COO, Head of Legal Services
Position Summary
Thurgood is committed to expanding access to legal services for common plaintiff’s claims. We’re a venture funded, early-stage startup looking for an ambitious attorney for the role of founding COO, Head of Legal Services to help grow our in-house Mediation Practice. While the company is based in New York, we’re open to attorneys across the U.S. for remote employment.
Role & Responsibilities
Currently focused on employment law, Thurgood’s Mediation Practice serves qualified plaintiffs who aren’t a good fit for traditional attorney representation. While Thurgood will continue to connect victims to third-party law firms for start-to-finish representation, the in-house Mediation Practice assists claimants in a limited capacity, with a focus on facilitating a settlement with the employer before filing a complaint with the appropriate state or federal agency. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Mediate employer-employee settlement negotiations
- Prepare complaints for the EEOC, OSHA, DOL, and their state equivalents
- Work with Thurgood’s CEO and Of Counsel to establish ways of working that adhere to the American Bar Association’s Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators
- Formulate and document a repeatable, scalable process for other mediators to follow
- Hire and train future mediators who will implement and expand this offering
- Write and publish papers that advance Thurgood’s mission to increase access to legal services for victims of discrimination
- Attend conferences and recorded appearances on behalf of the company
- Use the learnings from your work to inform and improve Thurgood’s technology
Requirements
- Minimum of 5 years legal experience as an attorney with a law firm, government agency, in-house legal team, or a combination thereof.
- Experience negotiating or mediating settlements between parties.
- Employment law experience not required.
- Passion for the intersection of technology, legal services, and social good.
- Comfortable joining an early-stage, venture-funded startup.
- Ability to thrive in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment during business hours (with respect for your nights and weekends).
- Proven ability to simplify and systemize repeat, high-volume processes and procedures.
- Outstanding organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and complete them on time.
- Ability to communicate legal issues in a clear, regular-person manner. Inspires trust and confidence through effective communication and interpersonal skills.
- Bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctorate degree from a U.S.-accredited law school.
- Licensed to practice law in at least one of the following states: California, Illinois, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, or Texas.
- Completion of a mediation certification program is a bonus, but not required.
- Comfortable with travel, as needed.
Compensation for this role is expected to be $115,000 - $130,000, with a generous equity package commensurate with being a founding member of the team. Actual pay will be determined considering factors such as relevant skills and experience, and the candidate’s desire for equity-based compensation.
Regular full-time employees have access to benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Stock Option Program, Paid Time Off, and more.
