GovAct Legal Fellow
Full-Time/Exempt
Remote/Hybrid in SF Bay Area or Washington, D.C.
$85,000 annually; one-year term
Application Link
About GovAct
The Governors Action Alliance (GovAct) is a nonpartisan nonprofit initiative that helps Governors work across state lines to champion fundamental freedoms and improve people’s lives. GovAct serves as a central platform for collaboration across Governors’ Offices – incubating, launching, and supporting alliances of Governors. These alliances share cutting-edge policy and legal approaches to some of the most challenging and critical national issues, including reproductive freedom, democracy, public safety, and public health.
Currently, GovAct supports the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, Governors Safeguarding Democracy, the Governors Public Health Alliance, and other Governor-led initiatives and collaborations. For each of these Alliances and initiatives, GovAct helps:
- Build capacity and expertise by connecting experts across Governors' Offices and organizations, tailoring best practices, model policies, and legislation, and advancing other legal and policy innovations for Governors to advance bold policies;
- Develop innovative ideas for collaboration within and between States by breaking out of silos and advancing creative initiatives;
- Advance affirmative agendas that Governors can use to maximize their powers to protect fundamental freedoms. counteract federal overreach, and fulfill the promise of effective state governance; and
- Partner with other nonprofit organizations, experts, and other stakeholders to advance shared goals.
More information about GovAct can be found at www.GovActAlliance.org.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting to GovAct’s Director of Legal and Policy Strategy, the Legal Fellow will help plan and execute legal and policy initiatives across GovAct’s three alliances, including by identifying and scoping innovative policy ideas to further alliance objectives and conducting legal research and analysis in several quickly evolving issue areas. The legal fellow will also support GovAct in pursuing new initiatives and alliances in emerging areas, helping to identify and address critical gaps and opportunities for cross-state collaboration.
This is a one-year opportunity with the possibility of renewal, pending sufficient funding. Some travel may be required. Ideally, the fellow would be available to start August 3, 2026, if not sooner.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Legal Research and Analysis: Provide cogent and incisive legal and policy research and analysis across a wide range of evolving issues, including measures related to democracy, governance, public health, reproductive freedom, and other state and federal domestic policy issues (including affordability, artificial intelligence regulation, and education, among others); and brief key GovAct stakeholders on legal and policy research.
- Strategic Planning: In close collaboration with GovAct’s Director of Legal Strategy and Policy, inform operational plan to advance strategic initiatives, laws, and policies across Governors’ Offices, including novel approaches to cross-governor coordination. This will include:
- Exploring opportunities for GovAct, its bipartisan advisory board, and its alliances to litigate or serve as amici in multistate litigation related to reproductive freedom, public health, and democracy;
- Supporting alliances’ development of legal and policy work product in quickly evolving issue areas; and
- Creating templates, sample actions, and reference materials to help states adapt successful approaches from other jurisdictions.
- Governor’s Office Support and Engagement: Provide tailored support and resources across GovAct’s full scope of work and alliances in response to Governors’ Office requests.
- Project Management: Track work plan to implement GovAct’s broader strategic plans, including establishing timelines, roles, and responsibilities, and tracking progress toward goals.
QUALIFICATIONS
We understand that no candidate is likely to embody every qualification below. GovAct is seeking a recent law graduate (1-3 years out of law school) or a current law student who will have their J.D. by June 2026.
Required:
- Excellent legal writing, research, and communication skills (written and verbal)
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
- Commitment to public service and public interest law
- Strong interest in federalism, civil rights, and democracy protection
- Passion for the role of Governors in protecting fundamental freedoms and improving people’s lives
- Completed J.D. by the start of the fellowship
Desirable:
- Past legal or non-legal experience in government and domestic policymaking
- Substantive expertise in one or more of GovAct’s or the Alliances’ issue areas, including democracy, public health, reproductive freedom, public safety, or immigration.
VALUES AND LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES
To effectively meet this critical moment, successful candidates will also bring relevant and diverse lived and professional experiences to the build of the organization and will align with key founding values of GovAct, including:
- Belief in the power of government – and governors’ offices in particular – to advance bold, affirmative agendas that protect fundamental rights and improve peoples’ lives.
- Strong, hands-on work ethic to support fast-paced startup growth and development of a sustainable organization.
- Political acuity and sound judgment in handling sensitive information, gaining trust, and working effectively across governors’ offices and diverse partners.
- Collaboration and communication skills to operate effectively across a complex and matrixed network of stakeholders and teams.
- Resiliency, optimism, and solutions orientation to advance a joyful approach to the work, remain responsive rather than reactive, and support progress when meeting difficult challenges.
- Commitment to building a diverse workforce and demonstrated ability to work effectively and build alignment across lines of difference.
BENEFITS
GovAct offers a flexible work environment and an excellent benefits package.
TO APPLY
To apply, please submit your application including cover letter and resume here: Application Link. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. If you have any questions, please reach out to our team at hiring@govactalliance.org.
HIRING VALUES
At GovAct, we celebrate a culture of belonging and are committed to cultivating and nurturing a workplace of diversity, equity, and inclusion. GovAct encourages individuals to apply for this position who are of underrepresented backgrounds including, for example, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
