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) and other federal courts and agencies. NVLSP often serves as amicus or lead counsel in impact litigation throughout the United States. NVLSP also trains thousands of lawyers and non-lawyer advocates in veterans/military law and publishes advocacy materials to assist these advocates in their representation of veterans, service members, and their families. NVLSP wrote the book on veterans’ law—The Veterans Benefits Manual—the nation’s first veterans law treatise.

General Summary: The Staff Attorney (Training & Publications) will serve a dual role as (1) a national trainer, creating training materials and delivering both in-person and virtual veterans law training to Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) and other veterans advocates nationwide; and (2) a lead author of the Veterans Benefits Manual, playing a significant role in assisting the Director of Training and Publications with the process of updating the manual each year and revising current content. The attorney will also assist with updating NVLSP’s Online Basic Training Course and may also represent a small number of appellants before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and/or U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

Duties/Responsibilities:

  • Develop and present high-quality veterans law training for non-attorney veterans service officers and attorneys, both virtually and in-person. Must be available to travel to locations across the United States to provide multi-day training sessions 5-10 times per year.
  • Conduct legal research, create, update, and refine training slides and other instructional materials on current and emerging veterans law topics.
  • Assist the Director of Training and Publications with managing the annual process for updating the Veterans Benefits Manual, to include the coordination of the work of numerous authors.
  • Analyze new legal authority, determine where and how it should be incorporated into the Veterans Benefits Manual, and update the manual accordingly.
  • Thoroughly review content of the Veterans Benefits Manual to identify areas that should be improved and revise those parts of the manual.
  • As needed, provide legal representation to a small number of appellants before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA), including preparation of legal briefs and representation at hearings.
  • As needed, provide legal representation to a small number appellants before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, to including the drafting of Summary of the Issues memorandums, appellate briefs, and motions.
  • Perform other mission-aligned projects as assigned by the Director of Training & Publications.

Education and Skills

  • Juris Doctor (J.D.)
  • Licensed attorney in good standing, admitted to practice law in any U.S. state.
  • Veterans law experience required (a minimum of 5 years).
  • Strong public speaking and presentation skills.
  • Prior experience providing legal training or presentations to advocacy organizations preferred.
  • Superior writing and Blue Book citation skills. Law Journal or similar writing experience preferred.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel).
  • Exceptional organization, time-management, and attention to detail.
  • Ability to work independently, but also collaboratively, in a remote environment.
  • Demonstrated commitment to supporting veterans and their families.

Opening/Closing Date: Available immediately; closes when filled.

NVLSP Approved Work Locations:  NVLSP currently authorizes hiring or remote work from the following 25 states: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois (excluding Chicago), Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York (excluding New York City), North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Salary and Benefits: Salary commensurate with qualifications, experience, and work location. NVLSP provides a generous benefits program, including: a 401(k) retirement plan; depending on employee location, health insurance (Washington, DC area) or partial or full reimbursement of individual health plans bought through a state insurance marketplace (other locations); a health care reimbursement account with yearly contributions from NVLSP; employee assistance program at no cost to the employee; and generous paid vacation and sick leave, compensatory time, and 14 paid holiday days per year.

Applications: Apply via Indeed (https://www.indeed.com/job/staff-attorney-training-publications-b930488a3578ff4a) by providing a cover letter, resume, legal writing sample (academic, journal, brief, or memo), and list of three references. Only applications with all required documentation will be accepted and moved to the next review phase.

All applications will be reviewed in confidence. NVLSP is an equal opportunity employer.