Job Description
Join the National Movement to Advance Disability Rights Are you a passionate advocate for equality, justice, and inclusion of people with disabilities?
The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) — the nation’s largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights of individuals with disabilities—is seeking a Staff or Senior Staff Attorney to join our dynamic legal team as part of our Facilities and Community Integration Unit. This is more than a legal position—it’s an opportunity to drive systemic change. You’ll help support national strategies that ensure people with disabilities have the freedom and support to live, work, and thrive in their own communities, in keeping with the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and other laws.
Who We Are At NDRN, we believe that disability rights are civil rights. We serve as the nonprofit membership organization representing the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) and Client Assistance Program (CAP) agencies in every U.S. state and territory, as well as the Native American Disability Law Center in the four corners region. Together, this nationwide network is a powerful force for equality—working to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunity, self-determination, and access to justice.
As part of our team, you’ll: • Partner with passionate advocates and attorneys across the country to uphold and expand the promise of the ADA. • Protect the critical statutory authorities of the Protection and Advocacy system and assist with responses to abuse and neglect of people with disabilities. • Support national litigation and other strategies that protect and advance disability rights. Join a collaborative, mission-driven organization that values innovation, integrity, and inclusion. • Contribute to work that produces measurable, lasting impact in communities nationwide. At NDRN, we don’t just defend rights—we build pathways to inclusion. If you’re ready to use your legal expertise to create lasting change, your work will matter every day.
What You Will Do: • Provide quality technical assistance to P&A system staff on legal and other advocacy responses to address abuse and neglect of people with disabilities. This includes assisting P&A’s develop responses to the failure to provide proper outpatient and community services; improper or illegal use of restraint and seclusion; physical violence or neglect; and substandard or inadequate treatment in services, among other critical needs issues. • Provide quality legal and practical technical assistance, including on litigation strategies, involving the P&A System’s federal statutory authorities to access people with disabilities and their records, and to bring suit in federal court to protect the rights of people with disabilities. October 2026 Staff or Senior Staff Attorney • Collaborate with other NDRN attorneys and advocates to support P&A staff in the critical role of monitoring and investigating abuse and neglect of people with disabilities. • Develop, coordinate, and conduct virtual and in-person trainings to meet the training needs of P&A staff in order to enhance and expand their ability to address incidents of abuse and neglect and other rights violations, and to best utilize the P&A’s statutory authorities. • Create, update, and maintain written resources and on-demand training courses relevant to abuse and neglect, rights violations, and the P&A statutory authorities. • Broker expertise among the P&A/CAP system and work with outside experts to promote the sharing of resources and the quality of services across the network. • Develop and expand collaborations with other national disability and civil rights advocacy organizations, and similar coalitions. Provide subject matter expertise to support NDRN special projects, grants, and NDRN’s public policy work. • Contribute to regularly circulated training and technical assistance publications. • Assist with amicus requests and briefs.
Qualifications: • A Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school, with a minimum of 3 to 6 years of experience in legal practice (for staff attorney) or 7+ years of experience in legal practice (for senior staff attorney). Good standing to practice law in at least one state or the District of Columbia. October 2026 Staff or Senior Staff Attorney • Experience representing and advising clients with disabilities or organizations which advocate for people with disabilities to address abuse and neglect or the provision of services to people with disabilities under federal or state law. Direct experience representing clients in federal court including drafting complaints and motions, conducting depositions, participating in settlement negotiations, and/or monitoring settlement agreements or court orders. • Strong understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the P&A system and the P&A system federal enabling acts, and experience working for or in collaboration with a P&A organization. • A solid understanding of disability rights laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; and laws which address mental capacity and the mental health and/or developmental disability service system. • Demonstrated commitment to civil rights, equity, and social justice, and an understanding of the principles of self-determination and personal and bodily autonomy. • Ability to communicate effectively. • Excellent legal research and analytical skills. • Demonstrated interpersonal skills, including but not limited to sensitivity to other people and the ability to work cooperatively with others.
Preferred Qualifications: • Direct experience with P&A access authorities, with preference for litigation experience involving such authorities. • Strong knowledge of federal court standing requirements. • Experience representing clients with mental health disabilities, developmental disabilities, or traumatic brain injuries. • Experience in federal civil litigation seeking systemic relief on behalf of people with disabilities. October 2026 Staff or Senior Staff Attorney • Knowledge of the service delivery system and the rights and issues facing people with mental health and developmental disabilities. Background in mental health competency issues or treatment. • Experience presenting and training with large and small groups to convey specialized content to adult learners. • Understanding of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation or the Joint Commission accreditation standards. Location & Work Environment