Tech Counsel (AI for Democracy Action Lab)

Protect Democracy is seeking experienced, highly motivated attorneys to join our team as Counsel, focusing on the legal dimensions of artificial intelligence and advanced technology as they intersect with American democracy. These roles are integral to our scaling of the AI for Democracy Action Lab—Protect Democracy’s multidisciplinary, nonpartisan “action tank” focusing on building tech tools and shaping law and policy to safeguard and strengthen democracy in the AI era. This position is remote based in the US.*

We are hiring for two different tech counsel roles:

• The senior position is for candidates with at least 10 years of experience as an attorney, ideally bringing expertise in AI and emerging technology law, exceptional legal and analytical skills, entrepreneurial legal instincts, and a demonstrated ability to translate complex technical and legal questions for diverse audiences.

• The other position is for early to mid-career attorneys eager for opportunities to stretch and grow in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. The ideal candidate brings at least 4 years of experience as an attorney, with some exposure to AI and emerging technology law or related fields (such as national security or First Amendment law), exceptional legal and analytical skills, and entrepreneurial legal instincts.

In both roles, you will develop and advance legal strategies at the frontier of AI law and policy. From idea generation to execution, you will work with a small team driving creative impact litigation and other projects that integrate legal, regulatory, and communications strategies to constrain deployments of AI that are corrosive to our democracy. You will also help build the AI for Democracy Action Lab’s expertise and credibility on the legal questions that will define how AI shapes our democracy.

As a member of this team, you will shape the AI for Democracy Action Lab’s legal advocacy priorities, building upon the team’s strategies to date. Our legal work has included advocacy to push back against the Pentagon’s retaliation against Anthropic for standing by its red lines, litigation challenging the administration’s attempt to chill online trust and safety work, and litigation and advocacy to stop the administration’s unlawful collection and aggregation of Americans’ personal data and deployment of technology for surveillance purposes.

At Protect Democracy, we believe that diversity isn’t just a strength — it’s a necessity for tackling the complex challenges facing democracy. A broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences strengthen our ability to analyze problems, craft solutions, and drive meaningful change. We strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum to apply. If you meet most but not all of the criteria listed below but believe nonetheless you’d be a stellar match for the role and could grow into it, we want to hear from you.

In both counsel roles, team members will:

• Develop and shape integrated advocacy projects to advance the mission of Protect Democracy at the intersection of AI and democracy through the AI for Democracy Action Lab, including by:

  • Bringing creative and high-impact litigation at the intersection of AI and democracy;

  • Helping build Protect Democracy’s expertise and reputation as a thought leader on AI and emerging technology law as it relates to democracy; and

  • Collaborating with the communications team to define and execute on integrated advocacy campaigns that advance the AI for Democracy Action Lab’s goals.

Senior counsel will:

• Identify, scope, and manage complex, high-stakes integrated advocacy projects to advance the AI for Democracy Action Lab’s goals;

• Lead and drive the development of innovative legal arguments and potential litigation approaches at the intersection of AI and democracy;

• Lead the process of researching, drafting, and editing pleadings, motions, briefs, and other legal filings in impact litigation;

• Lead communication with opposing counsel and manage and grow relationships with clients, coalition partners, experts, and government stakeholders in high-stakes litigation and non-litigation settings;

• Manage discovery processes, including informal fact-finding, document review, witness interviews, written discovery, depositions, and expert discovery;

• Supervise and mentor paralegals, junior legal staff, and law students;

• Write, publish, and present to key audiences on legal issues that gain significant traction at the intersection of AI and democratic governance;

• Brief reporters and provide expert commentary on complex legal questions and developments in AI law and regulation, serving as a public face for projects;

• Engage with policymakers, regulators, civil society partners, and the tech industry as a credible legal voice for pro-democracy AI governance.

Early to mid-career counsel will:

• Lead legal and policy projects or workstreams at the intersection of AI and democracy with managerial direction on strategy and pivots;

• Research, develop, and shape innovative ideas for litigation and policy strategies to advance the AI for Democracy Action Lab’s goals;

• Research, draft, and edit excellent legal pleadings and external-facing non-litigation products (including legal memos, primers, administrative comments, and op-eds);

• Participate in and manage discovery processes, including informal fact-finding, document review, witness interviews, written discovery, depositions, and expert discovery;

• Communicate in settings with significant stakes, including recruiting clients and retaining outside counsel and representing the organization with non-litigation external stakeholders (such as ecosystem or media briefings);

• Participate in convenings with policymakers, regulators, civil society partners, and the tech industry as a credible legal voice for pro-democracy AI governance.

The ideal candidate brings:

• Relevant legal experience, specifically:

  • For senior counsel, at least 10 years of legal experience (which can include judicial clerkships), with expertise in AI and emerging technology law, exceptional legal and analytical skills, entrepreneurial legal instincts, and a demonstrated ability to translate complex technical and legal questions for diverse audiences;

  • For early to mid-career counsel, at least 4 years of legal experience (which can include judicial clerkships), with some exposure to AI and emerging technology law or related fields (such as national security or First Amendment law), exceptional legal and analytical skills, and entrepreneurial legal instincts.

• Bar membership in good standing in the jurisdiction of your residence;

• Experience developing and leading impact litigation or plaintiff-side civil litigation, including managing litigation teams for the senior role;

• Entrepreneurial legal instincts and an ability to generate impactful, creative ideas that advance the goals of the AI for Democracy Action Lab;

• Exceptional analytical, writing, and presentation skills directed at both legal and non-legal audiences;

• Ability to translate complex technical and legal questions for policymakers, journalists, and the public

• An embrace of a cross-ideological and nonpartisan approach to protecting our democracy;

• Growth mindset and enthusiasm for giving and receiving feedback up, down, and sideways;

• Collaborative orientation and willingness to take on tasks big or small as needed to advance our mission;

• Rigorous attention to detail and the highest standards for excellence in execution;

• A passionate commitment to the preservation of democratic norms and institutions, and an understanding that our democracy has never fully represented communities of color.

Compensation

For senior counsel, the starting salary range is $170,000 to $193,000, commensurate with the candidate’s relevant experience, capabilities and skills and in alignment with internal equity.

For early to mid-career counsel, the starting salary range is $138,400 to $157,000, commensurate with the candidate’s relevant experience, capabilities and skills and in alignment with internal equity.

About Protect Democracy

• *Flexible location. We are a remote-first organization based exclusively in the United States, meaning our staff work within the US and primarily virtually. We also offer shared workspaces for those who enjoy working in an office environment. We are established for remote work in many states across the country, and while candidates based anywhere in the United States are welcome to apply, we may not be able to offer employment in your current location. If you proceed in the hiring process, we will discuss where you currently live and what is possible in our initial interview. All staff are also required to travel at least two times per year to team retreats, and this role may require periodic travel. Accommodations to this requirement will be made only in exceptional circumstances.

• Commitment to an inclusive workplace. Protect Democracy is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences strengthens our ability to analyze problems, craft solutions, and drive meaningful change. Protect Democracy encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

• Phenomenal benefits. Our benefits package includes generous sick leave and a flexible vacation policy where we encourage team members to take 4-5 weeks every year, along with 12 paid holidays, 6 weeks of paid family medical leave, and 18 weeks of paid parental leave. We also offer a 401(k) plan with up to 6% employer match that vests immediately. Additionally, we cover employee medical premiums at 100% (with up to 95% coverage for dependents depending on plan selection), and employee and dependent’s dental/vision at 100%. All employees have access to long-term disability and life insurance, fertility benefits, a home office stipend, and bonuses at the discretion of the Executive Director.

To apply for this position, please complete the application linked below. You will be asked to upload your resume and cover letter as PDFs. Applications missing any of the required materials will be considered incomplete and not reviewed. Please note that interviews for these roles will be conducted on a rolling basis.

Important notes

• Contact [email protected] if you require specific accommodations at any point in the hiring process.

• Keep an eye on your promotions/spam folders to avoid missed communication.

• We are unable to provide status updates for each application we receive. If you reach out and do not hear back, please know it is not for lack of appreciation or interest, but simply for lack of staff capacity to respond to individual inquiries.

• The application will include a voluntary EEO survey so that we can monitor the applicant pool as a whole for representation and equal employment opportunities, and to evaluate our progress as an organization toward a diverse and inclusive workforce, which we believe is a pillar of a thriving democracy.
  The categories used by the EEO survey are limited and may not reflect your lived experience; please feel free to opt out of any of the questions. Your responses to this survey are entirely separate from your application materials, are not accessible to those responsible for hiring decisions, and will not affect your candidacy in any way.