Legislative Counsel
The Uniform Law Commission (ULC), a nonprofit organization representing state governments, seeks a motivated, articulate, and well-organized attorney to join its legislative staff.
About the ULC
Since 1892, the ULC has drafted and sought enactment of nonpartisan state legislation in areas of the law for which uniformity among states is desirable. Drafting meetings are open to any interested person who registers to attend; draft laws are posted for public comment and often revised based on the input received. Final uniform acts are published and made available to state legislatures for enactment.
ULC products include the Uniform Commercial Code, the Uniform Probate Code, the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, and over a hundred other uniform and model laws in areas including commercial law, property law, family law, civil procedure, criminal justice, trust and estate law, privacy and technology law, and the law of business organizations.
Job Description
The primary mission of the Legislative Counsel is to provide support for ULC commissioners as they seek to enact uniform laws in the legislatures of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This work may involve organizing coalitions of local advocates, drafting testimony for committee hearings, answering substantive questions about law and policy, drafting summaries and talking points, and tracking bills as they progress through the legislative process. The job may also involve limited duties unrelated to legislative enactment, such as researching and writing memos about areas of law in which the ULC may choose to launch new projects, general stakeholder outreach, and assisting with in-house legal tasks.
ULC Legislative Counsel represent the ULC at legislative hearings and in meetings with stakeholders. They liaise with other organizations that have an interest in various uniform acts. Legislative Counsel work closely with state legislators and their staff to strategize and build support for enactment of uniform laws.
Training for the Legislative Counsel will occur at the ULC’s office in downtown Chicago. Following a training period, the Legislative Counsel will have flexibility to work a hybrid or remote schedule. The position requires a willingness to travel, particularly during prime state legislative session months (January-May). Attendance at the ULC’s seven-day annual meeting each summer and occasional weekend meetings is also required.
Most of the ULC’s legislative staff is based in Chicago. Candidates based in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Tennessee are also welcome to apply if they have prior experience advocating for the enactment of legislation in their states.
Desired Skills and Experience
The Legislative Counsel position requires:
- The ability to communicate complex legal information quickly and clearly, both orally and in writing, including to non-lawyers;
- Experience working collaboratively with other organizations, such as interest groups and government entities;
- Strong legal research and writing skills;
- Creativity, professionalism, and the ability to adjust to changing legislative and legal demands;
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously;
- Demonstrated ability to take ownership of and solve problems, to assess issues expeditiously, and to provide sound legal advice;
- A J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school;
- Admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; and
- A minimum of one year’s experience in law practice, government, or government relations.
Legislative or policy experience at the state level is preferred. Experience in one of the areas of law in which the ULC has drafted a substantial number of uniform acts may be helpful.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary for the Legislative Counsel starts at $85,000 but may be higher based on relevant experience. The ULC offers a competitive benefits package including a 35-hour work week and flexible-time accrual; flex-schedules; the ability to work from home; health, disability, life, vision, and dental insurance; a cafeteria plan that provides fulltime employees a method of paying premiums and obtaining reimbursement of health coverage and other permissible benefits on a pre-tax salary reduction basis; twelve weeks of parental leave (after 12-months of full-time work for ULC); twelve-and-a-half paid holidays and two paid personal leave days annually; three weeks of paid vacation time annually; six days of sick leave annually; and a retirement plan with employer contributions.
Application Procedures
The deadline for applications is December 31, 2024. Please send a cover letter, résumé, and legal writing sample to apply@uniformlaws.org and include “Legislative Counsel” in the subject line. An equal opportunity employer, the ULC welcomes and encourages diversity in our workforce.