Everyone says they want to change the world. We're looking for people who actually will.
Alliance Defending Freedom is a faith-based legal advocacy organization that protects fundamental freedoms and promotes the inherent dignity of all people. Please visit our career site to view our Statement of Faith and Doctrinal Distinctives.
Senior Counsel, Europe Litigation
Alliance Defending Freedom is looking for a Senior Counsel, Europe Litigation , to join us full-time in our Brussels, Belgium office. As Senior Counsel, Europe Litigation, you are a vital part of the Global Free Speech team. In this role, you will report to Director, Europe and will be responsible for evaluating, developing, and leading high-level, high-impact litigation in pursuit of ADF generational wins in Europe. While the role will support litigation across ADF's mission areas, its main focus is freedom of speech, with particular emphasis on Germany and France, and other top European jurisdictions, and on litigation before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
Your primary role will be to undertake complex European litigation: shaping case strategy, handling litigation work, representing ADF and its clients before the ECtHR and the CJEU, coordinating with national counsel in domestic proceedings, and training and supervising more junior lawyers. You will work closely with the Global Free Speech team, Legal Counsel, Litigation (based in Vienna) and the Legal Officers in Brussels, as well as the wider ADF to combat state-sponsored and corporate censorship, including in relation to EU laws such as the Digital Services Act.
Your Essential Responsibilities:
Strategic Litigation
Develop and implement litigation strategies in pursuit of generational wins across Europe, with a particular focus on free speech.
Identify, evaluate, and select cases with the potential to secure positive precedents at the highest available courts, and help draw together potential clients, national counsel, experts, and other supporting professionals.
Lead and litigate complex cases in support of free speech and other ADF mission areas, from domestic proceedings through to the ECtHR and the CJEU.
Represent ADF and its clients before the ECtHR, including drafting applications, observations, and third-party interventions, and presenting oral arguments.
Represent ADF and its clients in proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union and the General Court, including direct actions and references for a preliminary ruling under Article 267 TFEU arising from national proceedings, and present oral arguments.
Coordinate with counsels in German and French courts (including constitutional and supreme courts) regarding cases for European and EU-level review.
Develop strategy, arguments, and evidence in preparation for the presentation of cases.
Produce, review, edit, and file high-quality legal papers, including applications, briefs, pleadings, written observations, interventions, and memoranda.
Conduct advanced legal research on European human rights law, EU law, and German and French law relevant to free speech advocacy.
Monitor legislative and judicial developments affecting free speech in Europe, including EU digital regulation, hate speech and "disinformation" laws, and identify emerging threats and litigation opportunities.
Leadership, Training, and Supervision
Supervise and mentor mid-level and junior lawyers in all phases of European and national litigation.
Train allied lawyers internally and externally on European and EU litigation within ADF mission areas.
Advise allied lawyers on legal issues within areas of competence.
Public Advocacy and Alliance Building
Represent ADF's free speech advocacy efforts in the court of public opinion.
Interview and interact with the media regarding cases and issues, through op-eds, commentaries, and radio or television interviews.
Draft scholarly articles, present at conferences, and…