MANAGING ATTORNEY – Advocacy and Investigations

Who is Disability Rights Wisconsin?

Disability Rights Wisconsin is Wisconsin’s Protection and Advocacy system. The agency is charged with protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities and keeping them free from abuse and neglect. Employing a variety of means, our advocates and attorneys use individual casework and systems advocacy to achieve positive changes in the lives of people with disabilities and their families. We are seeking employees who value this work. In turn we treat our employees well, offering a supportive environment, talented colleagues, excellent benefits, and generous leave.

Disability Rights Wisconsin arose out of a disability civil rights movement demanding that the abuse of people with disabilities end and that people with disabilities be included in life, school, workplaces, and communities. Our core values include: Diversity, Dignity, Independence, Accessibility, Inclusion, Human Rights, and Liberation.

Our programs include:

● Protection & Advocacy for people with disabilities (addressing abuse/neglect, discrimination, and access to services)

● Disability Benefits Specialist program (helping people access Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance)

● Family Care & IRIS Ombudsman program (supporting people to remain in community-based settings)

● Victim Advocacy services for crime victims with disabilities

Note: You can request alternate formats of this position announcement. You may submit your application materials in alternate formats if needed. Please contact hr@drwi.org for alternate formats.

About This Position

The Managing Attorney will provide team leadership and coordination to our short-term advocacy and investigations work, to include advocacy plan development and implementation: attorney and advocate supervision; grant management; and advocacy quality assurance. The incumbent will oversee and engage in legal, individual and systemic advocacy and provide outreach and training on behalf of people with disabilities.    

This role ensures the delivery of high-quality legal and advocacy services, supports the professional development of team members, and advances strategies that drive systemic change for the communities we serve. 

Full Time Equivalent: 1 FTE (40Hours/week)

Reports to: Director of Legal and Advocacy Services  

Rate: $88,000 to $101,000 per year

Location: DRW has offices in Milwaukee and Madison. This position can be assigned to either of these office locations, depending on the applicant’s residence. Hybrid options are available.  Applicant must be a Wisconsin resident.  

Job Hours: The majority of hours should be completed during core office hours, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some evening and weekend hours may be required. 

Application Instructions: Submit resume and cover letter detailing your qualifications and experience as they relate to the minimum and preferred qualifications.

Application Deadline: Preferred consideration will be given to applicants who apply by March 31. Position will remain open until filled.

Key Responsibilities

Team Oversight (40%):

• Work with short-term advocacy, investigations and monitoring teams to develop potential activities that support the mission and priorities of DRW. Collaborate to identify issues and strategize to ensure the most impactful use of DRW’s resources to meet the legal needs of people with disabilities and advance systemic change.
• Oversee the allocation of time and funding to ensure that i) all activity falls within the bounds of the DRW Mission, and ii) the resources are used cost-effectively to make progress toward DRW Priorities.
• Develop and sustain strong working relations with each staff member by: 
• • individualized relationships with each team member to achieve the right balance of support, teamwork, monitoring, guidance, and room to move autonomously ensure compliance with all relevant state and federal grant requirements  ongoing effort to promote the professional development of each team member (and ensure that each team member is adequately trained)  appropriate ongoing supervision and support of all students and volunteers (if any) 
  • Supervise advocates and attorneys.
  • Coordinate professional development activities to ensure attorneys and advocates have the skills to perform effective and ethical practice.

Legal and Advocacy Work (20%):

• Maintain a limited caseload of strategic or high-profile cases. Directly engage in a substantial level of advocacy activity, which could include the provision of information and advice; speaking; training; handling some individual cases;  collaborating with litigation team for a major case; and/or participating in various aspects of DRW systems advocacy. 
• Perform legal oversight of advocacy, investigation and monitoring programs to ensure goals are met and advance DRW’s individual and systemic advocacy.  

Collaborative Work (20%):

• Collaborate to develop cohesive strategies to address overall agency-wide advocacy strategy especially on cross-disability issues.
• Create and maintain a process to identify and document trends for future program enhancements.
• Develop and maintain expertise in significant disability focus areas.

Management and Compliance (15%):

• Ensure team compliance with ethical rules, organizational policies, and funder requirements.
• Track and report on team outcomes, deliverables, and grant objectives, including collaboration to draft portions of various grant reports throughout the year. Contribute to budget planning and resource allocation for the Team in collaboration with Directors of Finance and Legal & Advocacy Services.
• Ensure positive relations between DRW and the key funders/stakeholders, while continuing to protect the overall integrity and quality of DRW’s advocacy.

General (5%) 

• Adhere to all DRW policies and procedures, including but not limited to work hours, timesheets, file maintenance, confidentiality, and security. 
• Participate in DRW activities such as all-staff meetings and committees.  
• May be other related duties as assigned. 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate and licensed to practice law in Wisconsin or eligible
• Eight years’ progressive leadership and management experience.
• Experience or direct contact or both with persons of culturally diverse background.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with internal and external employees and entities including excellent listening, verbal, and professional written communication skills.
• Effective computer skills include communicating via email, word processing, and spreadsheets, and use of Teams, SharePoint, HRIS system and Outlook.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a management team. Manage your own workload, which includes prioritizing work as needed and multitasking and pivoting between multiple projects simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience/direct contact with persons with a disability or social justice movements either in a paid or unpaid capacity.
• Knowledge of public policy.
• Effective supervisory skills.
• Experience with grant management.
• Ability to write and/or speak Spanish, Hmong, or ASL as well as English is desired.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

·      Ability to remain stationary, often standing or sitting, for long periods. 

·      Ability to traverse, bend, and reach to access files and operate office equipment. 

·      Perform repetitive motions that may include wrists, hands, or fingers.  

·      Occasionally lift or move objects up to 20 pounds.  

·      Some independent travel is required (20%). 

Benefits

Disability Rights Wisconsin places an unparalleled value on the well-being of our staff. The following benefits are offered for permanent employees who work 20 or more hours per week:

• Generous employer contribution for individual and family health insurance plus a Health Reimbursement Account for uncovered health care costs.
• Employer-provided Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Contribution
• Flex Spending Account
• Access to affordable, quality:

Dental, Vision Coverage

Additional Life Insurance for employee and spouse and children

Critical Illness Insurance

Identity Theft

Pet Insurance

Public Student Loan Forgiveness

Employment at our organization may qualify you for federal student loan forgiveness programs. We do not directly pay for – nor forgive – federal student loans. However, our status as a not-for-profit organization under Section 501 (c) (3), makes us an eligible employer. There may be other determining factors for one to qualify.

For more information, read the Federal Student Aid’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) page:
 studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

Generous paid time off policies include:

·           10 Fixed and 4 Floating Holidays

Leave time for:

o   Medical and Caretaking

o   Vacation

o   Personal

·           Bereavement Leave

Additional benefits include the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Commuter Choice, and Sabbatical Leave.

Equal Employment Opportunity Act (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA)

We are an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status following Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the American with Disabilities Act (ADA)
and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Our organization is committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment.

Date of Job Description: February 2026